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Rand snatched the invitations -- there had been soat them, took the innkeeper’s arm, and turned him toward the door to the hall "Thank you, Master Cuale, for taking the trouble If you’ll leave us alone, now, please"

"But, my Lord," Cuale protested, "these are from -- "

"Thank you" Rand pushed the man into the hall and pulled the door shut firmly He tossed the parchments onto the table "He hasn’t done that before Loial, do you think he was listening at the door before he knocked?"

"You are starting to think like these Cairhienin" The Ogier laughed, but his ears twitched thoughtfully and he added, "Still, he is Cairhienin, so hehe should not have heard"

Rand tried to remember None of them had mentioned the Horn of Valere, or Trollocs, or Darkfriends When he found hi what Cuale could ave hi to you, too," he muttered to himself

"My Lord?" Hurin had picked up the sealed parch wideeyed at the seals "My Lord, these are froh Seat of House Da"

Rand waved theo in the fire like the rest Unopened"

"But, my Lord!"

"Hurin," Rand said patiently, "you and Loial between you have explained this Great Gao wherever it is they’ve invitedinto it and think I ao, they’ll read so forin it, and the same if I don’t answer And since half of Cairhien apparently spies on the other half, everybody knohat I do I burned the first two, and I will burn these, just like all the others" One day there had been twelve in the pile he tossed into the commonroom fireplace, seals unbroken "Whatever they make of it, at least it’s the same for everybody I aainst anyone"

"I have tried to tell you," Loial said, "I don’t think it works that way Whatever you do, Cairhienin will see some sort of plot in it At least, that is what Elder Haman always said"

Hurin held the sealed invitations out to Rand as if offering gold "My Lord, this one bears the personal seal of Galldrian His personal seal, my Lord And this one the personal seal of Lord Barthanes, who is next to the King himself in power My Lord, burn these, and youthe to see what you’re up to, and thinking youthe! Insult them, and they’ll act for sure"

Rand scrubbed his hands through his hair "What if I refuse them both?"