The last chapter ended in the Majesty where the company and Rire Grist were the only ones that were left in the Majesty. Now, the First, Honniscrave, Seadreamer, Linden, Covenant, the Haruchai, Vain and Findail followed Rire Grist to their rooms.‘Thomas Covenant saw everything. He heard everything. From the moment when the Elohim had opened the gift of Caer-Caverel, the location of the One Tree, all his functions had functioned normally. Yet he remained as blank as a stone tablet from which every commandment had been effaced .In him, the link between action and impact, perception and interpretation, had been severed or blocked….
…..Occasionally, an uneasiness as vague as mist rose up in him, but when he uttered his refrain, it went away.
These three words were all that remained of his soul.’
When Rire Grist is gone, and the Hustin have been dismissed, the company discuss what has happened. They are all uneasy, but have to give the dromond as much time as possible to get supplied and repaired.
The Haruchai are getting steadily more hostile towards Linden:
That night, the company are invited to a banquet with the Chateliane.‘….the Master asked Brinn how the Haruchai had withstood Kasreyns geas. Brinn discounted that power in a flat tone. ‘He spoke to me with his gaze. I heard, but did not choose to listen.’ For a moment, he gave Linden a look as straight as an accusation.’
LOL, I can just imagine the Haruchai walking around, dragging all these women with them.‘The plain attire of the questers contrasted with the self-conscious display around them; but the Chatelaine reacted as though the company were thereby made more sapid and attractive – or as though the gaddhis court feared to behave otherwise.
Men surrounded Linden with opportunities for dalliance, blind to the possible hysteria in her mien. Women plied the impassive Haruchai determinedly. The Giants were treated to brittle roulades of wit.’
Eventually, the company can’t take anymore and they return to their rooms.
Covenant is next awakened by the Lady Alif entering the room. She puts Brinn out with some sort of sleeping powder and then leads Covenant out of the room. Hergrom lay on the floor like Brinn; Vain faced Linden’s room, oblivious as usual, but Findail‘Brinn drew Covenant into the next chamber and put him to bed, leaving Hergrom on guard in the hall with Vain and Findail. When Brinn doused the light, Covenant reflexively closed his eyes.’
‘watched the Lady Alif and covenant with an assaying look.’
One of the Haruchai, (Ceer or Cail) came in pursuit. But…
This part had me confused for a while, I had to read it a few times before I could understand what happened. But imagine what the Haruchai must have felt!! What the…!?‘beyond the last door, the stone walls altered, became mirrors. In an instant, their images were exactly reflected form both sides. Image and image and flesh met, fused. Before the Haruchai could catch them, Covenant and his guide were translated to an altogether different part of the Sandhold.’
Anyway, Covenant and the Lady Alif are now in a lavishly decorated, large round chamber, with a
‘spiraling ironwork stairway that rose from the center of the chamber.’
It is here that the Lady Alif tries to ‘seduce’ Covenant. However, no matter what she does,
Had they been trying to defend him? Or was it just a lucky coincidence.‘she could not pierce his Elohim-wrought emptiness. He was impervious as if their purpose had been to defend rather than harm him.’
Anyhow, the Kemper comes down the stairs, sends the Lady Alif back to the gaddhi and gets one of the Hustin to bring Covenant up to Kempers Pitch.
This where the Kemper performs his ‘Arts.’ He explains to Covenant
‘….my arts are pure, as a circle is pure, and in a flawed world purity cannot endure.’
So, in his work, he must place a flaw – which is that he will eventually die. His life leaks from him ‘drop by drop.’ But since white-gold is an imperfect metal, he could use that as his flaw, and therefore live forever (I hope that is right).
But Covenant has to choose to give the Kemper his White Gold, and the only way that will happen is if his veil of silence is pierced, which the Kemper now tries to do.
He straps Covenant into a chair, and uses his gold ocular and various lenses to torture Covenant – First a torture of knives, and then, fire. But neither work. Then, the Kemper drives Covenant into himself. All the things that Covenant feels guilty of are thrown at him: the destruction of the Staff of Law, countless deaths, his friends in danger, leprosy. It was then that the veil may have been pierced…but then….
When Covenant turns his head, he breaks the Kempers hold. He is back again in Kempers Pitch, everything is untouched, unchanged, except………‘He heard a series of thuds. The sounds of combat: blows exchanged, gasp and grunt of impact. Two powerful figures were fighting nearby.
Automatically, reflexively, he turned his head to see what was happening.’
‘…..the guard lay on the floor, coughing up the last of its life. Over the husta stood Hergrom. He was poised to spring. Flatly, he said, ‘Kemper, if you have harmed him, you will answer for it with blood.’
Covenant saw everything, he heard everything.
Emptily, he said ‘Don’t touch me.’
Yes. Some comedian said, "Captain Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Ensign Liebowitz beam down to a planet. Which one isn't coming back?"
uhh geez that's a tough one... 
