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The Asha’ the next day, riding out of a gateway into a driving downpour that obscured the sun so, it h the hole in the air, snow fell back in Andor, fat white flakes swirling about thickly and hiding what lay behind them Most of the men in the short column were bundled in heavy black cloaks, but the rain seemed to slip around them and their horses It was not obvious, yet anyone who noticed would look twice, if not three ti as you did notwhat you were But then, the blackandwhite disc worked on a crimson circle on the breast of their cloaks did that Even halfhidden by the rain, there was a pride about theance in the way they sat their saddles A defiance They gloried in what they were

Their commander, Charl Gedas a few years older than Rand, of on, like Torval, on a very well cut, highcollared coat of the best black silk His sas mounted lushly with silver, his silverworked sword belt fastened with a silver buckle shaped in a clenched fist Gedwyn terue, Storm Leader, whatever that was supposed to mean It seemed appropriate to the weather, at least

Even so, he stood just inside the entrance to Rand’s ornate green tent and scowled out at the cascading rain A guard of mounted Companions encircled the tent, no more than thirty paces away, yet they were barely visible Theythe torrent

"How do you expectback over his shoulder at Rand A tick late, he added, "My Lord Dragon" His eyes were hard and challenging, but they alere, whether looking at a ht Dedicated and forty Soldiers, enough to destroy an arht even make an Aes Sedai blink," he said wryly "Burn me, the pair of us could do a fair job alone Or you could Why do you need anyone else?"

"I expect you to obey, Gedwyn," Rand said coldly Storm Leader? And Manel Rochaid, Gedwyn’s second, called himself Baijan’ new ranks? The i was that thewas that the weapons stayed sane long enough to be used "And I don’t expect you to waste tion," Gedwyn muttered "I’ll send men out immediately" With a curt salute, fist to chest, he strode out into the stor down the small shield he wove around himself Rand wondered whether thewhen he seized saidin without warning

You led They will, you know Dead men can’t betray anyone The voice in Rand’s head turned wondering But sometimes they don’t die Am I dead? Are you?

Rand pushed the words down to a fly’s buzzing, just on the edge of notice Since his reappearance inside Rand’s head, Lews Therin seldom went silent unless forced The rier as well Stronger sometimes, too That voice invaded Rand’s dreams, and when he saw himself in a dream, it was not always himself at all that he saw It was not always Lews Therin, either, the face he had conize as Lews Therin’s Souely familiar, and Lews Therin seemed startled by it, too That was an indication how far the ht I can’t afford to go mad yet

When, then? Lews Therin whispered before Rand could ain

With the arrival of Gedwyn and the Asha’ot under way Got under way, and crept forward as slowly as aone of thoseno effort to hide hisfor secrecy Word traveled slowly by pigeon, and far slower by courier, once the cemaros came, yet he had no doubts he atched, by the White Tower, by the Forsaken, by anyone who saw gain or loss in where the Dragon Reborn went and could afford to slip coin to a soldier Maybe even by the Seanchan If he could scout them, why not they hi

While Rand was idly watching hwheeled cart, Weiraelding of the finest Tairen bloodstock The rain had cleared, though gray clouds still veiled the noonday sun and the air felt as if you could squeeze water out of it with your hands The Dragon Banner and the Banner of Light hung limp and sodden on their tall staffs

Tairen Defenders had replaced the Co, he frowned at Rodrivar Tihera, a lean fellow, dark even for a Tairen, with a short beard trimmed to a very sharp point A very h his abilities, Tihera was punctilious in the extre on his riave Weirah Lord’s frown deepened

There was no need for the Captain of the Stone to be personally in charge of Rand’s bodyguard, but he frequently was, just as Marcolin often corown up between Defenders and Couard Rand The Tairens claier in Tear, the Illianers because he was, after all, King of Illian Perhaps Weira the Defenders that it was ti of its own, and who better than the reed with the need, but not with the choice of who should wear the crown He was not the only one

The , and swung down frooldtooled saddle to offer a bow that made Tihera’s seem simple Ironspined as he was, he could puff up and strut in his sleep Though he did gri his polished boot into the mud He wore a rain cape, to keep the old embroidery and had a collar of sapphires For all of Rand’s coat of deep green silk, with golden bees cliiven for thinking the Crown of Swords belonged on the other’s head, not his

"My Lord Dragon," Weirauarded by Tairens,untoward happened" He was too intelligent to come out and call the Companions untrust