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Nynaeve looked taken aback by the onslaught, but by the end of his second sentence she was lare Whatever her aardness toward Birgitte, it apparently did not hinder her temper where others were concerned "We will be ready as soon as anyone, and you know it, Valan Luca Besides, an hour or till athered on the other side of the river that if one in a hundred comes to your shoill be more than you ever dreamed If we decide to make a leisurely breakfast, you can just twiddle your thuet what you want if you leave us behind"

That was her bluntest reold h people! People must be attracted, woman Chin Akiles swords and axes And nine acrobats Nine! Some woman I’ve never heard of has to rope that would make the Chavanas’ eyes pop You would not believe the crowds Sillia Cerano haseach other ater and hitting each other over the head with bladders, and people are paying an extra silver penny just to watch!" Suddenly his eyes narrowed, focusing on Birgitte "Would you be willing to paint your face? Sillia doesn’t have a wo her fools So It doesn’t hurt, getting hit with an inflated bladder, and I will pay you " He trailed off,with itte spoke into his momentary silence

"I am not a fool, and will not be a fool I a the intricate glossy black braid pulled over her left shoulder "And I suppose you call yourself Birgitte What are you? One of those idiots hunting the Horn of Valere? Even if the thing exists, what chance any one of you will find it more than another? I was in Illian when the Hunters’ oaths were given, and there were thousands in the Great Square of Ta can outshine the applause of --"

"I aitte broke in firmly "Fetch a bow, and I will outshoot you or anyone you naold to your one" Elayne expected Nynaeve to yelp -- it was they ould have to cover the wager if Birgitte lost, and whatever she claiitte could be fully recovered already -- yet all Nynaeve did was close her eyes briefly and draw a deep, long breath

"Worowled Thoreed "You are a fine match for the Lady Morelin and Nana, or whatever their naesture at the surrounding hustle of itte, but I have a show to get under way, andSaitte s of her lips "Are you afraid, pretty ht Luca ht have apoplexy from the color that crept into his face His neck suddenly looked too big for his collar "I will fetch my bow," he almost hissed "You can work off the hundred es for all I care!"

"Are you sure that you are well enough?" Elayne asked Birgitte as he stalked off ht was a repeat of "wo at the woround to open and s her; herself, not Birgitte A nuathered around Thom and Juilin for some reason

"He has nice legs," Birgitte said, "but I have never liked tall men Add a pretty face, and they are always insufferable"

Petra had joined the group of , then shook hands with Tho earnestly with Tho dark looks at Nynaeve and the to bow and a quiver of arrows, no one was es -- even the tethered boarhorses -- stood abandoned, the people all clustered around Thom and the thiefcatcher They followed as Luca led the way a short distance out of the ca a white cross chesthigh to himself on the trunk of a tail oak He had soered as he strode off fifty paces "I will take the first shot, so you can see what you face"

Birgitte plucked the bow from his hand and walked off another fifty as he stared after her She shook her head over the bow, but braced it on her slippered foot and strung it in one smooth itte pulled an arrow from the quiver he held, examined it a moment, then tossed it aside like rubbish Luca frowned and opened hisa second shaft The next three went to the leafcovered ground as well before she stuck one pointdown in the soil beside her Of twentyone, she kept only four

"She can do it," Elayne whispered, trying to sound certain Nynaeve nodded bleakly; if they had to pay out a hundred gold crowns, they would soon be selling the jewelry Ahts were all but useless, as she had explained to Nynaeve; their use would eventually point a finger to where they had been for Elaida, if not where they were If I had just spoken up in time, I could have stopped this As my Warder, she has to do as I say Doesn’t she? From the evidence so far, obedience was no part of the bond Had those Aes Sedai she had spied on ht of it, she believed one of theitte nocked an arrow, raised the bow, and loosed see to aim Elayne winced, but the steel point struck dead center in the , the second brushed in beside it Birgitte did wait a asp rose from the onlookers as the third shaft split the first, but that was nothing to the absolute silence as the last split the other just as neatly Once could have been chance Twice

Luca looked as if his eyes were co open, he stared at the tree, then at Birgitte, at the tree then Birgitte She proffered the bow, and