Elaida strode swiftly through the winding corridors, heading toward the dungeons. Logain had escaped, right under the noses of six of her sisters. He must have had help from outside...or inside. She had a strong feeling the boy was involved somehow. What was his name? Rand. The guards hurried to open the heavy door at her command. As she stepped through the archway, she couldn't help but wrinkle her nose as the musty smell wafted over her. Several of her sisters were inside Logain's cell, searching for clues or traces.
"Has anyone checked if the other prisoners are still here?" she asked.
"Yes, Aes Sedai, I have," one of the guards replied. "All the others are still here."
"Show me the boy you brought here yesterday," she said.
"This way," he said, opening a small hatch on a door further down. Elaida stepped forward and peered inside. In the darkness, she could see the boy sleeping on a cot. She watched for a long moment before gesturing for the guard to close the hatch. She couldn't understand how the boy could be involved in the escape, but the feeling lingered. Elaida decided to interrogate him in the morning. Logain couldn't have gone far; he would be caught before dawn, and then they would get to the bottom of this mess.
Early in the morning, Moiraine sat on her bed, brushing her hair when there was a knock at the door. Lan entered and closed the door behind him. Through their bond, she had sensed his surprise and alertness throughout the morning.
"There's chaos in the city, Aes Sedai. Warders and the city guard are searching everywhere. Logain apparently escaped during the night."
"Interesting and surprising. I have a meeting with one of the Blue Ajah's eyes and ears today, so I should get more information about that and hopefully about Rand's situation as well," she said, putting the brush away.
The previous day, Elayne had tried unsuccessfully to visit the dungeons. "No one can visit the dungeons without the queen's or an Aes Sedai's permission," she muttered to herself in an exaggerated, mocking voice as she hurried to the hall where the royal family usually had breakfast together. When she entered the hall, she saw that only her mother was at the table. With no servants in the room, she quickly took her usual seat without the customary courtesies to her mother.
"Mother, the guards say I can't visit the dungeons without your permission. Is that true?" Her mother locked eyes with her before speaking.
"Yes, daughter, it is true. No one is to go down to the dungeons, especially not you. The false dragon has escaped from his cell. Think about what could have happened if you had been there then," her mother said.
"But if Logain is no longer down there, can I visit Rand?" Elayne asked hopefully.
Her mother sighed audibly before replying, "Elaida has interrogated the boy this morning, and although nothing new came out, she is convinced that he is involved in Logain's escape somehow. Elaida has more or less demanded to take the boy to Tar Valon when you go there tomorrow."
"But..."
"No buts, Elayne. He will go to Tar Valon, and Elaida will ensure that you do not get near him." Elayne sprang up from her chair and hurried out of the room, clearly irritated. Morgase sighed loudly again.
Lews sat massaging his sore body. Elaida had finally come to extract more information from him. The wards he had woven the previous day had been very useful—a ward taught during the War of Power to all Aes Sedai at risk of falling into Shadow's hands. This ward distributed blows and pain throughout the whole body, together with the void this made most interrogations, unless led by Semirhage, child's play. Elaida had been noticeably irritated that her methods hadn't yielded satisfactory results and had made it clear that this was just the beginning. It would have been easy to leave it all behind, but he didn't want to escape the dungeons only to be hunted across all of Andor. He needed to build alliances and trust among the nations. Then there was the problem of Ishamael, who seemed to be at large, which could mean several Forsaken were free. They would try to position themselves where they could wield the most power. Wards had always been one of his strengths, and he knew a ward that could warn him if compulsion was used within a certain area.
The hatch to the cell opened, and Karend, one of the guards he had developed a good relationship with, placed a plate of gruel and a cup of water inside.
"Time to eat, Rand," he called. "You really showed that damned Aes Sedai that you can't push Andoran lads around," he chuckled before closing the hatch. Lews couldn't help but smile. It doesn't take much to bring people some joy.
The day felt long, almost like an eternity, before the light from the hole in the ceiling began to fade. During this time, he had been contemplating the complex situation. When his time ward showed midnight, he began weaving a masked gateway to the hall where he had met Morgase. He peeked out; no one was there. As he stepped through the portal, he wove an inverted Mask of Mirrors that recreated the appearance and attire of an older servant he had seen earlier. He looked around the hall for a while, and soon found a tray with a wine carafe and an empty cup. He went over and poured himself a cup of wine, then drained it in one gulp.
Balancing the tray on one hand, he took a few steps. Whoops, this is harder than it looks. I'll just take the carafe. He opened the door and stepped into the corridor outside. Empty. The guards probably only stand here when the queen is in the hall. He began searching the long corridors for the throne room, a task easier said than done. Several times he encountered guards or servants rushing by on various errands. The servants nodded slightly at him as they hurried past, and he returned the gesture. The guards didn't seem to notice him at all. After a long while, he finally saw the extravagant decorations that indicated the throne room lay behind the large double doors ahead. Lews walked up and opened one of the doors just enough to slip through.
A magnificent room unfolded before him. Tapestries depicting grand events in Andoran history adorned the walls. The ceiling was incredibly high, and the space within the room was immense. At the far end stood the beautiful and fabled Lion Throne he had read about. He started walking toward the throne. When he was halfway there, a woman's voice sounded, "Is that wine you have there?" He recognized the voice; it belonged to Elayne, and she didn't sound entirely sober. He turned toward Elayne, who was sitting at a small table along one wall, and bowed deeply.
"Yes, my lady, but it is unfortunately cold and nearly gone. Should I fetch a warm carafe for you from the kitchen?" Not a chance, sweetheart, no more wine for you, he thought, smiling inwardly.
"That's not necessary, I already have a cup. Come and pour me some," she said. Lews bit his tongue; he knew very well it wasn't a servant's place to question. He walked slowly toward her and pretended to trip on a corner along the way, ensuring the carafe shattered in the fall. Elayne jumped up from her chair and rushed to him, "Are you alright? Let me help you up."
"My lady, I'm terribly sorry. Be careful not to step on the glass shards. I can manage," he said.
"Nonsense, here, take my hand," she said, extending her hand. He reached out, and she grasped it with a surprisingly strong grip, helping him to his feet.
"Thank you very much, my lady. You shouldn't trouble yourself. Would you like me to fetch more wine for you?" he asked.
"No, sit at the table and rest for a while. I'll have another servant clean up here later," she said, sitting down and gesturing for him to take a seat.
"If you insist, my lady," he said, sitting on the chair opposite her. Lews sat in silence for a long while. It's not a servant's place to question anything in this age. Meanwhile, he wove the inverted wards that would inform him if compulsion was used nearby.
"You have my permission to speak freely and honestly if you wish," Elayne said after a while.
"My lady, the hour is late, and you are to travel to Tar Valon tomorrow. You really should go to bed," he said.
"I feel so powerless," she said.
"Everyone does at times. The important thing is to focus on what you can control. Don't let the past govern your thoughts or feelings. It's easy to say but hard to master," he said.
Elayne sat lost in thought for a long moment before meeting his gaze and saying, "I've heard similar advice many times, both from my mother and Elaida Sedai."
"Wise women both, and if they were here, they would surely advise you to go to bed, though in your mother's case, it would probably be an order," he said, trying not to wink at her—it turned into a strange grimace instead.
"Yes, that's true. You've given me a lot to think about, and I'll take it with me to bed. Goodnight, and thank you," she said, rising and gliding out of the throne room.
Once Elayne had left, Lews quickly returned to the hall where he had met Morgase. There, he wove a masked gateway back to his cell. Lews slipped through and released all weaves. With a sigh, he lay down on the cot. It didn't take long before he was asleep.