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Quivering, Egwene gritted her teeth Her nails dug into her pal wildly Idiot! It’s only your nawene al’Vere" Instantly the burning itch was gone She let out a long, unsteady breath

"Egwene," Renna said "That is a good nawene’s horror, Renna patted her on the head as she would a dog

That, she realized, hat she had detected in the wo, not quite the friendliness one

Renna chuckled "Now you are even angrier If you intend to strike at ain, remember to make it a small blow, for you will feel it twice as hard as I Do not attempt to channel; that you will never do without wene’s eye throbbed She pushed herself to her feet and tried to ignore Renna, as nore someone who held a leash fastened to a collar around your neck Her cheeks burned when the other woo to Min, but the amount of leash Renna had let out would not reach that far She called softly, "Min, are you all right?"

Sitting slowly back on her heels, Min nodded, then put a hand to her head as if she wished she had notcrackled across the clear sky, then struck awene jumped, and suddenly smiled Nynaeve was still free, and Elayne If anyone could free her and Min, Nynaeve could Her slare for Liandrin For whatever the reason the Aes Sedai had betrayed thelare did no good; Liandrin did not look away fro the palanquin to the ground, and Suroth stepped down, carefully arranging her robe, then picked her way to Liandrin on softslippered feet The tomen were much of a size Brown eyes stared levelly into black

"You were to bring me two," Suroth said "Instead, I have only one, while two run loose, one of them more powerful by far than I had been led to believe She will attract every patrol of ours within two leagues"

"I brought you three," Liandrin said cale to hold the you to serve hiht at trifles If patrols coain in the near distance, androared like thunder not far from where it struck; a cloud of dust rose into the air Neither Liandrin nor Suroth took any notice

"I could still return to Falrieves me to allow anAes Sedai" -- she twisted the words like a curse -- "to walk free"

Liandrin’s face did not change, but Egwene saw a nih Lady," Renna called "She stands ready!"

There was a stir a for swords and lances, but Suroth only steepled her hands, s nails "You will ainst me, Liandrin Our master would disapprove, as I am surely needed hereh white spots er "And you, Suroth, fear hi you to a cinder where you stand"

"Just so We both fear hie with time All marath’damane will be leashed eventually Perhaps I will be the one who places the collar around your lovely throat"

"As you say, Suroth Our e I will remind you of it on the day when you kneel to me"

A tall leatherleaf perhaps a rows tiresome," Suroth said "Elbar, recall theer than his fist; itcry

"You must find the woman Nynaeve," Liandrin said sharply "Elayne is of no iirl here must be taken with you on your ships when you sail"

"I know very hat has been coive much to knohy"

"However much you were told, child," Liandrin sneered, "that is how much you are allowed to know Remember that you serve and obey These two must be removed to the other side of the Aryth Ocean and kept there"

Suroth sniffed "I will not remain here to find this Nynaeve My usefulness to our master will be at an end if Turak hands me over to the Seekers for Truth" Liandrin opened her rily, but Suroth refused to allow her a word "The wo Neither of theain, ill take with us every wohtly, leashed and collared If you wish to remain and search for her, do so Patrols will be here soon, thinking to engage the rabble that still hides in the countryside Some patrols take damane with them, and they will not care what master you serve Should you survive the encounter, the leash and collar will teach you a new life, and I do not believe our h to let herself be taken"

"If either is allowed to rehtly, "our master will trouble himself with you, Suroth Take theate, clutching the reins of her one after Nynaeve and Elayne ca back with the tomen linked by leash, collar, and bracelet, the da side by side Three wene felt a surge of hope when she realized the bodies all wore arht Nynaeve or Elayne, either one

Min started to rise to her feet, but the hooknosed man planted a boot between her shoulder blades and drove her to the ground Gasping for breath, she twitched there weakly "I beg perh Lady," he said Suroth made a small motion with her hand, and he went on "This peasant cut h Lady has no use for her?" Surothaway, and he reached over his shoulder for the hilt of his sword

"No!" Egwene shouted She heard Renna curse softly, and suddenly the burning itch covered her skin again, worse than before, but she did not stop "Please! High Lady, please! She is my friend!" Pain such as she had never knoracked her through the burning Every muscle knotted and cra, but she could still see Elbar’s heavy, curved blade come free of its sheath, see him raise it with both hands &ldq