Egwene and Nynaeve depart Fal Dara with the Amyrlin Seat and the rest of the Aes Sedai. The Amyrlin pushes her company hard, resting only briefly during the day and making camp late in the evening. One night, as Egwene and Nynaeve rest in their tent, Verin Sedai enters to give Egwene a lesson. Verin explains that both girls have the spark of power in them but require different methods of nurturing. While Nynaeve is labeled a “wilder”—someone who gains a rough mastery of channeling by surviving harsh trials—Egwene demonstrates an innate skill and a remarkable lack of fear but little control. Control is what Verin wants her to learn before she touches the True Source and unleashes destruction. She leads both girls through a meditation exercise. Egwene feels the power for a fleeting second and grasps at it, but it slips away. Nynaeve has trouble with the exercise but continues to try until a pile of blankets bursts into flame. At that, Verin calls an end to the lesson.

As they journey southwest, each night a different Aes Sedai comes to Egwene and Nynaeve’s tent for instruction. They eventually arrive at the village of Medo on the banks of the river Mora.