Not at all. She'd made her moves, and was waiting to see how Rand would react. She simply didn't plan for the possibility that Rand would simply risk destroying existence itself just to wipe out reality in a few kilometers wide radius using balefire. He's supposed to be one of the good guys, remember? Plus, she knows about Rand's inability to harm women, she says that she's counting on it. How would she expect this?



Erm. No? What schemes? Half of the Forsaken have simply Compelled and Illusioned themselves into positions of power where they operate with all the guile and cunning of Elaida. The other half haven't done anything. And since I have no idea what Demandred is doing, that leaves only Ishamael to have actually been a manipulative little bastard.



Shai'tan doesn't give a rat's arse about his followers. Torturing the dead is a complete waste of time, why would he do something like that? Heck, why torture his followers, not his enemies?

And yes, I agree with your conclusion. Shai'tan did want Rand to use the True Power to destroy Semirhage. It binds Rand to him, removes his last moral restraint (however annoying it was for us readers) and gets him to use a weapon that risks destroying existence (which is what Shai'tan wants.) But that has nothing to do with Graendal's death.



Lanfear did die after her confrontation in Cairhien. And Ishamael is exceptional.



If you understand Shai'tan's mind, then you are quite fortunate. We've seen little enough of his schemes. Verin certainly feels that Shai'tan is beyond comprehension.

But anyway, this was Moridin's idea.