Mat still isn’t cured, and his Shadar Logoth fuck-up could have world-ending consequences if he doesn’t get the dagger back. The Trollocs left a prophecy in the dungeon, hinting at Lanfear being free. Verin deduces that Siuan and Moiraine have discovered the Dragon.
Moiraine, Siuan, and Verin labor tirelessly through the night to rid Mat of his evil curse. Looks like we can finally close the book on this Shadar Logoth plot line, right? Wrong! Mat is still going to die within months unless the dagger is retrieved and the Aes Sedai do a “for reals this time” exorcism. This isn’t even the strongest reason to get the dagger back, either — Verin Sedai says that the evil of Shadar Logoth will infect the dagger’s bearer, who will in turn infect others. Sorry, Beetlejuice, but I think this Mordeth guy might actually be the ghost with the most.
Verin raises an interesting related question: if the dagger curses whoever carries it, then how can it be transported back to Tar Valon? Moiraine is quick on the answer — just send Mat! She was going to send Mat gallivanting off to Illian anyway, so why not send him along with Agelmar to retrieve the dagger? Everyone decides that this plan suits them just fine. What does Mat think about that plan? Who gives a fuck?
Next Verin produces a transcription of a prophecy that was written on the dungeon wall in blood during the raid. And damn, it is long. Did the Dark One commission Homer to write this drivel? My question is, who had time to write this opus on the wall in blood? It would be hard enough if you had a can of spray paint and half an hour to spare.
Most of the prophecy isn’t even worth discussing, at least not here, but Verin notes that the reference to Daughter of the Night can only mean Lanfear. She is one of the Foresaken, and was Lews Therin Telamon’s lover before he married his wife, Ilyena. Oh, fantastic. Imagine getting stalked by your past incarnation’s ex-girlfriend — Rand is in for a treat.
A brief sidebar on Foresaken naming. The chapter claims that most of the Foresaken “had been named by those they betrayed.” What the hell does that mean? Ishamael, Aginor, and Balthamel were named by their victims? “Hey there, I’m about to kill you and your family, but if you could fill out a quick survey first…” Lanfear, on the other hand, supposedly means Daughter of the Night in the Old Tongue. But I know the truth — you just thought it sounded cool, didn’t you, Mr. Jordan? No arguments there.
The prophecy also speaks of a “man who can channel,” whom Verin unflinchingly declares to be either Rand, Mat, or Perrin. Siuan and Moiraine are both aghast, but they both reflexively embrace the Power, so there is no denying their little secret. Verin has been on to them since the very beginning, but fortunately she is far too eager to chronicle the Dragon’s progress to consider turning them in. The time has come for the Dragon to have an audience with the Amyrlin.