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"The lettersofrights will be useful," Carlinya said With all that White Ajah coolness and logic, testiness still showed in the way she clipped her words "Gareth Bryne alants old than we have, but with those, we may almost be able to satisfy him"

"Yes," Sheriam said "And we must take most of the coin, too There are more mouths to feed and more backs to clothe every day, here and elsewhere"

Elayne gave a gracious nod, just as if they would not take the money whatever she said, but Nynaeve sireal were only a part

"For the rest," Sheriareed that you left the Tower by command, however erroneous it was, and you cannot be held to account for it Now that you are safely back with us, you will resume your studies"

Nynaeve only breathed out slowly It was no an Not that she liked it, but for once no one was going to be able to accuse her of having a teood

Elayne, though, burst out with a sharp, "But --!" Just that, before Sheriam cut in just as sharply

"You will resu, but you are not Aes Sedai yet" Those green eyes held theain, her voice milder Milder, but still firm "You are returned to us, and if Salidar is not the White Tower, you may still consider it so From what you have told us in the last hour, there is considerably ht, but Sheriam’s eyes slid back to the a’da the Seanchan woman with you That, you really should have done" For sory at the same time For herself, Nynaeve was only relieved it was the Seanchan the woman meant "But Accepted cannot be called to account for not thinking as Aes Sedai," Sheriam went on "Siuan and Leane will have many questions for you You will cooperate with them, and answer to the best of your abilities I trust I do not have to ree of their present condition Soht to lay blame for events, and even take punishments into their own hands" Thatwomen are now extremely sorry for themselves Need I say more?"

Nynaeve was no more hasty than Elayne to let her know she did not, which was to say they both alet it out Nynaeve had not thought of assigning bla, Aes Sedai were all to bla that fact drove the truth hoone

"Good Now you ave you, and the arrohen there is tiift like that -- and go One of the other Accepted will find you places to sleep Proper dresses may be harder to come by, but they will be found I expect you to put your adventures behind you, and fit sh unspoken was the promise that if they did not fit back in save a satisfied nod when she saw they understood

Beonin had not said a word since the shield of saidar was lowered, but as Nynaeve and Elayne made their curtsies, the Gray sister rose and strode to the table where their things were laid out "And what of this?" she de aside the white cloth that covered the seal on the Dark One’s prison For a change, her large bluegray eyes looked ry than startled "Are there to, be no nore it?" The blackandwhite disc lay there, next to the washleather purse, in a dozen or ether as neatly as they could be

"It hole e put it in the purse" Nynaeve paused to work moisture back into hercloth before, they could not leave the seal now Leane had smirked when she saw the red dress unwrapped froo, and said No, she would not run away froht to take special care? It’s cuendillar!"

"We didn’t look at it," Elayne said breathlessly, "or touch it er did Carlinya hadto knohat evil feeling they were talking about

They had said the sas before, more than once, and no one paid them any heed now

Sheriam rose and went to stand beside the honeyhaired Gray "We are ignoring nothing, Beonin Asking these girls ood They have told us what they know"

"More questions are always good," Morvrin said, but she had stopped fiddling with the ter’angreal to stare at the broken seal as hard as anyone else It ht be cuendillar -- she and Beonin had each tested it and said it was -- yet she had broken one fragment with her hands

"How many of the seven still hold?" Myrelle asked softly, as if speaking to herself "How long until the Dark One breaks free, and the Last Battle co to her talents and inclinations, yet each Ajah had its own reason for being Greens -- who called themselves the Battle Ajah -- held themselves ready to face new Dreadlords in the Last Battle There was alerness in Myrelle’s voice

"Three," Anaiya said unsteadily "Three still hold If we know everything Let us pray that we do Let us pray three are enough"

"Let us pray those three are stronger than this one," Morvrin muttered "Cuendillar cannot be broken so, not and be cuendillar It cannot"

"We will discuss this in due course," Sheria about" Taking the cloth from Beonin, she covered the broken seal once--" She stopped short as she turned and saw Elayne and Nynaeve "Were you not told to go?" For all her outward cal their presence

Nynaeve was more than ready to drop another curtsy, blurt a hurried "By your leave, Aes Sedai," and scurry for the door Withouta muscle, the Aes Sedai -- and Siuan and Leane -- watched her and Elayne go Nynaeve felt their eyes like a shove Elayne stepped not a whit more slowly, for all she cast anot