Page 141 (1/1)

Edorion dis the others together by their reins, along with Estean’s No doubt he was saving his own for the final sprint through the Shaido Merisin and Daricain did the sah it meant that the Cairhienin had only two spare mounts apiece, no one seemed to think they should have any of the Tairen horses They clattered off together ard at a trot, with a Jindo escort

Carefully not looking at anyone, Estean started to drift toward the soldiers standing uneasily in a circle of Aiel at the foot of the bridge Mangin caught his redstriped sleeve "You can tell us conditions inside Cairhien, wetlander" The lumpyfaced man looked ready to faint

"I am certain he will answer any questions you ask," Rand said sharply, e the final word

"They will only be asked," Rhuarc said, taking the Tairen’s other ar thethe city’s defenders is well and good, Rand al’Thor," Rhuarc went on, "but we should send scouts Running, they can reach Cairhien as soon as thoseback ord of how Couladin has disposed the Shaido"

Rand could feel the Maiden’s eyes on higested

"Sha’in turned Estean -- they were holding him up -- and started toward the other soldiers

"Ask!" Rand called after thee man" He had no idea whether Estean was that last or not -- it was another thing to ask Moiraine; or even how h Lord Torean, had plotted against Rand enough -- but he would allow nothing close to Couladin’s ways

Rhuarc turned his head and nodded

"You tend your people well, Rand al’Thor" Sulin’s voice was flat as a planed plank

"I try," he told her He was not about to rise to the bait Whoever went to scout the Shaido, some would not return, and that was that "I think I will have soet soht, and sunrise still ca the shadoarily as if they expected attack, handtalk flickering a them But then, Aiel always seemed to expect attack

Chapter 31

(Spears and Shield)

The Far Snows

The streets of Eianrod ran straight and h hills that were otherwise neatly terraced with stone The slateroofed stone buildings had an angular look, as if they were all vertical lines Eianrod had not fallen to Couladin; no people had been there when the Shaido swept through A good many of the houses were only charred bea s with balconies that Moiraine said had belonged to merchants Broken furniture and clothes littered the streets, along with shattered dishes and shards of glass fro had come at different ti of blackened tiered where -- but Lan had been able to chart the flow of battles by which the town had been taken and retaken By different Houses contending for the Sun Throne, h from the look of the streets, the last to hold Eianrod had been brigands A good iance to no one, and to nothing except gold

It was to one of the est of the town’s two squares, three square stories of gray ular stone siderails overlooking a silent fountain with a dusty round basin A chance to sleep in a bed again had been too good to pass up, and he had hopes that Aviendha would choose to remain in a tent; whether his or with the Wise Ones, he did not care, so long as he did not have to try going to sleep while listening to her breathe a few paces away Recently he had begun i he could hear her heart beat even when he had not taken hold of saidin But if she did not stay away, he had taken precautions

The Maidens stopped at the steps, so to take positions on all sides He had feared that they would try declaring this a Roof of the Maidens, even for the one night, and so as soon as he had chosen the building, one of the few in toith a sound roof and most of the s unbroken, he had told Sulin that he was declaring it the Roof of the Winespring Brothers No one could enter who had not drunk fro, in Eiven him, she knew very hat he was up to, but none of them followed him beyond the wide doors that seee rooai’shain had spread a few blankets for the worked in a pattern of severe squares Keeping gai’shain out was beyond hi Moiraine out if she was not asleep elsewhere Whatever orders he gave about not being disturbed, she always found a way to make the Maidens let her by, and it always took a direct coai’shain rose smoothly, men and women, before he had the door closed They would not sleep until he did, and so awake in case he wanted so the to custo a bale of wool; whatever ione as soon as your toes were He waved theai’shain had salvaged a few bits of furniture, including a bed and two featherand--

He froze as soon as he opened the door to his bedchamber Aviendha had not chosen to remain with the tents She stood before the washstand, with its mismatched, cracked bowl and pitcher, a cloth in one hand and a bar of yellow soap in the other She had no clothes on She see

"I" She stopped to s, big green eyes locked on his face "I could not ht I would try your way of

She was hard listened das were so long "I thought you would ree I" Her voice rose in pitch; her eyes widened in panic "I did not arrange for you to see et away from you As far awa