Mat is dicing at the Wandering Woman when Vanin brings word the women have vanished from the palace again and Thom doesn't know how. Elayne, Nynaeve, Aviendha and Birgitte have been doing this for days and it grates on Mat. Instead of helping the women to search, he instead has to send the men out to look for the women. Vandene and Adeleas are also searching in the Rahad, openly, but no one will deal with Aes Sedai. A duel is fought in front of them, with one man near death. Before Elayne can intervene, a red-belted woman kneels by him and tries to heal him but fails.