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A Crown of Swords: Chapter Summaries

Prologue: Lightnings (11 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Elaida orders Alviarin to send Sisters to the Black Tower and Mesaana teaches Alviarin how to Travel. Sevanna and Gawyn flee Dumai’s Wells with their respective escorts. Pedron Niall is assassinated; Eamon Valda assumes the title of lord captain commander of the Children of the Light.

Chapter 1: High Chasaline (12 Taisham N.E. 1000)

In the aftermath of Dumai’s Wells, Perrin observes the tension caused by Rand holding Aes Sedai prisoner.

Chapter 2: The Butcher’s Yard (12 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Rand searches for Maidens among the dead Aiel and memorizes their faces. He appoints the Wise Ones as guards for the Aes Sedai prisoners, accepts Healing, and chooses Corlan Dashiva to accompany him.

Chapter 3: Hill of the Golden Dawn (12 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Rand, Perrin, and the Aiel return to Cairhien via Gateway. They learn that Colavaere Saighan has been crowned queen in their absence, having murdered two other claimants. Perrin realizes Faile may be in danger.

Chapter 4: Into Cairhien (12 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Rand’s Asha’man escort secures them entry to the palace; Selande of Cha Faile informs Perrin that Faile is among Colavaere’s attendants.

Chapter 5: A Broken Crown (12 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Rand strips Colavaere of the crown and all her estates, and banishes her to a farm.

Chapter 6: Old Fear, and New Fear (12 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Perrin and Faile argue briefly, then make up. Perrin refuses to command the army at Illian.

Chapter 7: Pitfalls and Tripwires (12 Taisham N.E. 1000)

In disguise, Rand visits Bael and Davram Bashere in Caemlyn, but learns that Elayne has not yet arrived. He leaves Fedwin Morr to carry messages.

Chapter 8: The Figurehead (13 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Egwene orders the rebel Aes Sedai camp to pause for a day and gather supplies. She feels a man who can channel remove Moghedien’s a’dam.

Chapter 9: A Pair of Silverpike (13 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Egwene warns her circle about Moghedien’s escape. Nicola and Areina attempt to blackmail her and are rebuffed.

Chapter 10: Unseen Eyes (13 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Egwene leaves messages for Elayne and Nynaeve in their dreams, and informs the Wise Ones via Tel’aran’rhiod that she has been made Amyrlin. They decline to tell her about Dumai’s Wells.

Chapter 11: An Oath (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Faolain and Theodrin swear fealty to Egwene. Egwene dodges several Sitters, then speaks with Gareth Bryne about besieging Tar Valon.

Chapter 12: A Morning of Victory (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Siuan leads Egwene to a hidden camp, where Myrelle and Nisao have been hiding Lan Mandragoran. Egwene sends Lan to find Nynaeve in Ebou Dar, then extracts oaths of fealty from Myrelle and Nisao. Halima works her way into Egwene’s good graces.

Chapter 13: The Bowl of the Winds (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Aviendha accompanies Elayne and Nynaeve to visit the Sea Folk, where they will negotiate a bargain concerning the long-lost Bowl of the Winds.

Chapter 14: White Plumes (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

After watching Olver win a horse race, Mat follows a Darkfriend to Inquisitor Jaichim Carridin’s palace. Along the way, he purchases a signet ring bearing a fox and two ravens.

Chapter 15: Insects (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Carridin spots Mat watching the palace, and is ordered by Sammael to find a cache of ter’angreal.

Chapter 16: A Touch on the Cheek (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Mat enters the Tarasin Palace to warn Nynaeve and Elayne about Carridin. Two Aes Sedai fight over him; he is rescued by Queen Tylin.

Chapter 17: The Triumph of Logic (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Carridin’s Darkfriends attempt to kidnap Mat from his inn and are killed. Joline and Teslyn discuss Elaida’s orders. Falion kills a Wise Woman while trying to find the ter’angreal cache for Moghedien.

Chapter 18: As the Plow Breaks the Earth (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

In an attempt at damage control, Rand makes an Aes Sedai serve tea for the Aiel clan chiefs. Cadsuane Melaidhrin appears, startling everyone, and tests Rand’s level of sanity.

Chapter 19: Diamonds and Stars (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Cadsuane interrogates Annoura and the Aes Sedai sworn to Rand. Min and Rand console each other over the deaths of Herid Fel (gholam attack) and Colavaere (suicide).

Chapter 20: Patterns Within Patterns (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Sammael and Graendal—in disguise—meet with the Shaido, and are observed by Moridin.

Chapter 21: Swovan Night (14 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Mat finds Birgitte waiting in his room and recognizes her from Falme. Birgitte returns to Elayne and Nynaeve and calls them out for their treatment of Mat in Tear. Aviendha suggests they apologize.

Chapter 22: Small Sacrifices (15 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Nynaeve and Elayne deliver their apologies to a hungover Mat, and exact a promise that he will move into the Tarasin Palace. They are cornered by Setalle Anan, who believes they are Tower runaways.

