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Re what had happened before, Rand darted to one side as he channeled, the shaft of liquid white fire streaking by the door as it destroyed the Shadon He had tried to make it less this time, to confine the destruction to the Darkhounds, but the thick wall at the far end of the chah, he thought -- it was hard to tell by ht -- but he would have to fine his control of this weapon

The bronze sheathing on the door was tattered and torn as though the teeth and toenails of the Darkhounds really had been steel; lah a number of small holes There were pawprints in the floorstones, but surprisingly few Releasing saidin, he found a place where he would not cut his hand to shreds and pounded on the door Suddenly the pain in his side was very real and present; he took a deep breath and tried to thrust it away "Mat? It’s me, Rand! Open up, Mat!"

After aout a spill of lah doubtfully, then pulled the door wider, leaning against it as if he had run tena sack of rocks Except for a silver foxheadaround his neck, its eye shaped and shaded like the ancient Aes Sedai symbol, he was naked The way Mat felt about Aes Sedai, Rand was surprised he had not sold the thing long since Deeper in the roo a blanket around herself A Maiden, by the spears and buckler lying at her feet

Rand hastily averted his eyes and cleared his throat "I just wanted to ht"

"We’re fine" Uneasily, Mat looked around the antecha? I don’t want to knohat it was, as long as it’s gone It’s bloody hard on ayour friend"

Not only a friend Another ta’veren, and perhaps a key to victory in Tarmon Gai’don; anyone anted to strike at Rand had reason to strike at Mat, as well But Mat always tried to deny both things "They’re gone, Mat Darkhounds Three of theroaned "Darkhounds now I can’t say it isn’t always soet bored; not until the day he died If I hadn’t been on my feet for a drink of hen the door started to open" He trailed off, shivering, and scratched a red place on his right ar "You know, it’s funny how theI had into holding this door shut, I could have sworn one of theh it I could see its bloody head And its teeth Melindhra’s spear didn’t even faze it"

Moiraine’s arrival wasin, skirts held up, panting and fu Lan was at her heels with his sword in hand and thunderclouds on his stone face, and right behind, a throng of Far Dareis Mai that spilled out into the street Some of the Maidens wore no more than smallclothes, but every one held her spears alertly and had her shoufa wrapped around her head, black veil hiding all but her eyes, ready to kill Moiraine and Lan, at least, looked relieved to see hih The Aes Sedai also looked as if shewords with him With the veils, it was i out a loud yelp, Mat darted back into his roo on a pair of breeches, his capering i to haul at the breeches and scratch his aroldenhaired Maiden watched with a broad grin that threatened to break into laughter

"What’s the matter with your arm?" Rand asked

"I told you theto scratch and pull at the sah the door, I thought it slobbered all over my arm, too, and now it bloody itches like fire Even looks like a burn there"

Rand opened hisat her, Mat fell dohile frantically dragging his breeches on the rest of the way, but she knelt beside hi his head in her hands Rand had been Healed before, and seen it done, but instead of what he expected, Mat only gave a shiver and lifted up the ainst his hand

"Bloody thing is colder than ice all of a sudden," he , Moiraine? If you want to do soht arun to look puffy

Moiraine stared at him with the most startled expression Rand had ever seen on her face Maybe the only one "I will," she said slowly "If the medallion is cold, take it off"

Mat frowned at her, then finally pulled it over his head and laid it beside hiave a shout as if he had been ducked headfirst into ice; his legs stiffened and his back arched; his eyes stared at nothing, as wide as they would go When Moiraine took her hands away, he sluone It took three tries before he could speak "Blood and -- Does it have to be that fla tiue withup, "or I will find Nynaeve and put her in charge of you" But her heart was not in it; she could have been talking in her sleep She was trying not to stare at the foxhead as Mat hung it back around his neck "You will need rest," she said absently "Stay in bed tomorrow, if you feel like it"

The Maiden in the blanket -- Melindhra? -- knelt behind Mat and put her hands on his shoulders, looking up at Moiraine over his head "I will see that he does as you say, Aes Sedai" With a sudden grin, she ruffled his hair "He is my little mischief maker, now" Fro his strength to run

Rand became aware of soft, amused chuckles behind him The Maidens, shoufas and veils around their shoulders now, had crowded around and were peering into the roo, spearsister," Adelin said, and the other Maidens croith laughter

Rand rounded on them firmly "Let the man rest Don’t soave way reluctantly, still trying to peer into the room, until Moiraine came out

"Will you leave us, please?" the Aes Sedai said as the ed shut behind her She half looked back with a vexed tightening of her , the Aiel wo about whether Melindhra -- a Shaido, it seemed; Rand wondered if Mat knew that -- would teach Mat to