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The storm clouds were massed only over the city and the hills to the south, but that did not stop lightning fro out of the clear, cloudless sky above the tower, flashing down into the gathered Maidens beloith a deafening crack

Hair lifting with the tingle in the air, Rand stared He could feel that bolt in another way, feel the weaving of saidin that had made it So Asmodean was teht, though Like rapid beats on a giant druh the Maidens until the last struck the base of the tower in an explosion of splinters the size of aran to slant over, Rand threw hied to scoop theht on as now the upslope side of the platfor open, but there was notower toppled, crashing through the branches of the trees For an instant he believed theyto broke off The ground came up and knocked all the breath out of him a heartbeat before the woained consciousness slowly Hearing returned first

" have dug us up like a boulder and sent us rolling downhill in the night" It was Aviendha’s voice, low, as if she spoke for her own ears There was so on his face "You have taken ae are, ere Youto be We need you" Theslowed, touched more softly "I need you Not for myself, you will understand For Elayne What is between her and me now is between her and me, but I will hand you to her I will If you die, I will carry your corpse to her! If you die--!"

His eyes popped open, and for a moment they stared at each other almost nose to nose Her hair was all in disarray, her head scarf gone, and a purple lu a da at his forehead with considerably ," he told her, though in truth he was not sure of that at all The Void and saidin were gone, of course Just thinking of losing them as he had made him shiver; it was pure luck that saidin had not scoured histhe Source again roan Without the Void for buffer, he felt every ache, every bruise and scrape, to the fullest He was so tired he could have dropped off to sleep at once if he had not hurt so much As well he did hurt, then, because he surely could not sleep Not for a long time, yet

Sliding a hand beneath his coat, he touched his side, then surreptitiously wiped the blood off his fingers onto his shirt before bringing the hand out again No wonder that a fall like that had broken open the halfhealed, neverhealed wound He did not seewene, or even Aviendha, hehauled off to Moiraine for Healing He had tooelse would act on hiel to the temple -- and besides, there must be far worse hurt than what he suffered for her to deal with

Griot to his feet with only a little help froot about his injuries

Sulin sat on the ground nearby, with Egwene bandaging a bloody split in her scalp andfiercely at herself because she did not kno to Heal, but the whitehaired Maiden was not the only casualty, and not the worst by far Everywhere cadin’sorclad wo those who hadburns Except for Egwene’s gru, the hilltop lay in near silence, even the injured wo tower, all but unrecognizable now, had not spared the Maidens in its fall, breaking arashes He watched as a blanket was laid over the face of a Maiden with redgold hair almost the shade of Elayne’s, head twisted at an unnatural angle and glazed eyes staring Jolien One of those who first crossed the Dragonwall to search for He Who Coone to the Stone of Tear for him And now she was dead For hi the Maidens froht bitterly Very well indeed

He could still feel the lightning, or rather the residue of its e burned into his eyes earlier, he could trace the weave, though it was fading To his surprise, it led west, not back toward the tents Not Asmodean, then

"Sammael" He was sure of it Saai, Sammael was behind the pirates and the raids in Tear, and Sammael had done this His lips peeled back in a snarl, and his voice was a harsh whisper "Sammael!" He did not realize he had taken a step until Aviendha seized his arwene had the other, the pair of the to him as if they meant to root hiiving a start at his glare but not letting go She had redone the brown scarf around her head, but coers had not put her hair back in order, and dust still covered her blouse and skirt "Whoever did this, why do you think he waited so long, until youyou, and you went after him, you would be easy meat You can barely stand on your own!"

Aviendha was no readier to let go,his stare with a flat one of her own "You are needed here, Rand al’Thor Here, Car’a’carn Does your honor lie with killing this ht to this land?"

A young Aielh the Maidens, shoufa around his shoulders, spears and buckler swinging easily If he thought it odd to find toave no hint of it He eyed the shattered reht curiosity, as though wondering how it ht be Grounding his spearpoints in front of Rand, he said, "I am Seirin, of the Shorara sept of the Tomanelle"

"I see you, Seirin," Rand replied just as for hiht run

"Han of the Tomanelle sends word to the Car’a’carn The clans to the east aretoward each other All four Han means to join with Dhearic, and he has sent to