New Spring/Chapter 21

==Summary==
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Lan, Ryne, and Bukama continue onwards as they escort Alys to Chachin. When some thunderstorms come out of the Blight, the Aes Sedai weaves a shield around them to keep themselves dry. Lan wryly notices that at every village, the mysterious woman asks for Avene Sahera. She even continues to probe at their pasts and plans, and continues to annoy Lan. The second night she keeps him awake with flicks; the third night she fills his clothes with sand! At around noon on the fourth day they are attacked by forty brigands. Lan observes that Cat Dancer knows how to react in a fight. Alys uses the One Power, however, to frighten the brigands off. She is furious that they did not invite attack so that she could use the Power as a weapon to attack the brigands; the brigands had surely terrorized the countryside for some time. They try to convince her that they would not have survived such overwhelming odds but fail to mollify her. That night, ants suddenly bite him; the next he finds blisterleaf in his clothes. Lan knows Alys wants some reaction from him but cannot figure out what, so he can only bear the punishment in silence. According to Malkieri custom, only another woman can tell her that she had done enough injury to repay Lan's insult of throwing her in the pond. Lan hopes that they can reach Chachin before he dies to her torture.
Moiraine tells herself that she is tormenting Lan only because she wants an apology. One of the Blue Ajah's secret weaves is for the control of insects, although she doubts she is using it for its intended purpose. She is very frustrated that no matter how much she prods and goads, she cannot get any information from any of the men. She still does not know if they are Darkfriends or if any of the sisters at the Gates of Heaven are secretly of the Black Ajah. Two days away from Chachin, Moiraine finds Avene Sahera in a village called Ravinda, but fortunately for the woman her son was born too early and at the wrong place to be the Dragon Reborn. She is using the bounty to build an inn called The White Tower. Moiraine thinks wryly that the name will last until the first Aes Sedai sees it.
As they leave the village, Moiraine decides to use wasps to attack Lan. She asks him if he is allergic to wasp stings to make sure that she doesn't accidentally kill him. He turns around, shocked. Moiraine is confused about his expression, but then notices the arrow sticking out from his shoulder. Immediately, she embraces the Power and blocks another arrow with Air. She finds the assassin and holds him with Air, allowing arrows from Ryne and Bukama to both hit home. He is revealed to be Caniedrin, a soldier who was under Lan's command in the Aiel War. He reveals that he was paid by a man to kill Moiraine. He had been told to kill Moiraine first, but disobeyed his orders and shot Lan first instead, believing him to be the most dangerous of the group. He was not informed that Moiraine is Aes Sedai. The arrow would have hit Lan in the heart if Moiraine had not caused him to turn around at just the right moment. She rushes to Heal the dying man for further interrogation but it is too late. She wonders if Gorthanes hired him. She searches his body but finds only the payment, ten Cairhienin gold crowns. Ryne and Bukama remove the arrow from Lan's shoulder. Moiraine finally asks Lan to accept Healing after none of them request it and he hesitantly agrees after prodding by Bukama. His wounds from Canluum are also Healed in the process. Lan frees Caniedrin's horse before Moiraine can search the saddlebags. Nevertheless, Moiraine is surprised by this act of kindness and decides to spare him the wasps. Moiraine believes she has only two more nights to break Lan; she will be far too busy in Chachin to worry about him.
==Characters==
*Lan Mandragoran
*Moiraine Damodred/Alys
*Ryne Venamar
*Bukama Marenellin
*Cat Dancer (animal)
*Avene Sahera
*Caniedrin
===Referenced===
*Ries Gorthanes
==Groups==
*Aes Sedai
===Referenced===
*Black Ajah
*Blue Ajah
==Places==
*Chachin
*Ravinda
===Referenced===
*Canluum
*The White Tower
===One Power===
*Every Ajah's secret weaves