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Mesaana let the kissing go on for so Alviarin’s face up with the toe of a slipper beneath the chin "The decree has gone out" It was not a question, but Alviarin answered hastily

"Yes, Great Mistress Copies went to Northharbor and Southharbor even before I had Elaida sign The first couriers have gone, and no merchant will leave the city without copies to distribute" Mesaana knew all that, of course She knew everything A crahtened the back of Alviarin’s aardly craned neck, but she did not move Mesaana would tell her when to move "Great Mistress, Elaida is an empty husk With all humility, would it not be better without the need to use her?" She held her breath Questions could be dangerous, with the Chosen

A shadownailed silvery finger tapped silver lips pursed in an amused smile "Better if you wore the Amyrlin’s stole, child?" Mesaana said at last "An ah to fit you, but all in its time For now, I have a tiny task for you In spite of all the walls that have gone up between the Ajahs, the heads of the Ajahs see frequency By chance, they ot herself killed, or she could tell you what they are about Very probably it is trivial, but you will learn why they bare teeth at one another in public, then whisper together in private"

"I hear and obey, Great Mistress," Alviarin replied proreat "secret" of who headed the Ajahs was none to her -- every Black sister was required to relay to the Supreme Council every whisper inside her supposed Ajah -- but only Galina a the Black sisters ah all the layers between them and her That would take time, and without any certainty of success Except for Ferane Neheran and Suana Dragand, ere the heads of the their Ajahs, Sitters rarely see until they were told "I will tell you as soon as I learn, Great Mistress"

But she did file away a tidbit for herself Trivialthat happened in the White Tower And Alviarin would keep her eyes open for a sister in bronze skirts bordered on the he herself in the Tower, and knowledge was power

Chapter 26

(Dragon’s Fang)

The Extra Bit

Seaine strode the hallways of the Toith a growing sense of being confounded at every turn The White Toas quite large, true, but she had been at this for hours She veryin her own rooms Despite case the broad, tapestryhung corridors and nore when they slipped under her skirts Her rooms arm and comfortable, and safe

Maids bobbed curtsies and nored Most sisters were in their own Ajahs’ quarters, and those few out and about moved ary pride, often in pairs, always of the sa their arms and displayed like banners She soldenhaired Sitter returned a hard stare, beauty carved froed shawl

Too late now to approach Talene about being part of the search, even had Pevara been agreeable Pevara counseled caution, thento listen under the circumstances It was just that Talene was a friend Had been a friend

Talene was not the worst Several ordinary sisters sniffed at her openly At a Sitter! None White, of course, but that should haveon in the Tower, proprieties should be observed Juilaine Madome, a tall, attractive woman with shortcut black hair who had held a chair for the Brown less than a year, brushed past her without so y and went off with those mannish strides of hers Saerin Asnobar, another Brown Sitter, gave Seaine a fierce scowl and fingered that curved knife she always carried behind her belt before disappearing down a side corridor Saerin was Altaran, slight touches of white at her dark teefaded white scar across one olive cheek, and only a Warder could s were all to be expected There had been several unfortunate incidents recently, and no sister would forget being bundled unceremoniously from the hallways around another Ajah’s quarters, one with it Runity ruffled by the Reds, though not who A great pity the Hall could not obstruct Elaida’s mad decree, but first one Ajah, then another, had leaped on the new prerogatives, few Sitters illing to think of giving them up now they were in place, and the result was a Tower divided very nearly into arht the air in the Tower felt like a quivering hot jelly of suspicion and backbiting; noas quivering hot jelly with an acid bite

Clicking her tongue in vexation, she adjusted her ohitefringed shawl as Saerin vanished It was illogical to flinch because an Altaran scowled -- even Saerin would go no further; surely not -- and e when she had a task

And then, after all of her search that ht quarry walking toward her Zerah Dacan was a sliirl with a prideful air, properly selfpossessed, and by all outward evidence untouched by the heated currents flowing through the Tower these days Well, not a girl precisely, but Seaine was sure she had not worn that whitefringed shawl fifty years yet She was inexperienced Relatively inexperienced That ht help

Zerahher head in respect as Seaine fell in beside her Quite a lot of intricate golden embroidery climbed the sleeves of her snowy dress and made a wide band at the bottoree of show for the White Ajah "Sitter," she murmured Did her blue eyes hold a touch of worry?

"I need you for so," Seaine saidher own feelings into Zerah’s big eyes "Co to fear, not in the heart of the White Tower, but keeping her hands folded at her waist, unclenched, required surprising effort

As expected -- as hoped -- Zerah went along with only another lided at Seaine’s side quite gracefully as they descended broad ave only the slightest frohen Seaine opened a door on the ground floor, onto narrow stairs that sp