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Ilyena never flashed her teave ue, it was because she His mind froze for an instant He had never met a woman named Ilyena in his life But he could summon up a face for the naolden hair exactly the shade of Elayne’s This had to be the inary wo conversations with people ere not there

Egwene’s harangue shut off with a concerned look "Are you all right, Rand?" The anger was gone fro? Should I fetch Moiraine back to --"

"No!" he said, and just as quickly softened his own tone "She can’t Heal" Even an Aes Sedai could not Heal madness; none of them could Heal any of what ailed hiwene had said, there was a hint of sympathy in her voice That was all he really expected Beyond what he had knohen Elayne left Tear, what she was up to was an Aes Sedai concern and none of his; so Egwene had told him more than once, and Moiraine echoed her The three Wise Ones who could drea with, had been even less informative; they had their own reasons not to be pleased with hi her shawl over her arhtly, she said, "Rand, what does it mean to be buried in the Can Breat?"

He started to ask what under the Light she was talking about Then he re I heard once," he lied He had no more idea what it meant than where it had co twenty years older rather than two younger "Promise me you will You need it" He nodded She studied his face for afor the truth, then started for the door

Rand’s silver goblet of wine floated up from the carpet and drifted to hiwene looked back over her shoulder

"Perhaps I shouldn’t tell you this," she said "Elayne didn’t give it to e for you, but She said she loves you Perhaps you know already, but if you don’t, you should think about it" With that she was gone, the beads clicking together behind her

Leaping fro wine across the floor tiles as he rounded on Jasin Natael in a fury

Chapter 3

(Dice)

Pale Shadows

Seizing saidin, Rand channeled, wove flows of Air that snatched Natael up froilded harp tuainst the wall, immobile from neck to ankles and his feet half a pace above the floor "I’ve warned you! Never channel when anyone else is around Never!"

Natael tilted his head in that peculiar way he had, as if trying to look at Rand sideways, or watch without being noticed "If she had seen, she would have thought it was you" There was no apology in his voice, no diffidence, but no challenge either; he see a reasonable explanation "Besides, you looked thirsty A courtbard should look after his lord’s needs" That was one of the small conceits he surrounded hion, then he hi disgusted with hiry at thehiht with a boy of ten He could not see the shield that constricted the other man’s access to saidin -- it was feoblet was about the extent of Natael’s ability, now Luckily the shield had been hidden fro"; he did not seeh "And if she’d seen oblet had flown at me by itself!" He stuck his pipe back between his teeth and sent up furious strea back onto the cushions, the othera line of music that had a devious sound "How could anyone suspect? I do not entirely believe the situation myself" If there was even a touch of bitterness in his voice, Rand could not detect it

He was not entirely sure he believed it either, though he had worked hard enough for it The man in front of hi the harp, Asmodean did not look like one of the dreaded Forsaken He was even moderately handsome; Rand supposed he would be attractive to woe that evil had left no outwardto kill him, Rand hid what he was from Moiraine and everyone else He needed a teacher

If as true for the women Aes Sedai called "wilders" also held forthe atte the madness His teacher had to be a h that a bird could not teach a fish to fly, nor a fish a bird to swim And his teacher had to be sos he needed to learn With Aes Sedai gentling men who could channel as soon as they were found -- and feere found every year -- that left small choices A man who had simply discovered he could channel would know no on who could channel -- if Rand could find one not already caught and gentled -- would not be likely to give up his own dreaon Reborn What remained, what Rand had lured to him, was one of the Forsaken

Asmodean plucked rando hied, not inside, froed his soul to the Shadow What he did now, he did under duress; he had not co back, Natael?" He was always careful of the name; one breath of "Asone over to the Shadow Moiraine and ht survive that

The s, his face utterly blank "Turn back? Deht, now If I was lucky Except Lanfear perhaps, and you will understand if don’t want to put her to the test Se for mercy and thank her for death And as for the