Page 9 (1/2)

It was a s the daily punish meals

As she pondered, two Red sisters--Katerine and Barasine--approached her Katerine held a brass cup Another dose of forkroot Elaida wanted totheand downed it in a single gulp, tasting the faint, yet characteristic, hint of esture, and the woman had no choice but to accept it Alwene didn’t head for Elaida’s quarters i punishment’s intrusion into the dinner hour ironically left her with a few spare moments--and she didn’t want to arrive early, for that would show Elaida deference So instead she lingered outside the door of the Mistress of Novices with Katerine and Barasine Would a certain figure come to visit the study?

In the distance, sreen and red There was a furtive cast to their eyes, like hares venturing into a clearing to nibble at leaves, yet fearing the predator who hid in the shadows Sisters in the Tower these days alore their shawls, and they never went about alone So jumped by footpads here in the White Tower itself

"Are you pleased with this?" Egwene found herself asking She glanced at Katerine and Barasine; both were, coincidentally, also part of the group that had first captured Egwene

"What was that, child?" Katerine asked coolly "Speaking to a sister without being asked a question first? Are you so eager for more punishht crihtly in its cascade down her back

Egwene ignored the threat Whatfor a roup of Yellows pass, their step quickening as they saw the two Reds "Set aside the posturing for authority and the threats Put these things away and look Are you proud of this? The Tower spent centuries without an A raised from the Red Nohen you finally have a chance, your chosen leader has done this to the Tower Women on’t meet the eyes of those they do not know familiarly, sisters who travel in clusters The Ajahs behave as if they are at ith one another!"

Katerine sniffed at the co over her shoulder at the group of Yellows hurrying down the corridor, several of thelances back at the two Reds

"This was not caused by the Amyrlin," Katerine said "It was created by your foolish rebels and their betrayal!"

My rebels? Egwene thought with an inward s ress

"Were we the ones who pulled down a sitting Aainst Warder, or the ones who failed to contain the Dragon Reborn? Have we chosen an Ary, she’s ordered the construction of her own palace?

A wo if she’ll be the next to be stripped of the shawl?"

Katerine didn’t respond, as though realizing that she shouldn’t be drawn into an argument with a mere novice Barasine still watched the distant Yellows, her eyes wide Worried

"I should think," Egwene said, "that the Red should not be the ones sheltering Elaida, but should instead provide her fiercest critics For Elaida’s legacy will be your own Rewene suppressed a cringe Perhaps that last had been too straightforward

"You will report to the Mistress of Novices tonight, child," Katerine informed her "And explain how you showed disrespect to sisters and to the A her tied wooden door behind her snapped shut, lance over her shoulder The tapestries to either side stirred slightly, then went still Egwene hadn’t realized that she’d left the door open just a crack as she’d left Had Silviana listened to the conversation?

There was no oing to co Where was she? She always arrived for punishwene shook her head, then strode away down the hallway The two Reds followed--they stayed with her increasingly now, following her, watching her, at all tiwene visited the quarters of other Ajahs for training She tried to act as if those two sisters were an honorary retinue, rather than her jailers She also tried to ignore the pain of her backside

All signs indicated that Eginning her war against Elaida Earlier, at lunch, Egwene had heard the novices gossiping about the dra to keep Rand captured The event was several months past, now, and was supposed to have been secret And then there was the ru sisters who had been sent to destroy them Another mission of Elaida’s that wasn’t supposed to be known Egwene had taken steps to keep these failures strong in the minds of the Tower’s occupants, ular treat about, the Aes Sedai were hearing Yes, Eginning But she was beginning to lose the satisfaction she’d once felt at that victory Who could take joy in seeing the Aes Sedai unraveling like aged canvas? Who could feel glad that Tar Valon, the grandest of all great cities, was piled with refuse? As ht despise Elaida, she could not exult at seeing an Aht, she would face Elaida in person Egalked slowly through the hallways, pacing herself so as to not arrive early How should she proceed at the dinner? During her nine days back in the Tower, Egwene had not so erous If she offended Elaida just a hair toosent for execution And yet, she could not simper and pander She would not bow before the wowene turned a corner, then pulled up short, nearly stu The hallway ended abruptly in a stoneall set with a bright tileon an ornate golden seat, holding forth her hand in warning to the kings and queens of the land The plaque at the botto the rebellion in Mosadorin Egwene vaguely recognized the mural; the last she’d seen it, it had been on the wall of the Tower library But when she’d seen it there, the Amyrlin’s face hadn’t been afrom the eaves hadn’t been there either

Katerine stepped up beside Egwene, face paling Nobody liked to speak of the unnatural way rooed places in the Tower The transformations made for a solemn reer, horrible troubles in the world This was the first tiwene had seen not only a corridor moved, but a depiction altered as well The Dark One stirred, and the very Pattern itself was shaking