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Alar let out a shuddering breath "Machin Shin So close"

"It didn’t try to coled sound

"I have told you," Verin said, "the Black Wind is a creature of the Ways It cannot leave them" She sounded calm, but she still wiped her hands on her skirt Rand opened his ave it up "And yet," she went on, "I wonder at it being here First in Cairhien, now here I wonder" She gave Rand a sidelong glance that made him jump The look was so quick that he did not think anyone else noticed it, but to Rand it seemed to connect him with the Black Wind

"I have never heard of this," Alar said slowly, "Machin Shin waiting when a Waygate was opened It always roa, and perhaps the Black Wind hungers, and hopes to catch soate Verin, assuredly you cannot use this Waygate And however great your need, I cannot say I a to the Shado"

Rand frowned at the Waygate Could it be following me? There were too many questions Had Fain somehow ordered the Black Wind? Verin said it could not be done And ould Fain demand that he follow, then try to stop hio to Toer under a bush too

Verin stood with eyes unfocused in thought Mat was sitting on the coping with his head in his hands, and Perrin watched him worriedly Loial seeate, and ashatar announced "Verin Sedai, I followed you here against er follow I mean to return to Cairhien Barthanes can tell me where the Darkfriends went, and somehoill make him do it"

"Fain went to Toman Head," Rand said wearily "And where he went, that’s where the Horn is, and the dagger"

"I suppose" Perrin shrugged reluctantly "I suppose we could try another Waygate At another stedding?"

Loial stroked his chin and spoke quickly, as if toCantoine lies just above the River Iralell, and Stedding Taijing is east of it in the Spine of the World But the Waygate in Caerove at Tar Valon is closest of all"

"Whichever Waygate we try to use," Verin said absently, "I fear ill find Machin Shin waiting" Alar looked at her questioningly, but the Aes Sedai said no more that anyone could hear Shewith herself

"What we need," Hurin said diffidently, "is one of those Portal Stones" He looked to Alar, then Verin, and when neither told hily confident "The Lady Selene said those old Aes Sedai had studied those worlds, and that was how they kne to make the Ways And that place erewell, it only took us two days less to travel a hundred leagues If we could use a Portal Stone to go to that world, or one like it, why, it’d take no more than a week or two to reach the Aryth Ocean, and we could coht on Toman Head Maybe it isn’t so quick as the Ways, but it’s a long sight quicker than riding off west What do you say, Lord Ingtar? Lord Rand?"