The Wheel of Kin: A Daughter's Journey

Echoes in the waking world

The night air whispered through the trees as Moiraine and Rand fled through the darkened woods.

"Why are we running? You killed her," Rand panted, his breath visible in the chilly air.

"That wound will barely slow her down. Hurry," Moiraine urged, her eyes scanning the shadows as they moved.

Back at the cabin, Selene, or Lanfear, lay in a pool of blood, her gasps and chokes filling the air. Black specks crossed the whites of her eyes as she muttered, "Bitch." Darkness enveloped her, and she rose, fully healed, grabbing her cloak and leaving the cabin as lightning flashed in the distance.

"I don't understand. She's a Forsaken. How did she...?" Rand questioned, his confusion etched on his face.

"If we survive tonight, I'll explain everything. There," Moiraine pointed ahead.

They reached a set of stables and began untethering the horses. A stablemaster walked in, shouting, "Oy! Oy! Payment first."

"I'm commandeering your fastest horses on behalf of the Amyrlin Seat and the White Tower," Moiraine declared.

The stablemaster protested, "There's no way I'll let you just take my horses."

"You're coming with us, and if they are not saddled in two minutes, I swear you will regret this night for however much longer your life lasts," Moiraine warned, her eyes gleaming with determination.

The stablemaster gasped and hurriedly set to work, hastily saddling the horses under Moiraine's watchful gaze.

Rand, still bewildered, asked, "The White Tower? Are we going back to..."

Moiraine unsheathed Rand's sword, the metallic rasp cutting through the night. "There are four horses. I cannot give her a way to follow us."

She approached a horse and, with a swift stroke, sliced its throat. The horse emitted a guttural sound before collapsing to the ground. Rand looked on, a mixture of horror and disbelief etched on his face.

Later, with the moon casting an eerie glow, Moiraine, Rand, and the now-silent stablemaster galloped down the road, leaving the cabin and the horrors of the night behind them. The wind carried their hurried hooves and the tension that hung in the air as they raced toward an uncertain future.

---

In the shifting expanse of Tel'aran'rhiod, where dreams and reality intertwined, Lanfear sought out Elara, the captive spirit bound by unseen chains. Elara's form, translucent and flickering like a wavering flame, sat on a stone, her eyes haunted.

Lanfear approached with a grace that was both captivating and unnerving.

"Lanfear," she spoke with an air of defiance, her ethereal form flickering like candlelight.

"Elara, dear. There's much we need to discuss. About your mother, Moiraine," Lanfear replied, her eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and intent.

"I won't betray her," Elara said, her voice guarded.

Lanfear leaned in, her gaze unwavering. "Betray? No, no. I want to know more about her, sweet Elara. Tell me. What is she really like?"

"Why should I tell you anything?" Elara questioned, her eyes narrowing.

"Because, my dear, I can help you. You're still stuck, aren't you? You cannot quite figure out how to leave Tel'aran'rhiod?" Lanfear's words hung in the dreamlike air.

Elara's eyes widened in surprise.

Lanfear continued, "I know many things. And I can help you break free. But first, tell me about Moiraine."