Although there is plenty of Daylight left, Rhuarc decides to stop the large group at a place called Imre Stand where he can be sure of water. Rhuarc's scouts make a grizzly discovery. A group of Aiel goat herders have been literally liquefied, and their remains used to paint the inside of a small shelter. With their goats left behind, we can tell this not only wasn't other Aiel raiders, it wasn't shadowspawn either. This was Lanfear and/or Asmodean not wanting to be discovered. Isendre's feigned shudder at the sight tells us almost as much. Rand's suspicion of the peddlers grows, he begins training and sparring with Rhuarc and Lan regularly in this chapter, and Mat's secondhand memories start bubbling to the surface.

“That mountain can grow awfully heavy sometimes,” he sighed, taking a spear and buckler from Rhuarc. “When do you find a chance to put it down awhile?”

“When you die,” Lan said simply.

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