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"I doubt you will find my instructions harsh, Matrim," she noted

Mat scowled at the seal for a moment, then stood up "I pass on it"

She pursed her lips "Matri his hat off the top of a cushion "And I said there’s no deal I’ll be in Cae, anyway" He pushed open the tent flaps, gesturing out "I’s around h she did frown "I had forgotten how difficult you can be"

"And proud of it," Mat said

"And if we have a compromise?" Verin asked

"You’ll tell me what is in that bloody paper?"

"No," Verin said "Because I h with the contents I hope to be able to return to you and relieve you of the letter and send you on your way But if I cannot "

"The compromise, then?" Mat said

"You may choose not to open the letter," Verin said "Burn it But if you do so, you wait fifty days in Caeer to return than I had expected"

That gave hi time to wait But if he could do it in Cae on his own

Was Elayne in the city? He’d worried about her, since her escape froet production started quickly on Aludra’s dragons

But fifty days? Waiting? Either that, or open the bloody letter and do what it said? He didn’t like either option "Twenty days," he said

"Thirty days," she said, rising, then raised a finger to cut off his objection "A co Aes Sedai, I think you shall find me to be far more amenable to those than most" She held out her hand

Thirty days He could wait thirty days He looked at the letter in his hands He could resist opening it, and thirty days of waiting didn’t really lose hier than he’d take to reach Caeain! He needed a feeeks to get the dragons going, and he wanted time to find out more about the Tower of Ghenjei and the snakes and foxes Thorn couldn’t complain--when it would take them teeks to reach Caemlyn anyway

Verin eyed him, a hint of worry on her face He couldn’t let her kno pleased he was Let a woman know that, and she’d find some way to make you to pay her back

"Thirty days," Mat said reluctantly, taking her hand, "but at the end of theo"

"Or you can open the letter after ten days," Verin said, "and do what it says One of the two, Matrioing to open the bloody letter I’ to wait thirty days, then be off onto herself and releasing his hand She folded up the picture of him, then took a small leather-bound satchel fro the picture inside, and as she did, he noticed that she had a small stack of folded, sealed pieces of paper inside just like the one he was holding What was the purpose of those?

Once the letters were safely tucked in her pocket, she took out a carved piece of translucent stone--a brooch, shaped like a lily "Begin breaking down your caateway as soon as possible I myself need to Travel shortly"

"Fine" Mat looked down at the sealed, folded paper in his hands Why was Verin being so cryptic?

Burn it! he thought I’ to open it I’m not "Mandevwin," he said "Get Verin Sedai her own tent to wait in as we break ca she needs Also, inform the other Aes Sedai that she’s here They’ll probably be interested to hear of her arrival, Aes Sedai being Aes Sedai"

Mat tucked the folded paper into his belt, then started to leave "And have somebody burn that bloody bench I can’t believe we carted the thing this far"

Tuon was dead Gone, cast aside, forgotten Tuon had been the Daughter of the Nine Moons She was now just a notation in the histories

Fortuona was ehtly on the forehead as he knelt, head bowed, on the short grass The y Altaran heat rass--which had seerown stunted and was beginning to yellow Where were the weeds and thistles? Recently seeds didn’t sprout as they should Like grain, they were going bad, dying before they truly came alive

The soldier before Fortuona was one of five Behind those five stood two hundred members of the Fists of Heaven--the most elite of her attack forces They wore dark leather breastplates and helht wood and leather, shaped like insects Both heln of the clenched fist Fifty sul’da Dali and her sul’daiven to the cause She had felt the need to sacrifice so personal to this most important of missions

Hundreds oi to’raken milled in the pens behind, walked by their handlers, ere preparing theht to coraceful

Fortuona looked down at the soldier before her, laying her fingers on his forehead, where she had kissed hi the ritual words "May your knife draw blood May your children sing your praises until the final dawn"

He bowed his head further Like the four others in the row, he wore black leather Three knives hung from his belt, and he had no cloak or helm He was a small man--all members of the Fists of Heaven were sht was always an issue for those facingto’raken In a raid, two s hulk in heavy ar Lieutenant-General Yulan-- ould lead the strike force personally--felt it best to take flight late in the day Their assault would begin in darkness, shrouding it fro the horizon in Ebou Dar Once, the caution would have been unnecessary What matter if people in Ebou Dar saw hundreds oi to’raken take to the skies? News could never travel as quickly as raken wings

But their enemies could travel far real, weave or soer Better to use all stealth The flight to Tar Valon would take several days

Fortuona moved to the next soldier in the line of five The woman’s black hair was braided Fortuona kissed her on the forehead, saying the same ritual words These five were Bloodknives The pure black stone ring each one as a specialized ter’angreal that would grant theth and speed, and would shroud the them to blend into shadows