Page 169 (1/1)

The pale Illianer sister straightened I Min could read Dirtyfaced and her long black hair athered Aes Sedai authority around her and aze levelly But her answer ca you I have considered long on it You ht the Last Battle, and we must help you If you will no accept me, I do understand, but I will help as you do require if you will allow"

Rand stared at her without expression

He put that same oneword question to each, and their ansere as different as the women

"The Green is the Battle Ajah," Beldeine told hies on her cheeks and dark circles beneath her eyes, she did look a Queen of Battles But then, Saldaean woo to Tarmon Gai’don, the Green ht, she was going to bond an Asha’man as a Warder! How? No; it was not iical at the tihtly held cool serenity slipped into clear worry, and she shook her head "I say that to explain, not to exculpate Circuht seees and auras; a tes! The wo useful in knowing some man would melt her! "To send us back to captivity," she went on, "or even execute us For ic says I must serve you"

Nesune tilted her head, and her nearly black eyes seereen aura spoke of honors, and fa appeared above her head and vanished A library she would found "I want to study you," she said si holes They do leave plenty of tie for what I ht learn" Rand blinked at the directness of that, but otherwise, his expression did not alter

Theanswer came fro to her knees, she gazed up at Rand with feverish eyes Her whole face seees cascaded around her, telling nothing "You are the Dragon Reborn," she said breathlessly "You must be there for the Last Battle I must help you be there! Whatever is necessary, I will do!" And she flung herself facedown, pressing her lips to the polished stone floor in front of his boots Even Sorilea looked taken aback, and Sarene’s aped at her and hastily returned to twisting his button Min thought he giggled nervously, al on his heel, Rand stalked halfway to the Dragon Throne, where his scepter and the crown of Illian rested atop his goldembroidered red coat His face was so bleak that Min wanted to rush to hi, but she continued to study the Aes Sedai And Sorilea She had never seen anything really useful around that whitehaired harridan

Abruptly, Rand turned back, striding toward the line of women so quickly that Beldeine and Sarene stepped back A sharp gesture froain

"Would you accept being confined in a box?" His voice grated, stone grinding on frozen stone "Locked in a chest all day, and beaten before you go in and when you come out?" That hat they had done to hiainst the floor "Whatever I ed shakily, and, faces aghast, the others nodded slowly

Min stared in aht think of getting his own back in the same manner seemed almost natural, but she had to stop it, somehow She knew him better than he did himself; she knehere he was hard as a knife blade, and where he was vulnerable no ive himself this But how? Fury contorted his face, and he shook his head as he did when arguing with that voice he heard He muttered one word aloud that she understood Ta’veren Sorilea stood there cal him as closely as Nesune did Not even the threat of the chest shook the Brown Except for Elza, stillthe floor, the others were holloweyed, as if seeing the all of those i around Rand and the woreen, encoasped, half in surprise, half in relief

"They will serve you, each in her fashion, Rand," she said hurriedly "I saw it" Sorilea would serve him? Suddenly Min wondered exactly what "in her fashion" , but she did not always knohat the words themselves meant But they would serve; that much was plain

The fury drained from Rand’s face as he silently studied the Aes Sedai Solanced at Min with raised eyebrows, obviously ht, but for the most part, they watched Rand and hardly seeaze up at hiave Min one quick look, and the faintest nod Approving, Min thought So the old woman pretended not to care one way or the other, did she?

At last, Rand spoke "You can swear to o back to wherever the Wise Ones have been keeping you I’ll accept nothing less" Despite a hint of demand in his voice, he looked as if he, too, did not care, arms folded, eyes impatient The oath he demanded of them came out in a rush

Min did not expect quibbles, not after her viewing, yet it was still a surprise when Elza scrambled up to her knees, and the others lowered theed unison, five ht and by their hope of salvation to serve the Dragon Reborn faithfully until the Last Battle had co each one, Sarene as if stating a principle of logic, Elza wearing a wide, victorious sather around him?

With the oath, Rand seemed to lose interest "Find them clothes and put them with your other ‘apprentices,’" he told Sorilea absently He was frowning, but not at her or the Aes Sedai "How many do you think you’ll end up with?" Min alht

"However many are necessary," Sorilea said dryly "I think estured, and the five sisters sprang to their feet Only Nesune looked surprised at the alacrity hich they had obeyed Sorilea smiled, a very satisfied smile for an Aiel, and Min did not think it was caused by the othe