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"You tell an interesting story" Carlinya obviously believed little of it The White sister turned Birgitte’s silver arrow over in long slender hands "And you acquired soave us ifts, Aes Sedai," Elayne said "She seemed to think we saved her throne" Even delivered in a perfectly level voice, that speech was a walk on thin ice Nynaeve was not the only one irritated by their fall frohtened

"You co things" Her slightly tilted eyes wandered to the table, to the silvery a’da what it hat it was for, most of the Aes Sedai had treated it like a live red adder Most had

"If the thing does what these children claim," Morvrin said absently, "we need to study it And if Elayne really believes she can real" The Brown sister shook her head Her real attention was on the flattened stone ring, all flecked and striped in red and blue and brown, that she held in one hand The other two ter’angreal lay on her broad lap "You say that this came from Verin Sedai? How is it this was never mentioned to us before?" That was not directed at Nynaeve or Elayne, but at Siuan

Siuan frowned, but not the fierce frown Nynaeve remembered It held a touch of diffidence, as if she knew she was speaking to her superiors, and so did her voice That was another change Nynaeve could hardly believe "Verin never told me of it I would very much like to ask her a few questions"

"And I have questions about this" Myrelle’s olive face darkened as she unfolded a familiar paper -- why had they ever kept that? -- and read aloud "What the bearer does is done at my order and by my authority Obey, and keep silent, at my command Siuan Sanche, Watcher of the Seals, Flame of Tar Valon, The Amyrlin Seat" She cru to be handed out to Accepted"

"At the time, I did not knoho I could trust," Siuan said smoothly The six Aes Sedai stared at her "It ithin my authority then" The six Aes Sedai did not blink Her voice took on a thread of exasperated pleading "You cannot callwhat I had to do when I had a perfect right to do it When the boat’s sinking, you plug the hole hat you can find"

"And why did you not tell us?" Sheriam asked quietly, but with a hint of steel As Mistress of Novices she had never raised her voice, though sometimes you wished she would "Three Accepted -- Accepted! -- sent out of the Tower chasing thirteen full sisters of the Black Ajah Do you use babies to plug the hole in your boat, Siuan?"

"We are hardly babies," Nynaeve told her heatedly "Several of those thirteen are dead, and arted their plans twice In Tear, we --"

Carlinya cut her off like an icy knife "You have told us all about Tear, child And Tanchico And defeating Moghedien" Her mouth twisted wryly She had already said that Nynaeve had been a fool to come within a mile of one of the Forsaken, that she was lucky to have escaped with her life That Carlinya did not kno right she was -- they certainly had not told everything -- only hter "You are children, and lucky if we decide not to spank you Now hold your peace until you are called on to speak" Nynaeve flushed heavily, hoping they took it for embarrassment, and held her peace

Sheriam had never taken her eyes fro three children out to hunt lions?"

Siuan drew a deep breath, but folded her hands and ducked her head penitently "There seemed no point, Aes Sedai, with soback, when there was the faintest reason for telling Every scrap I knew of the Black Ajah, I told I’ve not knohere these tere or what they were up to for so is that they are here now, and with those three ter’angreal You must realize what it means to have access to Elaida’s study, to her papers, if only in bits You’d never have known that she knohere you are until it was too late, except for that"

"We realize that," Anaiya said, eyeing Morvrin, as still frowning at the ring "It is just that perhaps the means of it takes us a little by surprise"

"Tel’aran’rhiod," Myrelle breathed "Why, it has become no more than a end And Aiel Dreained that Aiel Wise Ones could channel, much less this?"

Nynaeve wished they had been able to keep that secret -- like Birgitte’s true identity and a few other things they had s fro questioned by women who could bore holes in stone with a look when they wanted Well, she supposed she should be glad they hadon to what they had Once Tel’aran’rhiod had been mentioned, and that they had entered it, aquestions

Leane took a halfstep forward, not looking at Siuan "The ireal you can talk to Egwene, and through her to Moiraine Between them, you can not only keep an eye on Rand al’Thor, you should be able to influence him even in Cairhien"

"Where he went from the Aiel Waste," Siuan said, "where I predicted he would be" If her eyes and words were directed at the Aes Sedai, her astringent tone was plainly ood that did Two Aes Sedai sent off to the Waste chasing ducks"

Oh, yes, there was very definitely a chill there

"Enough, children," Anaiya said, very much as if they really were children and she a mother used to their petty squabbles She eyed the other Aes Sedaito be able to talk with Egwene"

"If these work as claiering the other ter’angreal on her lap The woman would not believe the sky was blue without proof

Sheriam nodded "Yes That will be your first duty, Elayne, Nynaeve You will have a chance to teach Aes Sedai, showing us how to use the her teeth; they could take it for a set near the ring, or the others, again after Elayne’s curtsy was even stiffer, her face a cool mask Her eyes rolled toward that fool a