A maid of the house—the same one who had been polishing the candelabras when they arrived—led them upstairs, ascending a wooden staircase that creaked softly beneath their feet. The hallways were silent, the only sound coming from the faint crackle of the fireplaces scattered throughout the lower floor. She guided them to two adjacent doors at the end of the corridor, handing them the keys with a courteous smile before retreating.
Rand and Helena would share one room, while Mat would take the other. It wasn't the most ideal situation, but at least they had privacy and comfort—luxury wasn't a problem when you carried a magical suitcase and wealth.
As soon as they entered the room, Rand took off his coat and hung it behind the door. Helena did the same, but quickly threw herself onto the smaller bed, sighing as she sank into the clean sheets. She lay there, on her back, eyes fixed on the carved wooden ceiling.
"We should wait for them here," Rand said, taking off his boots while still standing, his gaze distant.
Helena remained silent for a few seconds. There was so much hanging in the air, and the absence of the others only made the weight heavier. She turned her face toward Rand and asked, her tone bordering on a whisper:
"Do you think they're alive? What if Mat's right?" There was anguish in her voice. "We survived because of magic. Moiraine and Lan... maybe they did too. She's an Aes Sedai, after all. But Egwene, Nynaeve, and Perrin... from what you told me, they were just villagers a few months ago."
Rand sat on the edge of the bed, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped together. His gaze looked older than it should for his age—as if he had already suffered too much loss.
"I think so," he replied finally, voice firm. "They're smarter than they seem. Especially Nynaeve. She's stubborn, proud as a mule, but she's dependable. And just to be clear… all of this happened over the course of days. Don't count the time you spent in the time chamber on the ship. The world kept spinning out here."
Helena sighed, remembering the strange days she had spent trapped in the magical chamber. Time there had been like thick liquid, dragging along in a distorted way. She also recalled the look on Rand's face during those days—serious, almost cold. It was the first time she had seen him speak with such harshness.
"And now? What do we do?" she asked, as if searching for a path in the middle of a storm.
Rand stood and walked to the window. Outside, the city still breathed. The lights from the tavern next door flickered in golden hues, and a carriage rolled slowly along the cobblestone street. When he spoke again, his voice carried conviction.
"Since you asked… we're going to take advantage of this city. Caemlyn is one of the largest cities on the continent. A center of power, politics, intrigue. And more than that: a crossroads. If we want to infiltrate, prepare, build a solid base... this is the right place."
Helena frowned.
"You want us to hide here?"
"I want more than that," Rand replied, crossing his arms. "I want to build something. With the gold we have in the suitcase, we can buy almost anything. Property, favors, information. And that's what I intend to do. I want to open an inn. A tavern, too. A meeting place for travelers, soldiers, nobles... and for informants. And beneath that inn, I want to build a network of tunnels with the help of the Globins."
"Tunnels?" Helena raised an eyebrow. "What for?"
"To create an escape route if necessary. To hide weapons, supplies, people. To give us a secret path to other parts of the city. The Globins are masters of magical excavation. And we have more than enough to get started—they won't question it."
Helena was quiet for a moment, digesting the plan.
"No one would suspect a simple inn."
Rand nodded.
"Exactly. The gold shouldn't be flaunted, but used strategically. We'll buy a property that's not too old, large, and well-located. The front will be elegant: new kinds of food, beds that feel like clouds, strong beer and all sorts of drinks, everything fresh and exciting. But behind that, it'll be our headquarters. Our refuge. Our advantage."
"And Mat? Will he agree to this?"
"He doesn't need to agree. He doesn't need to know what we're doing behind the scenes. The Dark One is after us for some reason, Helena. If we keep running, we'll end up swallowed whole. We need control. We need to build something that keeps us standing, even when everything else falls apart."
Helena walked over to him and stood by his side, watching the city that stretched beyond the window.
"So... we start tomorrow?"
Rand gave a faint smile.
"First thing in the morning. We go to the merchant district. Look for property. Make contacts. Plant the seeds for what's to come."
She nodded, and the two stood there in silence, side by side, watching the city fall asleep.
But they knew—both of them knew—that this night marked the beginning of a new phase.