Page 110 (1/2)

All eyes turned toward Nynaeve as she closed the door "I think I’ve found him," she announced

"Who is that, child?" Cadsuane said, leafing through one of Min’s books

"Perrin," Nynaeve said "You were right; Rand did knohere he was"

"Excellent!" Cadsuane said "You did well; it appears that you can be of use"

Nynaeve wasn’t certain which annoyed her more--the backhanded compli it She was no girl, without her braid, to be stroked by this woman’s words!

"Well?" Cadsuane looked up froh Min did shoot Nynaeve a congratulatory smile "Where is he?"

Nynaeve’s opened her ht herself What was it about this woman thatto do with it Cadsuane sirandive you so the floor when told

"First, I want to knohy Perrin is important" Nynaeve stalked into the roo seat, a painted wooden stool When she sat, she found herself sitting a few inches below eye level Like a student before Cadsuane She almost stood up, but realized that would draw more attention

"Phaw!" Cadsuane said "You’d hold this knowledge back, even if it means the lives of those you hold dear?"

"I want to knohat I’ve gotten myself into," Nynaeve said stubbornly "I want to know that this infor Rand further"

Cadsuane snorted "You presuoing to presume otherwise," Nynaeve snapped "Not until you tell "

Cadsuane closed the book--Echoes of His Dynasty--and looked perturbed "Will you at least tellwith the Borderlan-ders went?" she asked "Or is that information held for ransom as well?"

Did she think she’d distract Nynaeve that easily? "It went poorly, as one ht expect," she said "They’ve hunkered down outside Far Madding and refuse to e of the Guardian, cutting himself off from the Source"

"Did he take it well?" Corele asked from her cushioned bench at the side of the rooht the changes in Rand were a But, then, she was one of the women who had bonded an Asha’man at practically the first opportunity

"Did he take it well?" Nynaeve repeated flatly "That depends Does pulling out that blasted ter’angreal and threatening to rain down fire on the ar it well’?"

Min paled Cadsuane raised an eyebrow

"I stopped him," Nynaeve said "But just barely I don’t know Itit e hiain," Cadsuane said quietly, but intensely "I didn’t live this long to fail now"

"What does it matter?" Corele said

Nynaeve turned in shock

"Well?" Corele set down herto succeed"

"Light!" Nynaeve said "What gave you that idea?"

"We’ve just spent all afternoon drilling this girl about her visions" Corele nodded to Min "They always cos that obviously can’t happen until after the Last Battle So we know that Rand is going to defeat the Dark One The Pattern has already decided it We can stop worrying"

"No," Min said "You’re wrong"

Corele frowned "Child, are you saying that you lied about the things you’ve seen?"

"No," Min said "But if Rand loses, there is no Pattern"

"The girl is correct" Cadsuane sounded surprised "What this child sees are weavings in the Pattern from a time still distant--but if the Dark One wins, he will destroy the Pattern entirely This is the only way the visions could fail to occur The sas Our victory is by noat village politics or national doht Can I withhold this infor Lan? It wrenched her heart to think of him, and she had few options In fact, Lan’s only hope seeateways his people could fore For Lan For them all And she had no idea what to do other than, unfortunately, to trust Cadsuane Nynaeve sed her pride and spoke "Do you know the location of a statue of an enor it?"

Corele and Merise glanced at each other in confusion

"The hand of the amahn’rukane" Cadsuane turned from Min with a raised eyebrow "The full statue was never finished, from what scholars can tell It rests near the Jehannah Road"

"Perrin is ca in its shadow"