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Nodding, Rand turned away He was already beginning to pace again, already beginning to scowl over Elayne Min settled into her chair onceshe had one of Master Fel’s books to read Or to throw at Rand Well, one of Master Fel’s to read, and someone else’s to throw

Sorilea herded the blackclad sisters out of the roo a door and looked back at Rand striding away frohtfully "That woain today," she said at last, to his back "I think she believes you are afraid of her, Rand al’Thor, the way you avoid her whereabouts" With that, she left

For a longat the throne Or ave hi distance to pick up the Crown of Swords On the point of setting it on his head, though, he hesitated, then put it back Donning the coat, he left crown and scepter where they lay

"I mean to find out what Cadsuane wants," he announced "She doesn’t coh the snow Will you co"

She was on her feet faster than any of those Aes Sedai A visit with Cadsuane would likely be as pleasurable as a visit with Sorilea, yet anything was better than sitting there alone Besides,Fedwin fell in behind her and Rand with an alert look in his eyes

The six Maidens outside in the tall vaulted hallway rose, but they did not follow Soave Min a brief slowered The Maidens had accepted his explanation about why he had gone without them in the first place, so any watchers would believe for as long as possible that he was still in Cairhien, but they still demanded to knohy he had not sent for them afterward, and Rand had had no answers Heunder his breath, and quickened his pace so Min had to stretch her legs to keep up

"Watch Cadsuane carefully, Min," he said "And you, too, Morr She’s up to some Aes Sedai scheme, but burn me if I can see what I don’t know There’s -- "

A stone wall see, crashing And then Rand was turning her over -- she was lying on the floor? -- looking down at her with the first fear she reblue eyes It only faded when she sat up, coughing The air was full of dust! And then she saw the corridor

The Maidens were gone froone, along with aped in the wall opposite She could see into his apartments clearly despite the dust, into devastation Massive piles of rubble lay everywhere, and above, the ceiling yawned open to the sky Snoirled down onto fla the rubble One of theout of shattered stone, and she realized she could see all the way outside to the stepped towers veiled by the snowfall It was as if a huge hammer had smashed into the Sun Palace And had they been in there, instead of going to see Cadsuane Min shivered

"What?" she began unsteadily, then abandoned the useless question Any fool would see what had happened "Who?" she asked instead

Covered in dust, hair every which way, and with tears in their coats, the twothe corridor, and perhaps they had She thought they were all a good ten paces farther from the doors than she remembered From where the doors had been In the distance, anxious shouts rose, echoing along the halls Neither man answered her

"Can I trust you, Morr?" Rand asked

Fedwin on," he said si you with," Rand said His fingers brushed her cheek, and then he stood abruptly "Guard her with your life, Morr" Hard as steel, his voice Grim as death "If they’re still in the Palace, they’ll feel you try to ateway, and strike before you can finish Don’t channel at all unless you must, but be ready Take her down to the servants’ quarters, and kill anyone or anything that tries to get to her Anyone!"

With a last look down at her -- oh, Light, any other ti that look in his eyes! -- he went running, away from the ruination Away fro for hiave her a boyish grin "Don’t worry, Min I’ll take care of you"

But as going to take care of Rand? Can I trust you, he had asked this boy who had been one of the first to co a corner, Rand stopped with a hand against one wall to seize the Source A fool thing, not wanting Min to see hier when someone tried to kill him, but there it was Not just any someone A man, Demandred, or perhaps Asmodean come back at last Maybe both; there had been an oddity, as if the weaving ca too late to do anything He would have died, in his rooms He was ready to die But not Min, no, not Min Elayne was better off, turning against hiht, she was!

He seized the Source, and saidin flooded hi heat, with life and sweetness, filth and death His stomach twisted, and the hallway in front of hiht he saw a face Not with his eyes; in his head A one He floated in the Void, empty, and full of the Power

You won’t win, he told Lews Therin If I die, I’ll die me!

I should have sent Ilyena away, Lews Therin whispered back She would have lived

Pushing the voice away as he pushed hi the Palace corridors with all the stealth he couldwalls, around goldworked chests and gilded cabinets bearing fragile golden porcelains and ivory statuettes His eyes searched for his attackers They would not be satisfied short of finding his body, but they would be very careful in approaching his rooms in case he had survived by some ta’veren swirl of fate They would wait, to see whether he stirred In the Void, he was as near one with the Power as any h In the Void, as with a sword, he was