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Min gave a start and looked back over her shoulder A sul’dam and damane came down the steps she had used and turned the other way, toward the stables and horse yards Another wo panels on her dress stood at the top of the stairs talking with sorabbed her friends by the arms and hurried theerous for you two here Light, it’s dangerous for you to be in Falme There are damane everywhere, and if they find youYou do knohat daood it is to see you both"

"I iood as it is to see you," Nynaeve said "Do you knohere Egwene is? Is she in one of those buildings? Is she all right?"

Min hesitated a fraction before saying, "She’s as well as can be expected" Min could see it all too well, if she told theht thatback in an atteht, make her bend her stubborn neck just once before they alet her out, though I found a ship captain who I think will take us if we can reach his ship with her -- he won’t help unless we make it that far, and I cannot say I blame him -- but I have no idea how to do even that htfully "I had meant to simply ride east, but I must say I’ve worried about it As nearly as I can make out, ould have to be almost off Toman Head before ere clear of Seanchan patrols co of soht of a ship We have horses, and we do not have ed "I never got that far We don’t have anyuntil after we sail Afterwardswell, I don’t think he’ll put into any port where there are Seanchan Wherever he threw us off, it would have to be better than here The proble him to sail at all He wants to, but they patrol off the harbor, too, and there is no way of telling if there’s a damane on one of their ships until it’s too late ’Give me a damane of my own on my deck,’ he says, ’and I will sail this instant’ Then he starts talking about drafts and shoals and lee shores I don’t understand any of that, but as long as I s, and I think if I can keep hi" She drew a shuddering breath; her eyes started stinging again "Only, I don’t think there’s time to let hi to send Egwene back to Seanchan, and soon"

Elayne gasped "But, why?"

"She is able to find ore," Min said miserably "A few days, she says, and I don’t know if a few days is enough for this man to convince himself to sail Even if it is, hoe take that Shadoned collar off her? Hoe get her out of the house?"

"I wish Rand were here" Elayne sighed, and when they both looked at her, she blushed and quickly added, "Well, he does have a sword I e had somebody with a sword Ten of them A hundred"

"It isn’t swords or brae need now," Nynaeve said, "but brains Men usually think with the hair on their chests" She touched her chest absently, as if feeling soh her coat "Most of thee army The Seanchan were outnumbered when they faced the Taraboners, and the Domani, and they won every battle easily, from what I hear" She hurriedly pulled Nynaeve and Elayne to the opposite side of the street as a damane and sul’dam climbed past them on the other side She was relieved there was no need for urging; the other tatched the linked woo as warily as she "Since we don’t have an army, the three of us will have to do it I hope one of you can think of so I haven’t; I’ve wracked my brains, and I always stumble when it comes to the a’dam, the leash and collar Sul’da too closely when they open theet you inside, if that will help One of you, anyway They think ofas they keep to the servants’ quarters"

Nynaeve wore a thoughtful frown, but her face cleared al on a purposeful look "Don’t you worry, Min I have a few ideas I have not spent my time here idly You take e Council with their backs up, I will eat this coat"

Elayne nodded, grinning, and Min felt the first real hope she had had since arriving in Fal the auras of the other toer, but that was to be expected -- and new things, too, aes she had seen before; it was like that, soold floated above Nynaeve’s head, and above Elayne’s, a redhot iron and an axe They meant trouble, she was sure, but it seemed distant, so last, and then all she saas Elayne and Nynaeve, watching her expectantly

"It’s down near the harbor," she said

The sloping street became more crowded the further down they went Street peddlers rubbed elboith es and would not go out again until winter had coone, hawkers with their trays called to the passersby, Falmen in embroidered cloaks brushed past farm families in heavy fleece coats Many people had fled here froes further from the coast Min saw no point to it--they had leaped from the possibility of a visit from the Seanchan to the certainty of Seanchan all around them--but she had heard what the Seanchan did when they first caers tooanother appearance Everyone bohen Seanchan walked past or a curtained palanquin was carried by up the steep street

Min was glad to see Nynaeve and Elayne knew about the bowing Barechested bearers paid no ant, armored soldiers, but failure to boould surely catch their eyes

They talked a little as they moved down the street, and she was surprised at first to learn they had been in the town only a few days less than Egwene and herself After a h, she decided it was no wonder they had not met earlier, not with the crowds in the streets She had been reluctant to spend tiwene than was necessary; there was always the fear that she would go for her allowed visit and find Egwene gone And now she will be Unless Nynae