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"The Dragon Reborn is abecause he thinks a wo, the boy jerked as if she had goosed him Rand stopped to scowl at her sullenly All that kept her fro pain as real as any stab wound That, and the sure knowledge that he would be as hurt if she had done what had been done Not that she would ever have the chance to rip down his banners, but the point applied Rand had been stunned at first by the news Taiht from Caemlyn at dawn, but as soon as thelike a poleaxed bull and started This!
Standing, she adjusted her pale green coat, folded her arms beneath her breasts, and confronted him directly "What else can it be?" she asked calmly Well, she tried for cal of this, she wanted to box his ears soundly "You haven’t mentioned Mat twice, and you don’t knohether he’s even alive"
"Mat’s alive," Rand snarled "I’d know if he was dead What do you mean I’m --!" His jaw clenched as if he could not ," she provided "Soon, you’ll be pouting Some women think men are prettier when they pout I’h of that His face had darkened, and he was not blushing "Haven’t you twisted yourself into knots to ht, ht I add Didn’t you say you wanted her to have Andor whole, not ripped apart like Cairhien or Tear?"
"I did!" he roared "And now it’s hers, and she wants ain to stop shouting! I’m not --!" He realized that he was, and clarowl ca one of his buttons, twisting it back and forth He had been doing a lot of that thisto slap hi for her to spank "Andor is hers, just as you wanted," she said Cal after her now she’s torn your banners down" A dangerous light appeared in those bluegray eyes, but she pressed on "Just as you wanted And you can’t believe she’s siding with your eneon Reborn, and you know it So the only reason for you to be in a snit is because you think she doesn’t want to see you Go to her, you fool!" The next part was the hardest to say "Before you can say tords, she’ll be kissing you" Light, she loved Elayne almost as much as she did Rand -- maybe as much, in a very different way -- but hoas a wooldenhaired queen who had a powerful nation at her beck and call?
"I aht voice And started pacing again Min considered kicking him square in the bottom Hard
One of the doors opened to admit leathery whitehaired Sorilea, who brushed Morr aside even as he was looking to see whether Rand wanted her allowed entry Rand opened his rily, whatever he chose to claim -- and five women in thick black robes damp with melted snow followed the Wise One into the roo their faces Their feet rapped in rags
Min’s scalp prickled To her eyes, ies and auras danced and vanished and were replaced around all six wootten those five were alive What in the naestured once in a clatter of gold and ivory bracelets, and the five hastily arranged the Sun set in the stone floor Rand strode along that row, stripping back hoods, baring faces that he stared into coldeyed
Every one of the blackrobed women was unwashed, her hair lank and dirty with sweat Elza Penfell, a Green sister, ely fervent look on her face Nesune Bihara, a slender Brown, studied him as intently as he did her Sarene Neelessnessto her White Ajah coolness by a fingernail Beldeine Nyraeless features, essayed an uncertain smile that melted under his stare Erian Boroleos, pale and almost as lovely as Sarene, flinched, then visibly forced herself to look into that frigid gaze Those last two also were Green, and all five had been a the sisters who kidnapped hi those who tortured hi to carry hi and panting,beaten Min hoped she did not see , Rand al’Thor," Sorilea said "I think they feel their shame in the bone, now Erian Boroleos was the first to ask to be beaten as you were, sunrise and sunset, but now each has done so That plea has been granted Each has asked to serve you however she may The toh for their betrayal cannot be met," her voice darkened for awas far worse than what they had done after, "yet they know their shame, and they wish to try We have decided to leave the choice to you"
Min frowned Leave the choice to him? Wise Ones rarely left any choice they could make to anyone else Sorilea never did The sinewy Wise One casually shifted her dark shawl on her shoulders and watched Rand as if this was of no ilance at Min, and suddenly Min was sure that if she said the wrong thing here, that bony old wo She just knew Sorilea better than she wanted to, by now
Deter around the woether she could not be certain whether a particular ied to one woman or the woht, let her be able to understand at least some of what she saw!
Rand took Sorilea’s announceether slowly, then thoughtfully examined the herons branded on his palms He examined each of those Aes Sedai faces in turn Finally, he focused on Erian
"Why?" he asked her in a mild voice "I killed two of your Warders Why?" Min winced Rand was s, but seldom mild And Erian was one of the feho had