Chapter 23: Next Door to a Weaver (15 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Setalle Anan drags Elayne and Nynaeve to the Kin, by way of half the inns in the city. Reanne Corly interrogates the pair, denies knowledge of the ter’angreal cache, and ejects them.

Chapter 24: The Kin (15 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Reanne, unsettled by the meeting, gives new orders to those with her. Nynaeve and Elayne discuss age and slowing; a group of Darkfriends attempts to kidnap them in the street.

Chapter 25: Mindtrap (15 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Moghedien relives endlessly her rescue and subsequent visit to Shayol Ghul. She wakes; Moridin informs her that only three days have passed, and that she serves him now.

Chapter 26: The Irrevocable Words (15-16 Taisham N.E. 1000)

At the Fortress of the Light, Queen Morgase recovers from her abuse at the hands of High Inquisitor Asunawa and Eamon Valda. The Seanchan conquer the city; Morgase is taken before High Lady Suroth, who makes the former panarch of Tarabon dance for her. After abdicating her throne, Morgase and her entourage escape with the help of Sebban Balwer.

Chapter 27: To Be Alone (16 Taisham N.E. 1000)

After a staged fight with Rand, the ostensibly banished Perrin Travels to Ghealdan with the Two Rivers men, a company of Aiel, and Berelain’s Winged Guards. They are to bring the Prophet Masema to heel.

Chapter 28: Bread and Cheese (15-17 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Mat moves into the Tarasin Palace and is first accosted by Queen Tylin. Elayne and Nynaeve gladly agree to his offer of bodyguards, and set him watching the Kin. Queen Tylin orders her servants not to feed Mat until he responds to her advances.

Chapter 29: The Festival of Birds (18 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Tylin finally has her way with Mat, and Carridin’s thugs try to kidnap him again. Reanne sends someone to check on the ter’angreal cache; Mat follows them.

Chapter 30: The First Cup (18 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Elayne is chastised for endangering the secret of the Kin, but turns the tables on her accusers. Moghedien balefires Nynaeve’s boat.

Chapter 31: _Mashiara _ (18 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Nynaeve finds herself underwater and finally breaks her block. Lan takes her to another boat, which she appropriates. Elayne takes the rebel delegation to confront the Kin.

Chapter 32: Sealed to the Flame (18-19 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Elaida receives news of Dumai’s Wells; Alviarin blackmails her into causing strife between the Ajahs. Elaida appoints Seaine Herimon to ferret out traitors in the White Tower. Seaine interprets this as an injunction to find the Black Ajah and recruits Pevara to help her.

Chapter 33: A Bath (19 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Rand broods over his encounter with Min; he has not heard Lews Therin’s voice since Cadsuane’s visit. Min gains entry, cheers him up, and has the Maidens give him a bath.

Chapter 34: Ta’veren (19 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Rand visits the Sea Folk and appoints Merana Sedai to settle the details of the bargain with them.

Chapter 35: Into the Woods (19 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Rand and Min, incognito, visit the rebels led by Caraline Damodred and Toram Riatin. They meet Darlin Sisnera of Tear, and discover Padan Fain, upon whom Rand pronounces a bounty of one hundred thousand gold crowns. Toram Riatin challenges Rand to a duel.

Chapter 36: Blades (19 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Rand and Toram’s duel is interrupted when a bubble of evil ravages the camp. Cadsuane, Caraline, and Darlin fight their way out with Rand and Min; Padan Fain grazes Rand with the dagger from Shadar Logoth. Cadsuane appropriates a wagon and takes Rand to the Asha’man for Healing.

Chapter 37: A Note from the Palace (19 Taisham N.E. 1000)

While preparing to collect the Bowl of the Winds, Mat learns that Moghedien has killed two of his men, Nynaeve has married Lan, and Tylin is moving Mat’s things to her own apartments.

Chapter 38: Six Stories (19 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Elayne learns of Tylin’s abuse of Mat and laughs at him. Despite this, Mat offers her the foxhead medallion for protection in case Moghedien returns; she declines. They travel to the ter’angreal cache, where they are ambushed by two of the Black Ajah and a gholam. Mat chases off the gholam using the foxhead medallion.

Chapter 39: Promises to Keep (19 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Aes Sedai, Sea Folk, and Kin argue about the gholam until Elayne manipulates Mat into making a one-sided bargain with the Sea Folk Windfinder. They prepare to leave, but Olver is missing; Mat heads out to find him, but is buried under a wall when the Seanchan attack.

Chapter 40: Spears (20 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Galina Casban, captured by the Shaido at Dumai’s Wells, is pronounced da’tsang. Sammael gives Sevanna an Oath Rod and scatters the Shaido from Illian to Ghealdan.

Chapter 41: A Crown of Swords (21 Taisham N.E. 1000)

Rand wakes, bluffs Cadsuane, and launches an attack on Illian using only Asha’man and Bashere’s Saldaean cavalry. Sammael moves their battle to Shadar Logoth, where he is killed by Mashadar. Rand crosses balefire streams with Moridin, then returns to Illian and is crowned king.