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Bryne heaved himself to his feet and pulled his belt knife free--he’d dropped his sword in the roll He spun, scanning for danger There was plenty of it to be found Raken swooped--big ones and sh reen at the front of the Toas studded with chunks of stone and bodies twisted into horrific positions Bryne’sa squadron of Seanchan soldiers; the invaders in their insectile aro Were the Seanchan running away froood thirty of them

Had the soldiers come out to this courtyard to be lifted away? Well, either way, they had ht be blessed, there were no channelers in the group

With over two-to-one odds, Bryne’s men should have had an easy tier raken above dropping stones and fireballs on the courtyard’s occupants And these Seanchan fought well Very well

Bryne called for hisabout for his sword Gawyn--the one who had warned hi two Seanchan at once Had the boy no sense? Gawyn’s force had the upper hand He should have a swordmate with him He--Gawyn dispatched both Seanchan with one fluid motion Was that Lotus Closes Its Blossoainst two men at once Gaiped his weapon as part of the traditional finishing flourish, then sheathed it and kicked Brynes fallen sword up into the air and snatched it He fell into a guard position, holding the sword, wary Bryne’s line of , despite the attacks fro hi across the courtyard, shadows thrown across the scarred grass, lit by the fires above Bryne took his sword back and Gawyn unsheathed his own blade, on edge "Look up there," he said and pointed with his sword

Bryne squinted There was a great deal of activity near a hole in one of the upper floors He pulled free his spyglass, focusing on the location, trusting in Gawyn to warn hiht" Bryne whispered, focusing on the gap A solitary figure wearing white stood in the Tower’s rent It was too distant to lass, but whoever she was, she was certainly doing solowing between her hands, the burning light throwing shadows across the outer Toall around her Blasts of fire flew in a steady streaher, scanning the length of the Tower, searching for other signs of resistance There was activity on the flat, circular roof It was so distant he could barelyraised, followed by raken swooping down andWhat? Each ti

Captives, Bryne realized with a chill They’re taking captive Aes Sedai to the roof, tying ropes to the the woli pulled away It looked as if she had a sack tied over her head

"We have to get into the Tower," Gawyn said "This fight is just a distraction"

"Agreed," Bryne said, lowering the spyglass He glanced to the side of the courtyard, where Siuan had said she’d hile the one Byrne felt a spike of shock, followed by one of terror Where was she? If that wootten herself killed

But no He could sense her inside the Tower She wasn’t hurt This bond was such a wondrous thing, but he was too unaccustoone! He scanned his line of soldiers The Seanchan had fought well, but they were visibly routed now Their line was breaking, scattering in all directions, and Bryne barked the order for his ather the wounded quickly," he called "Carry them to the side of the courtyard Those who can walk should head directly for the boats" He grimaced "Those who can’t ill need to wait for Aes Sedai to Heal them" The soldiers nodded The badly wounded would be abandoned into enemy hands, but they had been warned of that possibility before cohed all other concerns

Some men would die fro he could do about that Hopefully, most would be Healed by the White Tower Aes Sedai That healing would be followed by imprisonment, but there was no other choice The tea quickly, and there was no time for litters to carry the wounded

"Third and fourth squads," he began, urgent He stopped as a fa a girl in white Of course, Siuan herself looked only faintly older than the girl, now At ti her to the stern woe of relief, he confronted Siuan as she approached "Who is thai?" he de the novice to wait, then pulling Bryne away to speak to him in a low voice "Your soldiers were busy, and I decided it would be a good tioing to have to work on your attitude, Gareth Bryne That’s not the proper way for a Warder to speak to his Aes Sedai"

"I’ll start worrying about that when you start acting like you have two bits of sense in your head, woman What if you’d run into Seanchan?"

"Then I would have been in danger," she said, hands on hips "It wouldn’t be the first ti seen by other Aes Sedai with you or your soldiers Such siuises won’t fool a sister"

"And if you’d been recognized?" he demanded "Siuan, these people tried to execute you!"

She sniffed "Moiraine herself wouldn’t recognize me with this face The wo Aes Sedai who looks faintly familiar Besides, I didn’t run into any of theirl had a short bob of black hair and stared, terrified, at the battle in the sky above "Hashala, come here," Siuan called

The novice scurried over

"Tell this man what you told me," Siuan commanded

"Yes, Aes Sedai," the novice said with an anxious curtsy Bryne’s soldiers uard around Siuan, and Gawyn stepped up beside Bryne The youngtoward the deadly sky

"The A voice "She was released from the cells earlier today and allowed to return to the novices’ quarters I was down in the lower kitchens when the attack came, so I don’t knohat has happened to her But she’s probably up on the twenty-first or twenty-second level somewhere That’s where the novices’ quarters are now" She gri is where it should be"

Siuan iven forkroot in heavy doses She’ll barely be able to channel"

"We’ve got to reach her!" Gawyn said

"Obviously," Bryne said, rubbing his chin "That’s e’re here I guess we go up instead of down, then"

"You’re here to rescue her, aren’t you?" The novice sounded eager

Bryne eyed the girl Child, I wish you hadn’ta mere novice tied up in theto give warning to the White Tower Aes Sedai