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Faile hid her relief behind a gracious nod of acceptance She had expected Alliandre to balk That Alliandre could swear fealty without realizing what that meant -- that she felt it necessary to say that she intended to keep her oath! -- had only confirmed Faile’s belief that the woman could not be left behind By all accounts, Alliandre had dealt with Mase to him Slowly, to be sure, with little other choice and only when she had to, yet sub visible changed, how soon before she would decide to hedge with a warning to Masehten her burden

"I a us," she said waret those who render him service One such service would be to write to your nobles, telling them that a man in the south has raised the banner of Manetheren" Berelain’s head half jerked around in surprise, and Annoura went so far as to blink

"My Lady," Alliandre said urgently, "half of them will send word to the Prophet as soon as they receive ht alone knohat he ht do" Just the response Faile had hoped for

"Which is why you rite hiathered a few soldiers to deal with this on is too important to have to turn his attention to such a ood," Annoura hed in delighted approval, burn her!

"My Lady," Alliandre breathed, "I said that my Lord Perrin is formidable May I add that his wife is every bit as formidable?"

Faile tried not to bask too visibly Now she had to send word to her people in Bethal In a way, she regretted that Explaining to Perrin would have been more than difficult, but even he could not have kept his temper if she had kidnapped the Queen of Ghealdan

Most of the Winged Guards appeared to be gathered on the edge of their ca ten of their number on horseback The absence of lances said the riders were scouts The et closer Perrin thought he heard thunder again, not so distant, but it only touched the edge of awareness

As he prepared to push his way through, Gallenne roared, "Make way, you led sideways in thea narrow path Perrin wondered ould happen if he called the Two Rivers y hounds Probably earn hiht be worth a try

Nurelle and the other officers ith the scouts So were seven men afoot with their hands tied behind the their feet and hunching their shoulders and scowling defiance or fear or both Their clothes were stiff with old filth, though soely, they smelled heavily of woodsmoke For that matter, some of the mounted soldiers had soot on their faces, and one or two see the prisoners, frowning slightly

Gallenne took a stance with his feet apart and fists on his hips, his one eye doing as good a job of glaring as most men’s two "What happened?" he de back inforpickers!"

"I will let Ortis report, my Lord," Nurelle said "He was there Squadman Ortis!"

A soldier in his auntleted hand pressed to heart His hels that orked in the sides of officers’ helmets Beneath the rim, a livid burn stood out plainly on his face The other cheek had a scar that pulled up the corner of his ravelly voice "We caues to the west,a faret out a , and one of these scu how Lord Aybara feels, we put a stop to it We were too late to save anybody, but we caught these seven The rest got away"

"People are often tempted to slide back into the Shadow," one of the prisoners said suddenly "They must be reminded of the cost" A tall, lean man with a stately air, his voice was smooth and educated, but his coat was as dirty as any of the others, and he had not shaved in two or three days The Prophet did not see With his hands bound and a rope around his neck, he glared at his captors without the least bit of fear He was all supercilious defiance "Your soldiers do not ion, blessed be his nareater ar end You ed when the Prophet spills your blood on the ground None of you will survive us long He will triu tone, his back straight as an iron rod Mur soldiers They knew very well that Mase theiven the order, he made himself watch Despite the murmurs, there was no lack of ready hands Soan to weep as their lead ropes were thrown over tree li in folds shouted that he repented, that he would serve any h as Lawin thrashed and screamed until the rope cut off his howls Only the sht, even when the noose drew tight on his neck To the end he glared defiance

"At least one of therowled as the last body went liretting they had not put upthe Shadow," Araive on approve of this?"

Perrin gave a start and stared at hiht, Aram, you heard what they did! Rand would’ve put the ropes on their necks hiht Rand would have, hoped he would have Rand was fixed on welding the nations together before the Last Battle, and he had done little counting of cost to do so

Men’s heads jerked up as thunder pealed loud enough for all to hear, then closer, and again closer still A wind gusted, fell, rose again, tugging Perrin’s coat as it slashed this way and that Lightning forked in a cloudless sky In the Mayener camp, horses whinnied and reared at their ties Thunder tolled repeatedly, and lightning writhed in silverblue snakes, and beneath a burning sun, rain fell, fat scattered drops that splashed fountains of dust where they hit bare ground Perrin wiped one from his cheek and peered at