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Is that what I do? Rand thought Ride to my death in the name of honor? But no, it’s different Lan has a choice There were no prophecies saying that Lan would die, whatever the man’s assuardless," Nynaeve said unco for help always made her uncomfortable "His arainst the Trollocs"

"Will he attack?" Rand asked

Nynaeve hesitated "He didn’t say," she said "But yes, I think he will He thinks you are wasting tiathers an arathered at Tarwin’s Gapyes, I think he’ll attack"

"Then he deserves what he will get, for riding without the rest of us," Rand said

Nynaeve scowled at him "How can you say that?"

"I must," Rand replied softly "The Last Battle is iht will happen at the sahtfully If Lan and whatever ared at the Gapperhaps that would draw attention If Rand didn’t attack there, it would throw off the Shadow He could strike them where they didn’t expect it while their eyes were on Lan

"Yes," Rand said thoughtfully "His death could serve me well indeed"

Nynaeve’s eyes widened in fury, but Rand ignored them A very quiet place, deep inside of hinore that worry, silence it But that voice whispered to him

He named you friend Do not abandon hier, which iain," she said to him, voice curt "Perhaps after you’ve had a chance to think on exactly what abandoning Lan would erent Wisdom who had bullied him back in the Two Rivers She’d always seemed as if she tried too hard, as if she had worried that others would ignore her title because of her youth But she had grown a lot since then

They reached the uard before the gates They saluted in unison as Rand passed through them He passed Aiel camped outside, dismounted at the stables and transferred the access key from its loop on his saddle to the oversized pocket of his coat--ned for the statuette The hand holding its globe aloft reached out of its depths

He went to his throne roo other than that, now that the King’s throne had been brought to hiemstones affixed to the wood at the arms and to the back, above the head They protruded like budding eyes, giving the throne an ornate richness that Rand disliked It hadn’t been in the palace One of the local " it fro the seat in a urative sense as well

Rand sat on the throne, despite its gaudiness, shifting so that the access key in his pocket didn’t jab him in the side The powerful in the city weren’t certain what to think of him, and he preferred it that way He didn’t na, yet his ar Alsalaht to it He had not moved into the palace He wanted them to wonder

In truth, he hadn’t made a decision A lot would depend on this day’s reports He nodded to Rhuarc as he entered; the esture Then Rand stepped down fro of spiraling colors which lay on the floor in front of the green-carpeted dais The first ti the Do court

"We have located and taken another of them, Rand al’Thor," Rhuarc said "Ala on her cousin’s lands near the northern border; e learned on her estate led us directly to her"

That made four members of the merchant council in his custody "What of Meashan Dubaris? You said you ht have her as well"

"Dead," Rhuarc said "By the hands of a one"

"You are certain of this? It could be a lie to set you off her track"

"I have not seen the body myself," Rhuarc said, "but men I trust have, and they say it matches her description I aenuine"

Four captured, and two dead, then That left four hIt would not be the most ethical council election in Do, or name hiht proper?

Rhuarc watched hihtful He likely wondered the sa," Rand said "I do not intend to take Arad Do or ill see the Council of Merchants assembled so that they can choose a new one I will not care who it is, so long as he is not a Darkfriend"

"As you say, Car’a’carn," Rhuarc said,to rise

"Order is important, Rhuarc," Rand said "I don’t have ti before the Last Battle" He glanced at Nynaeve, who had joined several Maidens at the back of the small room "I want four more members of the merchant council in our possession by the end of thepace, Rand al’Thor," Rhuarc said

Rand stood up "Just find me those ?"

Rand glanced to the side, to where Milisair Chaduards She seeard Her once-luxurious raven hair had been pulled up into a bun, obviously because it was easier to care for that way Her dress was still rich, but norinkled, as if she’d been wearing it for too long Her eyes were red She was still beautiful, butwould still be beautiful if it were crumpled up, then smoothed out on a table

"May you find water and shade, Rhuarc,’ Rand said in dismissal

"May you find water and shade, Rand al’Thor" The tall Aiel withdrew, so hiaudy throne and sat Rhuarc he treated with the respect he deserved The otherswell, they would get the respect they deserved as well

He leaned forward, ed her in the back, forcing her forward The woman looked far more apprehensive than she had the last time she had coon" she began, glancing around, as if seeking aid fronored her; even the fop Lord Ramshalan looked the other way

"Speak, woer you asked after," she said "He is dead"

Rand took in a deep breath "And how did this happen?"

"The ned to watch after him," she said quickly, "I hadn’t realized how poorly they were treating the iven him water for days, and the fevers struck "

"In other words," Rand said, "you failed to extract inforeon to rot, only re where he hen I demanded he be produced"