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Daerid cli as Mat spun out his plan The bowmen on the slopes, where they could cover the flanks, but lying down, hidden in the brush until the last ht And the pikes to step off as soon as he did,enemy "As soon as we can see the Shaido, we’ll retreat just as fast as we can, alap between these two hills, then turn to face them"

"They will think anted to run, realized we could not, and turned at bay like a bear to the hounds Seeing us less than half their nu only because we must, they should think to roll over us Can we but hold their attention until the horse corinned "It is using the Aiel’s own tactics against them"

"We had better hold their bloody attention" Mat’s tone was as dry as he et "Toloops around our flanks -- I want a cry raised as soon as you stop the retreat ’Protect the Lord Dragon’" This tiht enough, especially if Couladin was leading If Couladin really was leading, if he thought Rand ith the pikes, if the pikes could hold until the horse arrived A lot of ifs Mat could hear those dice rolling in his head again This was the biggest ga it was until nightfall; a ht He wished those dice would get out of his head, or else fall so he knehat they showed Scowling into the rain, he booted Pips on down the hillside

Jeade’en stopped on a crest where a dozen trees ainst the pain in his side The crescent ht, yet even to his saidina ht sed the surrounding hills whole, and he was only inter nearby, and Maidens all around him But then, he could not seerainy, and he thought the gnawing pain in his side ht be all that held hiht was not only distant now, it was slow

Was it twice Sammael had attempted his life today, or three times? More? It seemed that he should be able to remember how often someone had tried to kill him No, not to kill To bait Are you still so jealous of ive you one finger less than your due?

Swaying, Rand scrubbed a hand through his hair There had been soht, but he could not recall what Sammael No He could deal with him when if No matter Later Today Saht even be gone

Vaguely it seemed that there had been no attack after After what? He recalled countering Sa particularly nasty, but he could not pull the memory to the surface Not balefire Mustn’t use that Threatens the fabric of the Pattern Not even for Ilyena? I would burn the world and useagain, away from as important

However long ago the sun had gone down, it had sunk on fighting, lengthening shadows gradually overwhelrant winds still brought distant shouts and screams Because of Couladin, true, but at the heart of it, because of himself

For a moment he could not remember his nah his coat was dae to him "I am Rand al’Thor, and I need to I need to see"

He had not eaten since er away The Void quivered constantly, and he hung on to the True Source by his fingernails It was like riding a bull drivennaked in a river of fire churned to rapids by jagged boulders of ice Yet when he was not on the brink of being gored or battered or drowned, it seeth left in hi to erode or corrode his mind, but ready to be used

With a jerky nod, he channeled, and so blue flaht

Hills mounded up all around, trees black in the stark illuust of wind Cheering perhaps, or singing Or s; it was so tiny, he could well have been, and it died with the wind

Suddenly he became aware of the Maidens around hi at him, but many had their eyes squeezed shut It took hiht vision He frowned, searching Egwene and Aviendha were no longer there Another long moment passed before he re and let blackness reclaiht A deep blackness to his eyes, now

"Where are they?" He was vaguely irritated when he had to say who he uely aware that he had no reason for it

"They went to Moiraine Sedai and the Wise Ones at dusk, Car’a’carn," Sulin replied,closer to Jeade’en Her short white hair shone in the otten? "A good two hours gone They know that flesh is not stone Even the strongest legs can run only so far"

Rand frowned Legs? They had been riding Mist The wo no sense "I have to find them"

"They are with Moiraine Sedai and the Wise Ones, Car’a’carn," she said slowly He thought she was frowning too, but it was hard to be sure

"Not them," he muttered "Have to find my people They’re still out there, Sulin" Why was the stallion not hting I need to help the his heels into the dapple’s ribs But when he did, Jeade’en only shifted sideways, with Sulin holding on to his bridle He did not re the bridle

"The Wise Ones ed, but he was too weary to say how

"Can’t it wait?" He e "I mus