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Nynaeve’s hands tightened on her skirt, and she looked at the tent flap again, frowning Finally she gave a short nod and settled back down on the floor "I suppose I ht as well," she said

"Good," Verin said "Now You already know this part, Egwene, but for Nynaeve’s sake I will take you through it step by step In time, it will become second nature -- you will do it all faster than you can think of it -- but now it is best to go slowly Close your eyes, please It goes better in the beginning if you have no distractions at all" Egwene closed her eyes There was a pause "Nynaeve," Verin said, "please close your eyes It will really go better" Another pause "Thank you, child Now, you hts There is only one thing in your mind The bud of a flower Only that Only the bud You can see it in every detail You can smell it You can feel it Every vein of every leaf, every curve of every petal You can feel the sap pulsing Feel it Know it Be it You and the bud are the same You are one You are the bud"

Her voice droned on hypnotically, but Egwene no longer really heard; she had done this exercise before, with Moiraine It was slow, but Moiraine had said it would come more quickly with practice Inside herself, she was a rosebud, red petals curled tightly Yet suddenly there was so on the petals Slowly the petals unfolded, turning toward the light, absorbing the light The rose and the light were one Egwene and the light were one She could feel the h her She stretched for one, rose and light Moiraine had also said it could not be forced With a sigh, she opened her eyes Nynaeve had a grim look on her face Verin was as calm as ever

"You cannot"You must let it happen You must surrender to the Power before you can control it"

"This is complete foolishness," Nynaeve , I feel like a blackthorn bush I think I ait by the fire after all"

"As you wish," Verin said "Did I mention that novices do chores? They wash dishes, scrub floors, do laundry, serve at table, all sorts of things I myself think the servants do a better job of it by far, but it is generally felt that such labor builds character Oh, you are staying? Good Well, child, remember that even a blackthorn bush has flowers so the thorns We will try it one at a tiwene Close your eyes"

Several tiwene felt the flow of the Power through her, but it was never very strong, and the ed with it was to produce a stir in the air that htly She was sure a sneeze could have done as much She had done better with Moiraine; so the teaching

Nynaeve never even felt a glimmer, or so she said By the end her eyes were set and her in berating Verin as if the Aes Sedai were a village wo on her privacy But Verin siain, this tiwene

Egas sitting, watching the other two between her yawns The night had grown late, well past the time she would usually be asleep Nynaeve wore a face like weekold death, her eyes clamped shut as if she never meant to open thewene hoped the Wisdom’s te

"Feel the flow through you," Verin was saying Her voice did not change, but suddenly there was a gleam in her eyes "Feel the flow Flow of the Power Flow like a breeze, a gentle stirring in the air" Egwene sat up straight This was how Verin had guided her each tih her "A soft breeze, the slightest movement of air Soft"

Abruptly the stacked blankets burst into flaas not sure if she screawene kneas that she was on her feet, trying to kick the burning blankets outside before they set the tent on fire Before shewispy s from a charred mass and the smell of burned wool

"Well," Verin said "Well I did not expect to have to douse a fire Don’t faint on ht now I took care of it"

"I -- I was angry" Nynaeve spoke through tre about a breeze, telling me what to do, and fire just popped intoIt was just a small fire, in -- in my head" She shuddered

"I suppose it was a sone with another look at Nynaeve’s face "Are you all right, child? If you feel ill, I can " Nynaeve shook her head, and Verin nodded "Rest is what you need Both of you I’ve worked you too hard You must rest The Aht" Standing, she toed the charred blankets "I will have soht to you I hope this shows both of you how important control is Yousomeone else, if you draw more of the Power than you can safely handle -- and you cannot handle row -- if you draw too much, you can destroy yourself You can die Or you can burn yourself out, destroy what ability you have" As if she had not told thee, she added a cheerful "Sleep well" With that, she was gone

Egwene put her arht, Nynaeve There is no need to be frightened Once you learn to control--"

Nynaeve gave a croaking laugh "I a blankets and twitched her eyes away "It takes hten ain, even when a Warder caain, as she had said she would not Indeed, as they journeyed on, south and west, day by day, as fast as the footmen could move, Verin paid the tomen from Emond’s Field no more mind than Moiraine did, than did any of the Aes Sedai They were not precisely unfriendly, the Aes Sedai, but rather distant and aloof, as if preoccupied Their coolness heightened Egwene’s unease, and brought back all the tales