Page 90 (1/2)

Nynaeve breathed in deeply, then glanced at Rarip of several Aiel Maidens Nynaeve reached out and touched his forehead, concentrating "It’s gone," she said "Erased"

"Then she is dead," Rand said fro what he’d done He didn’t use Ramshalan as a courier, or as bait He used theto himself that Graendal was dead Balefire burned so it so that their most recent actions never occurred Ra Graendal, but her Coer existed In a way, she’d been killed before Ramshalan had visited her

Min felt at her neck, where the bruises of Rand’s hand on her neck hadn’t yet faded

"I don’t understand," Raht someone smarter than yourself?" Rand whispered "The answer is si down across the table froame Then you punch her in the face as hard as you can You have servedto Lords Vivian and Callswell that you could manipulate me however you wished"

Ramshalan slumped in shock, and the Maidens let him fall to his knees "My Lord!" he said "I had too ht, and--"

"Hush," Rand said "As I said, you have served me well this day I will not execute you You will find a village two days’ walk to the south"

With that, Rand turned; to Min’s eyes, he was just a shadow rustling in the forest He walked to the gateway and stepped through Min hurried to follow hi Ra stupefied in the forest When the last Maiden was through the gateway, the portal slid closed, cutting off the sounds of Ra in the dark

"What you have done is an aboateas closed "There looked to have been dozens,in that palace!"

"Each one made into an idiot by Graendal’s Compulsion," Rand replied "She never lets anyone close to her without destroying their mind first The boy she sent to work the jail barely knew a fraction of the torture most of her pets receive She leaves them without ability to think or act--all they can do is kneel and adore her, perhaps run errands at her command I did them a favor"

"A favor?" Nynaeve asked "Rand, you used balefire! They were burned out of existence!"

"As I said," Rand replied softly "A favor Soht, Nynaeve Sleep as well you can, for our ti to sprint after hione from the room, Nynaeve slu and leaning her head against her hand

Min felt like doing the same Until that mo around Rand lately did that to her, even when he wasn’t engaged in activities as terrible as the ones this night

"I wish Moiraine were here," Nynaeve muttered softly, then froze, as if surprised to have heard herself say that

"We have to do so at the Aes Sedai

Nynaeve nodded absently "Maybe"

"What do you ht?" Nynaeve asked "Wool-headed fool though he is, what if he really does have to be like this to win? The old Rand could never have destroyed an entire fortress full of people to kill one of the Forsaken"

"Of course he couldn’t have," Min said "He still cared about killing then! Nynaeve, all those lives "

"And how many people would still be alive now if he’d been this ruthless fro away "If he’d been capable of sending his followers into danger as he did Ra about whom he would have to kill? If he’d ordered his troops into Graendal’s fortress, her folloould have resisted fanatically, and they would have ended up dead anyway And she would have escaped

"This ht be what he has to be The Last Battle is nearly upon us, Min The Last Battle! Can we dare send a ht the Dark One on’t sacrifice for what needs to be done?"

Min shook her head "Dare we send him as he is, with that look in his eyes? Nynaeve, he’s stopped caring Nothingthe Dark One"

"Isn’t that ant hi won’t be winning at all if Rand beco as bad as the ForsakenWe--"

"I understand," Nynaeve said suddenly "Light burn ht I just don’t like the answers those conclusions are giving hed "That Cadsuane was right," she said Nearly under her breath, she added, "Insufferable woman" She stood up "Come on We need to find her and discover what her plans are"

Min stood, joining Nynaeve "You’re certain she has plans? Rand was harsh with her Maybe she’s just staying with us to watch him flounder and fail without her"

"She has plans," Nynaeve said "If there’s one thing we can count on with that wo We just have to convince her to let us in on it"

"And if she won’t?" Min asked

"She will," Nynaeve said, looking at the place where Rand’s gateway had split the rug "Once we tell her about tonight, she will I dislike the woman, and I suspect she returns the emotion, but neither of us can handle Rand alone" She pursed her lips "I worry on’t be able to handle hio"

Min followed "Handle" Rand? That was another proble that they failed to see that it ht be best to help him instead Nynaeve cared for Rand, but she saw him as a problem to be fixed, rather than a man in need

And so Min accompanied the Aes Sedai out of thea globe of light--and hurried around the back, past the stable and toward the gatekeeper’s cottage They passed Alivia on the way; the former damane looked disappointed Likely, she’d been turned away by Cadsuane and the others again--Alivia spent a great deal of tiet the Aes Sedai to train her in neeaves

They finally reached the gatekeeper’s cottage--at least, the gatekeeper’s cottage hat it had been until Cadsuane prevailed upon hile-story, thatch-roofed structure of painted yelloood Light shone out between the shutters on the s

Nynaeve stepped up to the front and knocked on the sturdy oak door; it was answered shortly by Merise "Yes, child?" the Green asked, as if intentionally trying to goad Nynaeve

"I have to speak with Cadsuane," Nynaeve growled

"Cadsuane Sedai, she has no business with you right now," Merise said, e door "Return tomorrow, and perhaps she will see you"

"Rand al’Thor just burned an entire palace full of people froh to be heard by those inside the cottage "I ith him"