Reading the series for the first time. I just finished The Great Hunt, chapter 9 “Leavetakings”. At the end of the chapter we’re reintroduced to Bayle Domon, the captain of The Spray. The narration explains that he bought a piece of heartstone in the shape of the ancient Aes Sedai symbol while up north in Maradon.
I wasn’t able to gather for sure from the text when this purchase was made in relation to his traveling with Rand, Mat, and Thom during Eye of the World. He claimed that people/trollocs had been after him since he bought it, and I don’t remember him mentioning that in the previous book. Though he was not a POV character during those chapters, so it could just be a detail he didn’t bother to tell a bunch of strangers on his ship.
So my question is, did he buy the heartstone before or after meeting Rand et al?
(Please note, as I’m reading this for the first time, if the answer requires spoilers, please mark them as such)