TGS: Chapter 39

A Visit from Verin Sedai

Summary

Egwene POV � At first, Egwene accuses Verin of never holding the Oath Rod, then of having the Oaths removed like Yukiri and Saerin. Verin admits that she is Black Ajah. She is sipping a cup of poisoned tea which allows her around one of her new Oaths:

"I swear not to betray the Great Lord, to keep my secrets until the hour of my death."

Her imminent death allows her to reveal all to Egwene. She learned of the Black Ajah and had to join or be executed. ¹ Tomas is also a Darkfriend who wants out. She used the opportunity to study the Black Ajah. She tells Egwene to thank Laras for the asping rot tea.² She worries about Rand. She thinks he understands how the Forsaken work, like selfish children, but he does not understand the Great Lord at all. The battle is not being fought the way Rand thinks. She is amazed that Egwene has been so successful against Elaida. She gives Egwene her life's work, her study of the Black Ajah. There is a thick red book with her notes and a thin blue one with the code to decipher the red one.³ There is also a leather bookstrap. It is a ter'angreal that renders the books invisible. Egwene thinks they are as great a treasure as the Horn of Valere. Verin tells her that Mesaana is in the White Tower. She met her twice but could not identify her.⁴ She says she was not supposed to give Egwene the twisted ring when she was sent to hunt the Black Ajah but she did anyway. After a few more minutes Verin dies. The door to her room opens and a young Red sister Turese looks in. Egwene implies, without lying, that Verin is asleep so Turese closes the door. Egwene wonders what is going on with Silviana and Elaida. She is undisturbed for the next several hours and uses the time to read. The list of Black Ajah includes Katerine, Alviarin, Elza Penfell, Galina Casban and Sheriam. Egwene suspected her at the time of Liandrin's betrayal, but grew to like her since. There are over two hundred, twenty-one Blue, twenty-eight Brown, thirty Gray, thirty-eight Green, seventeen White, twenty-one Yellow and forty-eight Red. Sitters for the Tower and the rebels include Duhara Basaheen, Velina Behar, Sedore Dajenna, Delana Mosalaine, Talene Minly and Moria Karentanis. Others are Dagdara Finchey, Zanica, Larissa Lyndel, Miyasi, Nesita, Nacelle Kayama, Nalaene Forrell, Birlen Pena, Melvara, Chai Rugan. Elaida, Lelaine, Romanda and Cadsuane are not on the list. Egwene thinks Galina and Alviarin were manipulating Elaida.⁵ Finally, there is a knock on the door Turese admits Nicola with a tray of food for Verin sent by Laras. Egwene expects her allies know about Verin so she checks the food and finds a vial containing a message that says to wait. She does, and soon Meidani arrives. Egwene tells her that Verin is dead, poisoned by a Darkfriend, and that she brought crucial information. Meidani tells her that Elaida is still Amyrlin, but just barely. The Hall censured her. Silviana is still imprisoned. All of the Red Ajah Sitters are missing.⁶ Egwene tells her that they must capture Alviarin. Part of Verin's message is that she is a Black Ajah leader. Meidani and the others had the Oath Rod proving out Nicola. She is one of Egwene's most ardent supporters. Egwene orders Meidani to take Verin's body and Travel to remove it. After she leaves, Egwene goes to sleep.

In Tel'aran'rhiod, Egwene waits for Siuan at the Spring Garden. While she waits, she thinks on Sheriam. Did Sheriam bring the Gray Man?⁷ She was part of the circle that Healed Mat. Was she aware of the plan to depose Siuan? Was the Tower schism part of the Dark One's plan? She thinks the Dark One would laugh at his success, then wonders if the Dark One even laughs.⁷ Siuan arrives. Egwene tells her to have Sheriam and Moria watched because they are Black Ajah. Siuan asks if she is still a prisoner. Egwene starts to answer,

but she is shaken awake by a panicked Nicola. She cries that Shadowspawn are attacking the White Tower. It is the Last Battle. Egwene realizes it is the Seanchan attack.

Notes

This is certainly the project that she began seventy years ago. (LoC,Ch11)
We hope that we will learn more about Laras' intriguing past!
The cipher keeps the contents secret and, quite possibly, allows Verin to write out her "betrayal". We know that the Three Oaths prohibit Aes Sedai from writing lies as well as speaking them.
We learn more about Mesaana's secret identity in ToM,Ch42.
That is definitely correct!
Duhara is in Caemlyn (KoD,Ch31) and Pevara and Javindhra are at the Black Tower. (KoD,Epilogue)
The Gray Man who tried to assassinate her in TDR,Ch15.
Yes he does. (LoC,Epilogue)

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