Page 15 (1/1)

"Surely the sisters should have her, now" Reanne’s highpitched voice carried, unsteady enough to belong to the Black sister Kirstian shielded "Nynaeve Sedai, we we should not be guar -- uh -- in charge of an Aes Sedai"

"That’s right," Sumeko put in quickly And anxiously "The Aes Sedai should have her, now" Sibella echoed her, and nods and h the Kinswomen They believed in their bones that they stood far below Aes Sedai; very likely they would have chosen guarding Trollocs over holding an Aes Sedai

The disapproving stares froed once Ispan Shefar’s face was revealed Sareitha Toed shawl only a few years and still did not have the ageless appearance, glared with a disgust that should have flayed the Shadowrunner at fifty paces Adeleas and Vandene, hands tightening on their skirts, appeared to struggle with hatred for the woman who had been their sister and betrayed the Circle were not that much better They, too, knew in their hearts that the Kin stood a very long way below them There was much more to it than that, but the betrayer had been one of their own, and no one but they had the right to her Aviendha agreed A Maiden who betrayed her spearsisters did not die quickly or unshamed

Nynaeve pulled the sack back down over Ispan Shefar’s head with some force "You’ve done well so far, and you’ll continue to do well," she told the Kinswo round, pour sooat full of ale Hold her nose, if she tries not to s Even an Aes Sedai will s if you hold her nose and threaten to box her ears"

Reanne’s jaw dropped and her eyes sprang wide, like led nearly as ht have been na an Aes Sedai’s nose, even a Shadowrunner’s, painted their faces with horror

By the popping eyes a the Aes Sedai, they liked the notion even less Merilille opened herat Nynaeve, but just then Elayne reached her, and the Gray sister rounded on her instead, sparing barely a single disapproving frown for Brigitte It was a itation that her voice rose rather than dropping; normally Merilille was very discreet "Elayne, you htened out of their wits already It won’t help if she upsets them even more If the Ao to the Tower," she shook her head slowly, trying to deny that, and perhaps a great deal else, "if she does mean to, they must have a clear picture of their places, and -- "

"The Amyrlin does," Elayne cut her off From Nynaeve, a firm tone was a fist shaken under your nose; from Elayne, it was calain, and if they fail, they still will not be sent away No woain They will all be a part of the White Tower"

Fingering her belt knife idly, Aviendha wondered about that Egwene, Elayne’s Amyrlin Seat, said much the same She was a friend, too, but she had wrapped her heart around being Aes Sedai Aviendha herself did not want to be part of the White Tower She very much doubted that Sorilea or any other Wise One did, either

Merilille sighed and folded her hands, yet for all her outward acceptance, she still forgot to lower her voice "As you say, Elayne But about Ispan We simply cannot allow -- "

Elayne raised a hand sharply Command replaced mere certainty "Cease, Merilille You have the Bowl of the Winds to watch That is enough for anyone It will be enough for you"

Merilille opened her htly in acquiescence Under Elayne’s steady gaze, the other Aes Sedai bent theirs, too If some displayed reluctance, however small, not all did Sareitha hurriedly picked up the discshaped bundle, wrapped in layers of white silk, that had been lying by her feet Her arms barely went all the way around as she held the Bowl of the Winds to her boso anxiously at Elayne as if to show that she really was keeping a close eye on it

The Sea Folk wo forward Aviendha would not have been surprised to see them leap across the stones to seize the Bowl The Aes Sedai saw the sahtly, and Merilille actually stepped between her and the Atha’an Miere S expressionless They believed the Bowl should belong to theed to the White Tower in their eyes, no matter who happened to possess theain

"The sun moves, Aes Sedai," Renaile din Calon announced loudly, "and danger threatens So you maintain If you think to worain Try to break the bargain, and by my father’s heart, I will return to the ships at once And clai"

"You watch your tongue with Aes Sedai," Reanne barked, scandalized indignation fro froreenandwhite petticoats

Renaile din Calon’s ues, it seeave permission"

In an instant the stableyard was full of shouted insults flying between Kin and Atha’an Miere, "wilder" and "spineless" and groorse, strident cries that buried Merilille’s attempts to hush Reanne and her companions on one hand and soothe the Sea Folk on the other Several Windfinders stopped fingering the daggers thrust behind their sashes and gripped hilts instead The glow of saidar sprang up around first one then another of the brightly clad woh it did not slow their tirade, but Sumeko embraced the Source, then Tamarla, then y, doeeyed Chilares, and soon every one of them and every one of the Windfinders shone while words flew and teroan Any in to flow She would follow Elayne’s lead, but her nearsister was glaring cold fury at Windfinders and Knitting Circle alike Elayne had small patience with stupidity, in herself or others, and shouting insults when an enerip on her belt knife, then after a mo Wise Ones only used the Poords had failed, but neither words nor steel would do here She wished she had some