Handle things herself? Even if this were true, how was she planning to do that?

And she makes it very clear she didn't plan any such thing...

"Anyway," Verin continued. "We were talking about what you did here, in the Tower. I was afraid that I'd come and find you still dawdling with your friends outside. Imagine my amazement at finding that you'd not only infiltrated Elaida's regime, but had apparently turned half of the Hall itself against her. You've certainly riled some of my associates, I can tell you that. They are none too pleased." Verin shook her head, taking another sip of tea.

Why would Verin have had any thoughts about Egwene if her plan was to deal with the Blacks herself (however she planned to do such an impossible thing)?

"I will admit that the poison was a backup plan," Verin said. "I am not eager for death;

Only the poison was the backup, not coming to Egwene. Everything Verin says makes it clear her first plan was to get the rod, go to Egwene, take the Oaths in front of her to make sure she was believed, then give her information to Egwene. I have no doubt she would have had valuable input to Egwene's plan to deal with the Blacks, as Egwene herself acknowledged, but it would be Egwene's plan:

"Be careful where you tread. Be careful how you strike. I will leave it to you to decide if you want to try to get all of them at once, or if you want to take the most important ones separately in secret. Perhaps you will decide to watch and see if you can counter their plots. A good interrogation might yield light upon some of the questions I was not able to answer. So many decisions you must make, for one so young."

Verin clearly didn't come with a pre-formulated plan of how to deal with the information she had. She was looking to Egwene for leadership in this.


What does that even mean? Verin knew exactly whom to trust, given that she had almost every Black sister cataloged. She could have gone to Elaida, or to any number of Sitters, or to her Ajah Head. She could even have gone to Siuan outside!