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"As you command, Mother," ht have wished Even Duhara’s face was pasty pale as they made their curtsies Two Sitters had been stripped of their chairs, and half a dozen had served days of Labor for penance -- which was huh in their position to be Mortification of the Spirit besides; Shevan and Sedore certainly wore tightfloors and working in the laundries -- but none had been sent to Silviana for Mortification of the Flesh No one wanted to be The Mistress of Novices had two or three visits each week froiven penance by their Ajahs or set one for themselves -- a dose of the strap, however painful, was done with arden paths for a month -- but Silviana possessed considerably less mercy with sisters than with the novices and Accepted in her charge More than one sisterwhether a ht not have been preferable after all
They scurried toward the doors, eager to be away Sitters or no, not one would have set foot this high in the Toithout Elaida’s direct su her striped stole, Elaida let her smile become one of pleasure Yes, she was the mistress in the White Tower As was only proper for the A knot of Sitters reach the doorway, the lefthand door opened, and Alviarin stepped in, the narrohite stole of the Keeper alainst a silk dress that o crooked and begin sliding frole sheet of parchment in one slim hand Odd, what one noticed at a tione almost teeks, vanished from the Toithout word or note, without anyone so un to think fond thoughts of Alviarin lying in a snowbank, or swept away in a river, sliding beneath the ice
The six Sitters skidded to a halt uncertainly when Alviarin did not move out of their way Even a Keeper with Alviarin’s influence did not ih Velina, normally the most selfpossessed wolanced once at Elaida, coolly, studied the Sitters for a
"I think you should leave that with me," she said to Sedore in tones only a fraction warmer than the snow outside "The Mother likes to consider her decrees carefully, as you know This would not be the first ti" She held out a sli Yellows, barely hesitated before giving her the leather folder
Elaida ground her teeth in fury Sedore had hated her five days up to her elbows in hot water and scrub boards Elaida would find so less comfortable for her next ti the cesspits!
Alviarin stepped aside without a word, and the Sitters went, adjusting shawls, nity of the Hall Briskly, Alviarin closed the door behind theh the papers in the folder The decrees she had signed hoping Alviarin was dead Of course, she had not rested on hope She had not spoken to Seaine, in case soht see and tell Alviarin when she returned, but Seaine was certainly working away as instructed, following the path of treason that surely would lead to Alviarin Freidhen But Elaida had hoped Oh, how she had hoped
Alviarin o through, I suppose But not this Or this And certainly not this!" She cruned and sealed by the Amyrlin Seat, and tossed it to the floor conteilded chair, with the Flah back, she slapped the folder and her own parchment down on the table And then slapped Elaida’s face so hard she saw black flecks
"I thought we had settled this, Elaida" The monstrous woman’s voice made the snowstorm outside seem warm "I kno to save the Tower fro new ones behind my back If you persist, be assured that I will see you deposed, stilled, and howling under the birch before every initiate and even the servants!"
With an effort, Elaida kept her hand away from her cheek She did not need a mirror to tell her it was red She had to be careful Seaine had found nothing yet, or she would have come Alviarin could open her mouth before the Hall and reveal the whole disastrous kidnapping of the al’Thor boy She ht see her deposed, and stilled and birched with that alone, but Alviarin had another string to her bow Toveine Gazal was leading fifty sisters and two hundred of the Tower Guard against a Black Tower Elaida had been sure, when she gave the orders, held perhaps two or three men who could channel Yet even with the hundreds -- hundreds! with Alviarin staring coldly down at her, that thought still curdled Elaida’s stomach! -- even with hundreds of these Asha’man, she had hope for Toveine The Black Toould be rent in fire and blood, she had Foretold, and sisters would walk its grounds Surely that meant that somehow, Toveine would triu had told her that the Toould regain all its old glories under her, that al’Thor hier Alviarin had heard the words co took her And she had not rean her blackmail, had not understood her own doom Elaida waited in patience She would repay the wo no attempt to hide her sneer, Alviarin pushed the folder aside and le parchold writing case, dipped Elaida’s pen in the inkwell and thrust it at her "Sign"
Elaida took the pen wondering whather name to this time Yet another increase in the Tower Guard, when the rebels would be done before there was any use for soldiers? Another attempt to make the Ajahs reveal publicly which sisters headed the quickly, she felt a knot of ice grow in her belly and keep growing Giving each Ajah final authority over any sister in its quarter no matter her own Ajah had been the worst insanity so far -- how could picking apart the very fabric of the Tower save it? -- but this --!
The world nos that Rand al’Thor is the Dragon Reborn The world knows that he is a man who can touch the One Power Such men have lain within the authority of the White Tower since tiranted the protection of the Tower, but whosoever atteh the White Tower lies attainted of treason against the Light, and anatheainst the that the White Toill safely guide the Dragon Reborn to the Last Battle a