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Talmanes whistled softly Verin nodded "Each ti I was inevitably oing to do anything to learn a location and wasn’t planning to ht have si for the ti the phenoular"

Bloody ashes That was the sort of thing Rand was supposed to do to people Not Mat "By your account, you should still be in Tear"

"Yes," she said, "but I soon started to feel a tugging onot a bloody fishhook inside of you? And is standing far away, pulling gently--but insistently--on it?"

"Yes," Verin said She smiled "What a clever description"

Mat didn’t respond

"I decided to use ht thatto do with al’Thor’s proxi of the Pattern due to the Dark One’s influence I secured a place in anorthward toward Cairhien They had an e to rent for a reasonable rate I was quite fatigued fro babies and constant moves froer than I should have Tomas napped as well

"When oke, ere surprised to discover that the caravan had taken a turn to the northwest instead of heading toward Cairhien I spoke with the caravan master, and he explained that he’d received a last-oods would fetch a much better price in Murandy than in Cairhien As he considered it, he e, but it had slipped his mind"

She took another sip of tea "It was then that I knew for certain that I was being directed Most wouldn’t have noticed it, I suspect, but I have made a study of the nature oita’veren The caravan hadn’t ging, it was enough I spoke with To pulled Ski, but does not have the saateway, but e reached the end of our journey, we stepped not into Tar Valon, but a se in northern Murandy!

"That shouldn’t have been possible However, as we considered it, To trip he’d gone on once in the village of Trustair, and I’d opened the gateway at thatlocation"

"And here we are,’ To dissatisfied as he stood behind his Aes Sedai’s chair

"Indeed," Verin said "Curious, wouldn’t you say, young Matriht when you have great need of soateway for your ar?"

He didn’t knohat to say to that

"Coincidence is how being ta’veren works," Verin said "You find a discarded object that is of great use to you, or happen to ht time Random chance randomly works in your favor Or haven’t you noticed?" She smiled "Care to throw so bothers me, however," Verin said "Was there no other person who could have happened into your path? Al’Thor has those Asha’ for men who can channel, and I suspect rural areas like this are top on their list, as it is more likely that channelers could stay unnoticed in such places One of theateway"

"Not bloody likely," Mat said, shivering "I’et to Andor in a heartbeat?" Verin asked

Mat hesitated Well, htfully

"I still think you’re reading toobench

"Perhaps Perhaps not First, we should negotiateyou to Andor I assume you want to reach Caemlyn?"

"Price?" Mat said "But you think the Pattern forced you here! Why deer, "while I waited to find you--I honestly didn’t know if it would be you or young Perrin--I realized that there were several things I could provide you that no other could" She reached into a pocket of her dress, pulling out several pieces of paper One was the picture of Mat "You didn’t ask where I got this"

"You’re Aes Sedai," Mat said, shrugging "I figured youyou know, saidared it"

"Saidared it?" she asked flatly

He shrugged

"I received this paper, Matrim--"

"Call me Mat," he said

"I received this paper, Matri me a servant of the Shadow--that one of the Forsaken had commanded that the rave danger"

"I’ the chill her announce to kill me since the day I left the Two Rivers" He paused "Burn me Since the day before I left the Two Rivers What does it change?"

"This is different," Verin said, growing stern "The level of danger you are inIWell, let us siest that you be very careful during the next feeeks"

"I’m always careful," Mat said

"Well, beDon’t take chances You will be essential before this is through"

He shrugged Go into hiding? He could do that With Thorn’s help, he could probably do hinize hi will it take you to get us to Caemlyn?"

"That wasn’t estion One I think you should listen to with great prejudice" She slipped a small folded piece of paper out from under the picture It was sealed with a drop of blood-red wax

Mat took it hesitantly "It is?"

"Instructions," Verin said "Which you will follow on the tenth day after I leave you in Cae, then moved to break the seal

"You aren’t to open them until that day," Verin said

"What?" Mat demanded "But--"

"That is my cost," Verin said si back at the paper "I’ unless