Liandrin’s betrayal is laid bare. The Seanchan capture Egwene and Min, but Nynaeve and Elayne escape.
The institution of damane and their sul’dam handlers is a central pillar of what makes the Seanchan so deliciously evil. They believe, as a society, that all women who can channel should be enslaved and treated as property.
When Liandrin emerges from the Toman Head Waygate with Egwene, Nynaeve, Min, and Elayne in tow, it quickly becomes apparent that she is making a delivery. High Lady Suroth is there with a contingent of soldiers and sul’dam who stand ready capture Egwene and Nynaeve. Fortunately for our heroes, Liandrin is a villain who has all of the tactical foresight of a toddler trying to put a square peg into a round hole. Suroth’s thug grabs Min and Elayne, and Nynaeve’s anger level explodes from zero to insanity. She unleashes a tornado of unbridled fury, and chaos erupts. Elayne and Nynaeve escape, but Min is knocked to the ground and one of the sul’dam manages to get a collar around Egwene’s neck. You see, Egwene? This is why we don’t follow strangers into dark alleys.
Liandrin is upset. Based on the words she and Suroth exchange, it sounds like they both serve the Dark One, and their instructions were clear: bring Egwene and Nynaeve to the other side of the Aryth Ocean and keep them there. I’m guessing they’ll play a critical role in supporting Rand, so the Shayol Ghul strategy department wanted them out of the picture. Oopsies — they captured the butterfly and left a pissed-off hornet out there flying around.