Page 192 (1/2)

"Their blackso,that they’d have been gone before we came if they had not had to mend their cartwheels themselves Do you believe it was the man Perrin, my Lord Captain?"

"Whoever it was, he is not accounted for, no? And he may carry word of us to the Seanchan"

"A Darkfriend would surely do so, ulped the last of the water and tossed the cup aside "There will be no meal for the , whether it is Perrin of the Two Rivers or soion, Child Byar!"

Far above their heads, a huge, winged shape circled, unnoticed

In the clearing amid the hilltop thicket where they had made their camp, Rand worked the for He had had his chances to search with Hurin for Fain’s trail; they all had, in twos and threes so they would not attract attention, and they had all found nothing so far Now they waited for Mat and Perrin to coo

Loial was reading, of course, and there was no telling if his eartwitching was over his book or the scouting party’s lateness, but Uno andtheir swords, or kept watch through the trees as if they expected Seanchan to appear any moment Only Verin appeared unconcerned The Aes Sedai sat on a log beside their s in the dirt with a long stick; every so often she would shake her head and scrub it all out with her foot and start over again All the horses were saddled and ready to go, the Shienarans’ aniround

"Heron Wading in the Rushes," Ingtar said He sat with his back against a tree, sliding a sharpening stone along his sword and watching Rand "You should not be bothering with that one It leaves you completely open"

For an instant Rand balanced on the ball of one foot, sword held reversed in both hands over his head, then shifted sood for developing balance" It was not easy keeping his balance In the void it often see boulder, but he did not dare assume the void He wanted to too much to trust himself

"What you practice too often, you use without thinking You will put your sword in the other man with that, if you’re quick, but not before he has his through your ribs You are practically inviting him I don’t think I could see ahe ht strike hotar " Rand wavered on one foot, and had to put the other down to keep fro He slaray cloak that had been his disguise It was ed around the botto up, cold and out of the west "I wish they’d conal, Uno spoke up with quiet urgency "Bloody horse, my Lord" Scabbards rattled as men who did not already have their blades out bared the up lances

The tension faded as Hurin led the others into the clearing at a trot, and catar"

"We followed it almost to Falme," Mat said as he dis of health; the skin was tight over his skull The Shienarans gathered around, as excited as he was "It’s just Fain, but there isn’t anywhere else he could be going He er"