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Rand understood no more than tords in three, and it was not the odd accents He wished he had time to listen Corenne The Return That hat the Seanchan in Falme had called their attempt to seize the lands beyond the Aryth Ocean -- the lands where he lived -- that they considered their birthright The rest -- Seeker, Listeners, the Tower of Ravens -- were a mystery But apparently the Return had been called off, for the tiateas narrower Maybe as er width narrower than moments before Only his block held it open; it had tried to close as soon as Aviendha released her weave, and it was still trying to

"Hurry," he told Aviendha, and she gave him a look so patient it could as well have been a stone between his eyes

"I a at the collar Tears trickled down Seri’s cheeks; a continuous low moan came from her throat, as if the Aiel woman intended to slit it "You nearly killed the other two, andinto both of them wildly when you touched the other collar So leavea curse, she tried at the side

Rand thought aboutthe sul’das came off, they would -- but from the set frowns on their faces, he kneould have to force them to it If he could not kill a wolanced at the gray blankness filling the gateway again The flows appeared to be woven into his; he could not slice one without the other Passing through rayness, even if that act did not trip it, would allow the gateway to snap shut before they had a chance to leap through It would have to be a blind juht knehat

Morsa had listened carefully to every word he and Aviendha said, and now she was gazing thoughtfully at the two sul’dam, but Jalindin had never taken her eyes from the noblewoman’s face "Much has been kept secret that should not be held from the Seekers, Lady Morsa," the stern woet yourself, Jalindin," Morsa snapped, her gloved hands jerking; had her arms not been bound to her sides, she would have sawed the reins As it was, she tilted hen head to stare down her nose at the other woman "You were sent to ada Dai and Tuel, not to ask of what the Empress has --"

Jalindin broke in harshly "It is you who forgets herself, Lady Morsa, if you think that you are proof against the Seekers for Truth I hter and a son of the Eratitude for the confessions I wrenched froaze upon her Think you that your her than the Empress’ own children?"

Morsa reht, not that she had ray, and she licked her lips "The Eht illumine her forever, already knows far more than I can tell I did nother head to speak to the soldiers as if Morsa did not exist "The woman Morsa is in the custody of the Seekers for Truth She will be put to the question as soon as we return to Merinloe And the sul’dam and damane, as well It seems they too have hidden what they should not" Horror painted the faces of the named women, but Morsa could have stood for any of theard, she slu not a word of protest She looked as if she wanted to screaaze turned to Rand "She named you Rand al’Thor You will be well treated if you surrender to me, Rand al’Thor However you came here, you cannot think to escape even if you kill us There is a wide search for a ht" Her eyes flickered to Aviendha "It will find you as well, inevitably, and you ht be slain by accident There is sedition in this district I do not kno men like you are treated in your lands, but in Seanchan your sufferings can be eased Here, you can find great honor in the use of your power"

He laughed at her, and she looked offended "I cannot kill you, but I vow I should stripe your hide at least for that" He certainly would not have to worry about being gentled in Seanchan hands In Seanchan, men who could channel were killed Not executed Hunted and shot down on sight

The grayfilled gateas another finger narrower, barely wide enough now for both of theo now"

She released Seri’s collar and gave hiateway, and she hoisted her skirts to stu to herself about frozen water

"Be ready for anything," he told her, putting an arm around her shoulders He told hiether to fit Not because she felt good "I don’t knohat, but be ready" She nodded, and he said, "Ju the weave that had held the Seanchan in order to fill hi in his bedchamber in Eianrod, laainst the wall beside the door with his legs crossed He was not e the Source, but Rand sla with his arone -- he could still see his weaving, and what he knewthere at all Without pause he slashed his weave, and suddenly the gateway appeared, a rapidly narrowing view of Seanchan, the Lady Morsa slureenandwhite tasseled spear lanced through the opening, just before it snapped shut Instinctively, Rand channeled Air to snatch the suddenly wobbling twofoot length of spear The shaft ended as s, he was glad that he had not tried reray barrier -- whatever it had been -- before ju neither of the sul’da the severed spear in his hand, "or we’d have had worse than this co after us" He watched Asmodean fro slightly ill He could not knohether Rand meant to stuff t