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"Why only you?" Rand asked quietly

"Well," Hurin said, sighing "They did tell you--" He hesitated, see He sniffed audibly "Now thatthat’s strange Never smelled that before"

"What?" Rand asked

"I don’t know," Hurin said "The airit smells like a lot of death, a lot of violence, only not It’s darker More terrible" He shuddered visibly Hurin’s ability to smell violence was one of those oddities that the Tower couldn’t explain Not so related to the Power, yet obviously not quite natural either

Rand didn’t seem to care what Hurin smelled "Tell , Lord Rand See, this here, we’re to discuss ter back where they belong," Rand said

"No, Lord Rand," Hurin said unco with theuess They said you ," Rand said, voice softer Nynaeve found herself straining to hear hi forward

"I no longer feel anger, Hurin," Rand said "It serves me no useful function Why would we need ’ter only a small force would be acceptable"

"Well, Lord Rand," Hurin said, "you see, they really want to h the bloody winter itself, my pardon, Aes Sedai But it was the bloody winter\ And a bad one, although it took a long ti for you, Lord Rand So you see, they want to meet with you Very badly"

"But?"

"But, well, last tier Hurin quieted, and all grew still Even the horses seemed to hold their breaths

"The Borderlanders are in Far Madding?" Rand asked

"Yes, Lord Rand"

"They want to meet with me there?"

"Yes, Lord Rand You’ll have to come inside the protection of the Guardian, you see, and--"

Rand waved a curt hand, cutting off Hurin A gateway opened i, however; it just led back a short distance, to the road where Rand and the others had been riding a short ti for the Aiel to let the ateway What was going on? Everyone else followed Once through, Rand created another gateway, this one opening into a snized it; this here they had ca with Cadsuane

Why the first gateway? Nynaeve thought, confused And then it occurred to her One didn’t need to learn an area to Travel a short distance froht soateways fro a short hop first, Rand ateherever he wanted--while skipping the time needed to learn the area! It was extre that she hadn’t seen the possibility before How long had Rand known of this trick? Had memory of it come from thatvoice in his head?

Rand rode Tai’daishar out into the hollow, the horse’s hooves stirring fallen leaves as he worked his way through the underbrush Nynaeve followed, trying to urge her docileto hear froh with him!

Hurin trotted his horse out as well, and the Aiel loped along, subtly keeping him surrounded They had their faces veiled, spears or bows in hand Past the trees and underbrush, Rand stopped Tai’daishar, looking across the open

It wasn’t large, not by the measure of the Great Cities Nor was it beautiful, not when coier-built wonders Nynaeve had seen But it was big enough, and it was certainly home to fine architecture and ancient relics Set upon an island in a lake, it was actually faintly rees crossed the cal the city

A very large arround than Far Madding itself Nynaeve counted dozens of different pennonsdozens of different houses There were lines upon lines of horses, and tents like rows of su harvest The Borderlander ar up, close-cropped, dark brown hair ruffling in the wind He narrowed his eyes, rectangular face dissatisfied "It’s like a stedding, only not as safe"

Far Madding’s real--known as the Guardian--created invisible protective bubbles that blocked people froh the use of a very specialized ter’angreal, one of which Nynaeve happened to be wearing But it would help only slightly

The arh to be within the bubble that prevented , which extended about a mile out around the city

"They will knoe’ve come," Rand said softly, eyes narrowed "They’ll have been waiting for it They expect me to ride into their box"

"Box?" Nynaeve asked hesitantly

"The city is a box," Rand said "The whole city and the area round it They want me where they can control me, but they don’t understand Nobody controls h of boxes and prisons, of chains and ropes Never again will I putat the city, he reached to its place on his saddle and relobe Nynaeve felt a sharp chill Did he have to bring that with hiht," Rand said "Given encouragement to do their duty and obey me"

"Rand" Nynaeve tried to think She couldn’t let this happen again!

The access key began to glow faintly "They want to capture me," he said softly "Holdalready They--"

"Rand!" Nynaeve said sharply

He stopped, looking at her, seeing her as if for the first time

"These are not slaves with their minds already burned away by Graendal That is an entire city full of innocent people!"