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It was distractingly hot on the other side of the gateway She i the air around her She was in a black stone building, with ruddy light colass in them That reddish tint implied a sunset, but it was barely midafternoon back in Arad Doman Surely she hadn’t traveled that far, had she?

The room was furnished only with hard chairs of the deepest black wood Moridin certainly was lacking in i of black and red, and all focused on killing those fool boys froe of Rand al’Thor Was she the only one who saw that al’Thor himself was the real threat? Why not just kill him and be done with it?

The most obvious answer to that question--that none of theh to defeat hi

She walked to theand found the reason for the rust-colored light Outside, the claylike ground was stained red from the iron in the soil She was on the second level of a deep black tower, the stones drawing in the burning heat of the sky Very little vegetation sprouted outside, and that which did was spotted with black So, it was the deep northeastern Blight It had been some time since she’d been here Moridin sees

A collection of shoddy huts stood in the shadow of the fortress, and a few patches of blightstrain cropsa new strain, coaxing it to grow in the area Perhaps several different crops; that would explain the patches Guards prowled the area, wearing black uniforht off attacks from the various Shadon that inhabited the lands this deep within the Blight Those creatures obeyed noall the way out here?

Her speculation was cut short as footsteps announced other arrivals Deh the doorway to the south, and he was accoether, then? They assumed that Graendal did not know of their little alliance, a pact that included See But honestly, if they wanted to keep that a secret, couldn’t they see that they shouldn’t answer a suether?

Graendal hid a sest andof the roo the srain beneath the lacquer Dearded her coldly, and she knew the her So They had anticipated this , had they? But not Graendal’s presence at it? Best to pretend that she herself was not confused She ser in Deh she would never ad to be one of what passed for an Aes Sedai in this Age She was obvious and easy to read; Graendal’s agents in the White Tower kept her well apprised of Mesaana’s activities And, of course, Graendal’s oly ar was helpful as well Aran’gar was playing with the rebel Aes Sedai, the ones ere besieging the White Tower

Yes, Mesaana did not confuse her, and the others were equally easy to track Moridin was gathering the Great Lord’s forces for the Last Battle, and his war preparations left hih his two hedien, occasionally showed their faces there They spent their ti to follow Moridin’s orders that the two ta’veren--Perrin Aybara and Matrim Cauthon--be killed

She was certain Sale for Illian In fact--now that Graendal had a clue that Ses with the Seanchan--she was confident she knew the plans of every one of the other seven re Chosen

Except Demandred

What was that blasted e of Mesaana’s and Aran’gar’s doings for even a hint of Demandred’s plans He stood there, handsoer Deh he was one of the fore the Chosen, warfare had never see hih the day he could snap the neck of Lews Therin And only then

He was a fool to bear that grudge To think he on his turned out differently Still, fool or not, he was extrenorant of his plans Where had he set up? De ar in the world

Save perhaps for those Borderlanders Could he have ed to infiltrate them} That certainly would have been a coup But surely she’d have heard so; she had spies in that ca for a drink to wet her lips This northern air was too dry; she much preferred the Do as Mesaana seated herself She had chin-length dark hair and watery blue eyes Her floor-length white dress bore no embroidery, and she wore no jewelry A scholar to the core Soone over to the Shadow because it offered aopportunity for research

Mesaana was fully dedicated to the Great Lord now, just like the rest of the boasts she couldn’t fulfill, allying herself to stronger parties but lacking the skill to manipulate them She’d done evil works in the Great Lord’s narand achievee and Dean to think on Moridin, the man entered Now, there was a handsome creature Demandred looked like a knob-faced peasant compared with him Yes, this body was h to be one of her pets, though that chin spoiled the face Too pro Still, that stark black hair atop a tall, broad-shouldered bodyShe s in a filly, his mind wrapped in Co-- other than Graendal

Mesaana rose as soon as Moridin entered, and Graendal reluctantly did likewise He wasn’t her pet, not yet He was Nae’blis, and he had begun to demand more and more shows of obedience froave him the authority All three of the other Chosen reluctantly bowed their heads to hi all men would they show deference He noted their obedience with stern eyes as he stalked to the front of the room, where the wall of charcoal black stones was set with a mantel What had possessed soht’s heat?

Graendal sat back down Were the other Chosen co? If not, what did it"Moridin," she said, stepping forward, "we need to rescue her"

"You will speak when I give you leave, Mesaana," he replied coldly "You are not yet forgiven"

She cringed, then obviously grew angry at herself for it Moridin ignored her, glancing over at Graendal, eyes narrow What was that look for?

"You may continue," he finally said to Mesaana, "but remember your place"

Mesaana’s lips forue "Moridin," she said, tone less de to meet with us Surely that was because you are as shocked as we are We do not have the resources to help her ourselves; she is bound to be well guarded by Aes Sedai and those Asha’e deserves her i his are, captured? Graendal had just barely learned that the wo an iet herself captured? If there were Asha’ed to be taken by al’Thor himself!

Despite her startlelanced at her If he and Mesaana had asked for this , then why had Moridin sent for Graendal?

"But think of what Se Graendal "Beyond that, she is one of the Chosen It is our duty to aid her"