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"They would sleep like the dead, girl, and this e can let theh to e need them to I will dose them more properly when it’s time to send them off They’ll have headaches and stomach cramps to pay for it, but no more than they deserve, I suppose"

"But what if they can channel, Mistress? What if they do? They’re looking at irl," the older woman said briskly "If they could, don’t you think they would have by now? They are helpless as kittens in a sack And they will stay that way as long you keep a good dose in theo tell old Avi to send off one of his pigeons, and ements, but I will be back as soon as I can You had better brew another pot of forkroot just in case I’ll go out the back Close up the shop Soht wander in, and that would never do"

After Mistress Macura left, Luci stood staring at the her hands, then finally scurried out herself Her sniffling faded down the stairs

Elayne could see sweat beading on Nynaeve’s brow; she hoped it was effort, not the heat Try, Nynaeve She herself reached for the True Source, fuh the wads of wool that seeain Oh, Light, try Nynaeve! Try!

The hourglass filled her eyes; she could not look at anything else Sand pouring down, each grain rain dropped And Luci did not come

Elayne strained harder, for the Source, to ers of her left hand twitched Yes! A few minutes more, and she could lift her hand; only a feeble inch before it fell again, but it had lifted With an effort, she could turn her head

"Fight it," Nynaevethe coverlet under her tightly; she see to sit up Not even her head lifted, but she was trying

"I arunt to her ears

Slowly she ed to raise her hand to where she could see it, and hold it there A thrill of triuh her Stay afraid of us, Luci Stay down there in the kitchen a little while longer, and

The door banged open, and sobs of frustration racked her as Luci dashed in She had been so close The girl took one look at thehchest

Elayne tried to fight her, but thin as she was, Luci batted her floundering hands away effortlessly, forced the funnel between her teeth just as easily The girl panted as if running Cold, bitter tea filled Elayne’s irl in a panic that Luci’s face shared But Luci held Elayne’s rim if fearful determination until she sed As darkness overwhel froone, and the sands trickled through the glass again Nynaeve’s dark eyes were bulging, whether in fear or anger, Elayne could not have said No, Nynaeve would not give in That was one of the things she admired in the other wo block and she would not give up Our heads are on the block!

It made her ashamed that she was so much weaker than Nynaeve She was supposed to be Queen of Andor one day, and she wanted to hoith terror She did not, even in her head -- doggedly she went back to trying to force her li to touch saidar -- but she wanted to How could she ever be a queen, when she was so weak? Again she reached for the Source Again Again Racing the grains of sand Again

Once lass emptied itself without Luci Ever so slowly, she reached the point where she could raise her hand again And then her head! Even if it did flop back i to herself, and she could actually understand most of the words

The door crashed open once ly -- and gaped Thom Merrilin stood there like the hero of one of his own tales, one hand fir, the other holding a knife ready to throw Elayne laughed delightedly, though it cairl into a corner "You stay there, or I’ll strop this blade on your hide!" In two steps he was at Elayne’s side, s his leathery face "What did you give theirl? Tell me, or --!"

"Not her," Nynaeve muttered "Other one Went away Help me up Have to walk"

Thoht He showed Luci his knife again threateningly -- she cowered as if she never ain -- thenNynaeve to her feet, he began walking her up and down the few paces the roolad to hear this frightened little cat didn’t trap you," he said "If she had been the one" He shook his head No doubt he would think just as little of them if Nynaeve told him the truth; Elayne certainly did not intend to "I found her rushing up the stairs, so panicked she did not even hear ot aithout Juilin seeing her Is she likely to bring others back?"

Elayne rolled over onto her side "I do not think so, Thom," she mumbled "She can’t let -- too ht be able to sit up She was looking right at Luci; the girl flinched and tried to shrink through the wall "The Whitecloaks -- would take her as -- quickly as they would us"

"Juilin?" Nynaeve said Her head wavered as she glared up at the gleeh "I told the pair of you to stay with the wagon"

Thom blew out his mustaches irritably "You told us to put up the supplies, which did not take two men Juilin followed you, and when none of you caain "For all he knew, there were a dozen men in here, but he was ready to coood thing I decided to ride in I think we’ll need the horse to get you two out of here"

Elayne found that she could sit up, barely, pulling herself hand over hand along the coverlet, but an effort to stand nearly put her flat again Saidar was as unobtainable as ever; her head still felt like a goosedown pillow Nynaeve was beginning to hold herself a little straighter, to lift her feet, b