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"So I believe you’ve told me," Talmanes said "Three or four times so far I half believe that if I were to peek into your tent at night, I’d find you a! Where’s aht face, but once again, there was that hint of a smile in his eyes, if you knew just where to look

"I just want to make sure everyone knows," Mat said "I don’t want anyone to start thinking I’ soft just because of you know"

Talo soft just because you got married, Mat Why, some of the Great Captains themselves are married, I believe Davram Bashere is for certain, and Rodel Ituralde No, you won’t go soft because you’re married"

Mat nodded sharply Good that was settled

"You ht, that’s it," Mat declared "Next village we find, we’re going to go dicing at the tavern You and rimaced "With the kind of third-rate wine these little es have? Please, Mat Next you’ll be wanting lanced over his shoulder as he heard fa out to the sides, dily as any Mat had seen--sat astride Wind, chatting with Noal, who rode beside hi appreciatively to what Olver was saying The little boy looked astonishingly sole yet another of his theories on how to best sneak into the Tower of Ghenjei

"Ho, now," Talmanes said "There’s Vanin"

Mat turned to spot a rider approaching along the rocky path ahead Vanin always looked so ridiculous, perched like aout to the sides But thethat

"It is Mount Sardlen," Vanin proclai brow "The village is just ahead; it’s called Hin-derstap on the ly

Mat exhaled in relief He’d begun to think that theythese an, "we can--"

"A village?" a curt feh as three riders forced their way up to the front of the column Talmanes reluctantly raised a hand to the soldiers behind, halting the march as the Aes Sedai descended on poor Vanin The rotundfor all the world as though he’d rather have been discovered stealing horses--and therefore on his way to execution--than have to sit there and be interrogated by Aes Sedai

Joline led the pack Once, Mat irl, with her slender figure and large, inviting brown eyes But that ageless Aes Sedai face was an instant warning for him now No, he wouldn’t dare think of the Green as pretty now Begin letting yourself think of Aes Sedai as pretty, and in two clicks of the tongue you’d find yourself wrapped around her finger and hopping at her command Why, Joline had already hinted that she’d like to have Mat as a Warder!

Was she still sore at him because he’d paddled her? She couldn’t hurt him with the Power, of course--even without his medallion, since Aes Sedai were sworn not to use the Power to kill except in very specific instances But he was no fool He’d noticed that those oaths of theirs didn’t say anything about using knives

The tith Joline were Edesina, of the Yellow Ajah, and Teslyn, of the Red Edesina was pleasant enough to look at, save for that ageless face, but Teslyn was about as appetizing as a stick Sharp of face, the II-lianer wo on its own But she seeood head on her shoulders, fro him with soine that

Still, from the way each of those Aes Sedai looked at Mat in turn as they reached the front of the line, you’d never know that they owed him their lives That was the way of it omen Save her life, and she’d inevitably claim that she’d been about to escape on her own, and therefore owed you nothing Half the ti up her supposed plans

Why did he bother? One of these days, burn hi in their chains

"What was this?" Joline demanded of Vanin "You’ve finally determined where we are?"

"Bloody well have," Vanin said, then unabashedly scratched himself Good man, Vanin Mat smiled Treated all people the saht in the eyes, loooyle atop soed, then wilted, then finally looked doard, abashed "I mean, I have indeed, Joline Sedai"

Mat felt his smile fade Burn it all, Vanin!

"Excellent," Joline said "And there is a village ahead, I heard? Finally, perhaps, we’ll find a decent inn I could use so other than the ’fare’ these ruffians of Cauthon’s call food"

"Here now," Mat said, "that isn’t--"

"How far do we be from Caenore Joline The two of them seemed at one another’s throats lately--in the most cool-faced and outwardly amiable of ways, of course Aes Sedai didn’t squabble He’d gotten a talking to once for calling their "discussions" "squabbles" Never ood squabble sounded like

"What did you say earlier, Vanin?" Mat asked, looking at hiues from Caemlyn?"

Vanin nodded The plan was to head for Caemlyn first, as he needed to meet up with Estean and Daerid and secure needed inforood on his promise to Thorn The Tower of Ghenjei would have to wait a fewuntil we arrive, then?"

"Well, I guess that depends," Vanin said "I could probably oing alone, with a couple of good horses to ride in shifts and was crossing fah these hills using a broken roadway? Twenty days, I’d say Maybe longer"

Joline glanced at Mat

"We aren’t leaving the Band behind," Mat said "Not an option, Joline"

She looked away, her expression dissatisfied

"You’re welcooes for each of you You Aes Sedai aren’tas you head north I won’t risk you heading back to be taken by Sean-chan"

What would it be like, traveling with just the Band again, not an Aes Sedai in sight? Ah, if only

Teslyn looked thoughtful Joline glanced at her, but the Red didn’t give any indication if she’d be willing to leave or not Edesina, however, hesitated, then nodded to Joline She illing