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"It’s hard to tell," she adue I will keep looking I promise I’ll find answers for you’

He nodded, and she was surprised to feel his trust through the bond That was a frighteningly rare emotion fro previous days Still stone, but perhaps with so

She tightened her arin, but with so little ti her burning candle, Aviendha lit the pole-reen around her Slu was cold, the air crisp, and branches rattled in the distance A lonely owl hooted And Aviendha was exhausted

She’d crossed the grounds fifty ti back across the green and lighting her candle at the ht the lantern again

Another o asand find her going for a swi a horse for pleasure! She sighed, too exhausted to think any further, and turned toward the Aiel section of ca behind her

She started, hand going to her dagger, but relaxed as she recognized Amys Of all the Wise Ones, only she--a former Maiden--could have sneaked up on Aviendha

The Wise One stood with hands clasped before her, brown shawl and skirt flapping slightly in the wind Aviendha’s skin prickled at the particularly chilly gust Aht; a pine needle passing on the breeze had gotten lodged in it "You approach your punishments with suchdedication, child," A out her activities was to sha out of tiive up on her? "Please, Wise One I only do as duty de her hand through her hair, and found the pine needle, then let it drop to the dead grass "And, also, you do not Sos we have done that we do not stop to consider the things we have not"

Aviendha was glad for the darkness, which hid her sha bell to chi with eleven melancholy peals How did she respond to Amys’ comments? There didn’t seem to be any proper response

Aviendha was saved by a flash of light just beyond the camp It was faint, but in the darkness, the flicker was easy to notice

"What?" the Wise One asked, noticing Aviendha’s gaze and turning to follow it

"Light," Aviendha said "Frorounds"

Arounds Soon they encountered Dauard of Saldaeans and Aiel walking into the camp What did one think of a creature such as Flinn? The taint had been cleansed, but thisto learn, before that had happened Aviendha herself would have sooner ehtblinder himself as done that, but they bad proven to be powerful weapons

Amys and Aviendha moved to the side as the small party hurried toward thetorches and the cloud-covered sky above Though most of the force sent to meet the Sean-chan had been made up of Bashere’s soldiers, there were several Maidens in the group Amys locked eyes with one of theh it was difficult to tell in the darkness, she looked concerned Perhaps angry

"What news?" Amys asked

"The invaders, these Seanchan," Corana nearly spat the word, "they have agreed to anotherwith the Car’a’cam"

Amys nodded Corana, however, sniffed audibly, short hair ruffling in the chill breeze

"Speak," Amys said

"The Car’a’carn sues too hard for peace," Corana replied "These Seanchan have given him reason to declare a blood feud, but he si, sent to lick the feet of a stranger"

Alanced at Aviendha "What do you say to this, Aviendha?"

"My heart agrees with her words, Wise One But, while the Car’a’carn is a fool in sorees with him, and in this case, it is the mind I would follow"

"How can you say that?" Corana snapped She emphasized the you, as if to imply that Aviendha--recently a Maiden--should understand

"Which isher

chin "The argument you have with another Maiden, or the feud your clan has with its enemy?"

"The clan comes first, of course But what does that ht," Aviendha said, "and you are right that it pains to ask thehtblinder hier than feuds between nations"

Ah to show the Seanchan the weight of our spears at another date"

Corana shook her head "Wise One, you sound like a wetlander What care have we for their prophecies and stories? Rand al’Thor’s duty as Car’a’carn is reater than his duty to the wetlanders He lory"

Amys stared harshly at the blond Maiden "You speak like a Shaido"

Corana locked her stare for aaway "Pardon, Wise One," she finally said "I have toh But you should know that the Seanchan had Aiel in their camp"

"What?" Aviendha asked

"They were leashed," Corana said, "like their ta shown off like prizes for our arrival, I suspect I recognizedthe held as da their captives She gripped her dagger

"What do you say now?" Aritted her teeth "The saue than ad back at Corana "Do not think that ill ignore this insult, Corana Vengeance will come Once this war is done, the Seanchan will feel the storm of our arrows and the tips of our spears But not until after Go tell the two clan chiefs wha