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"So," Selene said "You will let this Ingtar take the Horn of Valere And the glory"

"I don’t want " Without thinking, he turned, and there she was, legs pale in the ht, and as unconcerned that they were bare as if she were alone As if ere alone, the thought came She wants the man who finds the Horn "Three of us cannot take it away frotar has twenty lances with him"

"You don’t know you cannot take it How many followers does this man have? You don’t know that, either" Her voice was calm, but intent "You don’t even know if these o down yourself and see Take the alantin; his kind have sharp eyes, even by th to carry the Horn in its chest, if you ht You do not know for sure if it’s Fain A fine thing it would be to have Hurin casting about for a trail that was not there, all of them out in the open if the real Darkfriends did finally couard for you"

Laughing, Selene caracefully it almost seemed she danced Moonshadows veiled her face in mystery as she looked up at him, and uarding myself, until you return to protect ht, Rand," Loial said, rising "I can see better by o as close as you would alone"

"Very well" Rand strode over to his sword and buckled it at his waist Bow and quiver he left where they lay; a boas not of ht "Hurin, showup the slope to the outcrop, like a huge stone thumb thrust out of the mountain The fire was only a speck -- he missed it the first time Hurin pointed Whoever had made it did not mean for it to be seen He fixed it in his head

By the time they returned to the camp, Loial had saddled Red and his own horse As Rand cliht his hand "Relory," she said softly "Remember" The shirt see itself to her form

He drew a deep breath and took his hand back "Guard her with your life, Hurin Loial?" He heeled Red’s flanks gently The Ogier’s bigbehind

They did not try to ht shrouded theuncertain Rand could not see the fire any longer -- no doubt it was better hidden from eyes on the same level -- but he had its location in his le of the Westwood, in the Two Rivers, finding the fire would be no great difficulty And what then? Selene’s face loomed before him How proud I’ll be to stand beside hi to clear his thoughts, "what’s this alantin she calls you?"

"It’s the Old Tongue, Rand" The Ogier’s horse picked its way uncertainly, but he guided it alht "It means Brother, and is short for tia avende alantin Brother to the Trees Treebrother It is very formal, but then, I’ve heard the Cairhienin are formal The noble Houses are, at least The common people I saw there were not very formal at all"

Rand frowned A shepherd would not be very acceptable to a forht about you You’re crazy, and with a big head to boot But if I could , and before he realized it, the void had fors, as if part of soritted his teeth and ignored it; it was like ignoring a burning coal inside his head, but at least he could hold it at bay Barely He almost left the void, but the Darkfriends were out there in the night, and closer, now And the Trollocs He needed the emptiness, needed even the uneasy calm of the void I don’t have to touch it I don’t

After a time, he reined in Red They stood at the base of a hill, the widescattered trees on its slopes black in the night "I think we o the rest of the way on foot" He slid from the saddle and tied the bay’s reins to a branch

"Are you all right?" Loial whispered, cli down "You sound odd"

"I’ht, he realized Stretched Saidin called to him No! "Be careful I can’t be sure exactly how far it is, but that fire should be soier nodded

Slowly Rand stole fro his sword tight so it did not clatter against a tree trunk He was grateful for the lack of undergrowth Loial followed like a big shadow; Rand could not seewas ht resolved the shadows ahead of hih bole of a leatherleaf Diround becaroup of largerTrollocs They had doused the fire One old and silver on the ground, halfway between the two groups The hten; for an instant he could see clearly The shape of a sleeping leam, but that was not what held his eye The chest The Horn And so in the er! Why would Fain put?

Loial’s huge hand settled over Rand’s ood part of his face besides He twisted to look at the Ogier Loial pointed off to his right, slowly, as if ht attract attention

At first Rand could not see anything, then a shadow moved, not ten paces away A tall, bulky shadow, and snouted Rand’s breath caught A Trolloc It lifted its snout as if sniffing Some of them hunted by scent

For an instant the void wavered Someone stirred in the Darkfriend camp, and the Trolloc turned to peer that way

Rand froze, letting the calm of emptiness envelope him His hand was on his sword, but he did not think of it The void was all Whatever happened, happened He watched the Trolloc without blinking

A er the snouted shadoatched the Darkfriend camp, then, as if satisfied, folded itself down beside a tree Almost immediately a low sound, like coarse cloth