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Leane stared at Siuan; then she was on her knees, too "By the Light and my hope of salvation and rebirth"

Min floundered desperately, searching for so a lesser oath than they didher every instant, but this oath By what she had been taught, breaking it would be not much less than murder, maybe no less Only there was no way out The oath, or who knein a field all day and probably locked up at night Sinking down beside the other to Siuan, you utter fool! What have you gotten o to Rand! Oh, Light, help me!

"Well," Bryne breathed when the last as spoken, "I did not expect that But it does suffice Caralin, would you take Master Nem somewhere and find out what he thinks his losses amount to? And clear everyone else but these three out of here, too And ements to transport theuards will be necessary"

The sliave hi out in aAdmer Nem and his male kin stuck close to her, his face especially painted with avarice The Nereedy, but they still spared a few hard glowers for Min and the other tho re as the roos could hold her up The same phrases repeated over and over in her mind Oh, Siuan, why? I can’t stay here I can’t!

"We have had a few refugees through here," Bryne said when the last of the villagers had gone He leaned back in his chair, studying them "But never as odd a threesome as you A Domani A Tairen?" Siuan nodded curtly She and Leane stood up, the slender, copperyskinned wo Min s "And you, Serenla" Once host of a smile at the name "Somewhere in the west of Andor, unless I mistake your accent"

"Baerlon," she ht know Min was fro in the west totone When she remained silent, he did not press it "After you have worked off your debt, you will be welcome to remain in my service Life can be hard for those who’ve lost their ho under a bush"

"Thank you, raceful that even in her rough riding dress it looked part of a dance Min’s echo was leaden, and she did not trust her knees for a curtsy Siuan si at all

"A pity your companion took your horses Four horses would reduce your debt by soue," Leane told hi far e his protection for yours, ht -- but all he said was "At least you will be safely away from the Nems at thefloors in Bryne’sfloors in the Neht, how?

The silence went on, except for Bryne druht he was at a loss for what to say next, but she did not think this man was ever off balance More likely he was irritated that only Leane appeared to be showing any gratitude; she supposed their sentence could have been much worse, frolances and stroking tones had worked after a fashion, but Min found herself wishing the wo up by the wrists in the village square would be better than this

Finally Caralin returned,to Bryne "It will take days to get straight answers from those Nems, Lord Gareth Admer would have five new barns and fifty cows, if I let him At least I believe there really was a purse, but as to how hed "I will find out, eventually Joni is ready to take these girls to the manor, if you are done with the "When you’ve sent theain "Thad Haren says he needs ht alone knohere I will find it for hiotten all about the three women who had just sworn to serve hinow in front of the inn beside a highwheeled cart enclosed by a round canvas cover, with a lean brown horse in the shafts A few of the villagers stood about to watch their departure, but one back to their homes and out of the heat Gareth Bryne was already far down the dirt street

"Joni will see you safely to the manor," Caralin said "Do as you are told, and you will not find the life hard" For a moment she considered them, dark eyes nearly as sharp as Siuan’s; then she nodded to herself as if satisfied and hurried off after Bryne

Joni held the curtains open for them at the back of the cart, but let them clamber up unaided and find places to sit on the cart bed There was not sotrapped the heat He said not a word The cart rocked as he climbed up on the driver’s seat, hidden by the canvas Min heard him cluck to the horse, and the cart lurched off, wheels creaking slightly, buh of a crack in the covering at the back for Min to watch the village dwindle behind the thickets and railfenced fields She felt too stunned to speak Siuan’s grand cause was to end scrubbing pots and floors She should never have helped the woman, never stayed with her She should have ridden for Tear at the first opportunity

"Well," Leane said suddenly, "that worked out not badly at all" She was back to her usual brisk voice again, but there was a flush of exciteh color in her cheeks "It could have been better, but practice will take care of that" Her low laugh was alle "I never realized how " For a moment she held out her hand the way she had placed it on Bryne’s wrist "I don’t think I ever felt so alive, so aware Aunt Resara used to say men were better sport than hawks, but I never really unde