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"We await orders from the Tower, Great Mistress," Liandrin said Inept! They had al for in Tanchico, when the city exploded in riots; they had barely escaped destruction at the hands of Aes Sedai who had sohedien revealed herself, or even taken part on their behalf, they would have triuhedien’s herself Liandrin reached toward the True Source, not to embrace it, but to be certain that the shield had not reat responsibilities, great works to perforhedien cut her off sharply "You serve whichever of the Chosen chooses to snap you up Whoever sends you orders from the White Tower, she takes her own frorovels on her belly when she does You will serve hedien did not knoho headed the Black Ajah It was a revelation Moghedien did not know everything Liandrin had always i far beyond ordinary ht from the other Forsaken To hand her over to theht even become one of them She had a trick, learned in childhood And she could touch the Source "Great Mistress, we serve the Great Lord, as you do We also were promised eternal life, and pohen the Great Lord re--"

"Do you think that you are ust "Did you stand in the Pit of Doom to dedicate your soul to the Great Lord? Did you taste the sweetness of victory at Paaran Disen, or the bitter ashes at the Asar Don? You are a barely trained puppy, not the packive you a better place These others thought themselves ainst me?"

"Of course not, Great Mistress" Not when she was forewarned and ready "I --"

"You will do so sooner or later, and I prefer to put it out of the way now, in the beginning Why do you think your coht each of them the same lesson already today I will not wonder when you ht, too I will be done with it now Try"

Licking her lips fearfully, Liandrin looked around at the woainst the walls Only Asne Zerahtly Asne’s tilted eyes, high cheekbones and strong nose marked her Saldaean, and she had all the vaunted Saldaean boldness If she counseled against, if her dark eyes held a tinge of fear, then it was surely best to grovel however hedien relent And yet, there was her trick

She went to her knees, head low, looking up at the Forsaken with a fear that was only partly feigned Moghedien lounged in her chair, sipping the tea "Great Mistress, I beg you to forgive me if I have presu, as one ould be your faithful hound, for your hedien’s eyes dropped to her cup, and in a flash, while the words still tumbled from herthe crack that must be in the Forsaken’s confidence, the crack that was in everyone’s façade of strength

Even as she lashed out, the light of saidar surrounded the other woman, and pain enveloped Liandrin She cru she had ever known silenced her gapingto burst fro to peel away in strips For an eternity she thrashed, and when it vanished as suddenly as it had begun, all she could do was lie there, shuddering and weeping openmouthed

"Do you begin to see?" Moghedien said calood But next tiht faint "You are not quick enough, Liandrin, you are not strong enough, and you do not know enough That pitiful little thing you tried against me Would you like to see what it is really like?" She channeled

Liandrin gazed up at her adoringly Crawling across the floor, she pushed words through the sobs she still could not stop "Forgive nificent wos and queens in wonder "Forgive, please," she begged, pressing kisses against the heive I a, a worm" It shas before They were true Before this woman, they were all true "Let me serve you, Great Mistress Allow hedien said, pushing her away roughly with one velvetslippered foot

Suddenly the sense of worship was gone Lying there in a heap, weeping, Liandrin could reh She stared at the Forsaken in horror

"Are you convinced yet, Liandrin?"

"Yes, Great Mistress," she ed She was Convinced that she dared not even think of trying again until she was certain of success Her trick was only the palest shadohat Moghedien had done Could she but learn that

"We shall see I think you may be one of those who needs a second lesson Pray it is not so, Liandrin; I ly sharp Now take your place with the others You will find that I have taken some of the objects of power that you had in your room, but you may keep the trinkets that remain Areed around hiccoughs and occasional sobs that she could not stifle

Liered to her feet and went to stand beside Asne; the wall panel against her back helped to hold her upright She saw the flows of Air being woven; only Air, but she still flinched as they bound her mouth shut and stopped sound from her ears She certainly did not try to resist She did not even let herself think of saidar Who knehat one of the Forsaken could do? Perhaps read her thoughts That alhts, she would be dead by now Or still screa to serve Liandrin shivered uncontrollably; if that weave had not bound her hedien wove the same around all of them save Rianna, whoer to kneel before her Then Rianna left, and Marillin Gemalphin