A transition chapter. The very short version: Mat wakes up in a room with a table loaded with enough food to feed four people. He eats the whole thing while trying to figure out where he is, what happened, and what he’ll do next.

The longer version: Mat realizes after some time that he is in the White Tower in Tar Valon surrounded by Aes Sedai, which makes him incredibly uneasy. He has a long memory about being on a hillside watching a battle against a Trolloc army. He orders his men to charge. Mat remembers a phrase that might mean “Forward the Heart Guard”, but he doesn’t know for sure.

He remembers the ruby-hilted dagger and wonders if he’ll be able to keep the ruby, but he knows it’s likely tainted. At one point he dreamed of selling it for the biggest plot of land in the Two Rivers, but that idea doesn’t sound as attractive anymore considering he knows that there’s a whole world out there now. The very idea sounds cramped and restrictive.

He thinks about what his father says about turning a poor situation into an advantage, and he wonders how he’ll turn being in Tar Valon as an advantage. He muses about leaving the Tower, making some cash playing dice in town, and setting off on his own and away from the frightening Aes Sedai and perhaps back home.

He thinks he’s the only sane one left of his friends, with Egwene and Nynaeve aspiring to be Aes Sedai, Rand becoming the Dragon Reborn, and Perrin becoming Light Knows What. Time to look out for himself and himself only.

He remembers blowing the Horn of Valere. He wonders of Verin knew he blew the Horn.

He hears a knock on the door, and the door opens!

He poops his skinny, emaciated pants.