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"Hunting accident!" Uno interjected, sneering A haho happened to be looking at him dropped his tray of pins and needles "Not unless he didn’t know one bloody end of a fla southlanders and their flaan took up "She had the ar the crowds, until finally there was a pitched battle and it was the army that was chased off"

"Bloody poor excuse for soldiers," Uno uage again

Ragan nodded agree "They say Ellizelle took poison after that, but however she died, she was replaced by Teresia, who lasted a full ten days after her coronation, just until she had a chance to send two thousand soldiers against ten thousand folk who had gathered to hear Masema outside Jehannah After her soldiers were routed, she abdicated to marry a rich merchant" Nynaeve stared at him incredulously, and Uno snorted "That is what they say," the youngera co up any claim to the throne forever, and whatever Beron Goraed feels about having a pretty young ith royal blood, I hear he was dragged from his bed by a score of Alliandre’s retainers and hauled to Jheda Palace for a wedding in the s Teresia went off to live on her husband’s new country estate while Alliandre was being crowned, all before sunrise, and the new queen summoned Maseain Inside teeks she was calling on him I do not knohether she really believes what he preaches, but I know she took the throne of a land on the edge of civil ith Whitecloaks ready to move in, and she stopped it the only way she could That is a wise queen, and a man could be proud to serve her, even if she is a southlander"

Nynaeve opened herto say when Uno said, in a casual tone, "There’s a fla us Don’t look around, woman You have more bloody sense than that"

Her neck stiffened with the effort of keeping her eyes forward; prickles crawled up her back "Take the next turn, Uno"

"That carries us away fro lose him in the crowds"

"Take it!" She inhaled slowly, lowered so fiercely that people stepped out of their way for ten paces ahead, but they turned down the next narrow street She shifted her head a trifle as they e of her eye before the corner of a small stone tavern cut off her view The snowy cloak with the flaring sun stood out a that beautiful face, the face she had been sure she would see No other Whitecloak than Galad could have a reason to follow her, and none to follow Uno or Ragan

Chapter 40

(Sunburst)

The Wheel Weaves

As soon as the building hid Galad, Nynaeve’s eyes darted down the street ahead Fury bubbled up, at herself as much as Galadedrid Damodred You witless woolhead! It was a narroay like all the rest, paved with rounded stones, lined with gray shops and houses and taverns, populated with a scattered afternoon crowd If you hadn’t come into town, he’d never have found you! Too scattered to hide anyone You had to go see the Prophet! You had to go believing the Prophet would whisk you away before Moghedien gets here! When are you going to learn you can’t depend on anyone but yourself? In an instant she made her choice When Galad turned that corner and did not see the into shops, andher skirts, she darted into the nearest alley and pressed her back against the wall No one glanced at her twice, furtive as she was, and what that had to say about the way things were in Saan were beside her before she finished setting her feet, crowding her farther down the dusty dirt alleyway, past an old splintered bucket and a rain barrel dried to the point of collapse inside its hoops At least they were doing what she wanted In aabove their shoulders, they were ready to protect her whether she desired it or not Let them, you fool! Do you think you can protect yourself?

She was certainly angry enough Galad, of all people! She should never have left theShe could no ainst Masehedien or Black sisters were in Samara h to screw her anger tight; she could have chewed a hole in the stone wall behind her She knehy Aes Sedai had Warders -- all but Reds, anyway In her head, she did In her heart, it justhis way slowly through the folk out in the street, eyes searching By all reason, be should have gone on by -- he should have -- yet alaze settled on the alleyway On therace to appear pleased or surprised

Uno and Ragan ether as Galad turned toward the alley The oneeyed an was scarcely slower for all he paused to push her deeper into the narrow passage They positioned themselves one behind the other; should Galad an to face

Nynaeve ground her teeth She could make all these swords unnecessary, useless; she could sense the True Source, like a light unseen over her shoulder, waiting for her embrace She could do it If she dared

Galad stopped at the alleynonchalantly on his sword hilt, a picture of springsteel grace Except for his burnished mail, he could have been at a ball

"I do not want to kill either of you, Shienaran," he said calmly to Uno Nynaeve had heard Elayne and Gawyn speak of Galad’s sword skill, but for the first tiood as they said At least, he thought he was Two seasoned soldiers with blades bare, and he eyed the a fight yet utterly confident he could take both Never quite looking away froht have run into a shop or an inn, but you never do what is expected Will you let me speak with you? There is no need to , but even with three li in the swords Ruht on wings that mad