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Siuan sniffed "Suit yourself, then, girl The ring It doesn’t require channeling?"

"No You heard me tell Sheriam --"

"Anyone can use it? A woman who can’t channel? A real that did not need the Power usually worked forto teach ht be a lever to get what she wanted If not, she had another Maybe "Do they know about this? All the talk was of showing them hoorks You were never mentioned"

"They don’t know" Siuan did not appear shaken at all She even smiled, and not pleasantly "And they won’t Else they’ll learn you and Elayne have been posing as full sisters since you left Tar Valon Moiraine et aith it -- if she hasn’t tried it, too, I don’t know a bar knot fro hitch -- but Sheria grunter before they’re done Long before"

"That’s ridiculous" Nynaeve realized she was sitting on the edge of the bed She did not reues No one else knew She had to talk to Elayne "We haven’t pretended anything of the sort"

"Don’t lie to ave it Your sto somersaults, isn’t it?"

It , it’s because I want to" She was not going to let this woe of pity winked out "If I do, I want so in return To study you and Leane I want to know if stilling can be Healed"

"It can’t," Siuan said flatly "Now --"

"Anything short of death should be"

"’Should be’ isn’t ’is,’ girl Leane and I were promised ould be left alone Speak to Faolain or Emara if you want to knohat happens to anyone who molests us They weren’t the first or the worst, but they cried the longest"

Her other lever Near panic had driven it right out of her head If it existed One glance "What would Sheriam say if she knew you and Leane weren’t ready to tear out each other’s hair at all?" Siuan just looked at her "They think you’re tamed, don’t they? The more you snap at anybody who can’t snap back, the more they take it for proof when you leap to obey every ti all it took to et the two of you had worked handinhand for years? Or did you convince the about you, not just your face? When they find out you’ve been sche therunter Whatever that is" Not soto loose her temper and let any ad in that brief look; Nynaeve was sure of it "I want to study you -- and Leane -- whenever I want And Logain" Perhaps she could learn so there as well Men were different; it would be like looking at the problele Not that she would Heal hi was necessary She was not about to loose another man on the world who could wield the Power "If not, then you can forget about the ring, and Tel’aran’rhiod" What was Siuan after there? Probably just to revisit so Aes Sedai Nynaeve stamped firmly on momentarily rekindled pity "And if youto be Aes Sedai, then I’ll have no choice but to tell about you and Leane Elayne and I ht be uncomfortable until the truth co as Faolain and Eether"

Silence stretched How did the other woht it had to do with being Aes Sedai Her lips felt dry, the only part of her that did If she rong, if Siuan illing to put it to the test, she kneould be weeping

Finally, Siuan wene’s backbone more supple than this" Nynaeve did not understand, but she hardly had time to consider it The next instant, the other wo forward, hand outstretched "You keep , and you can study stilling and gentling to your heart’s content"

Nynaeve barely h as she clasped the offered hand She had done it For the first time in what seemed forever, someone had tried to bully her and failed She alht up with Min just outside the back door of the inn and fell in beside her Min had what looked like two or three white shirts wadded under one arht the stableyard had the soft look of dirt not long turned, with a huge stuht in thea good look at ly, Leane was talking to a large hly dressed, he looked a blacks was how close Leane stood, head tilted as she stared up at hi away and hurrying back into the inn The big man stared after her a moment, then melted into the shadows

"Don’t ask e people come to see Siuan or her, and some of the men, she Well, you saw"

Elayne did not really care what Leane did But now that she had Min alone, she did not kno to bring up what she wanted "What are you doing?"

"Laundry," Minthe shirts irritably "I can’t tell you how good it is to see Siuan the oing to eat her or ives everybody else None!"

Elayne quickened her pace to keep up as they crossed the stableyard Whatever that was about, it gave no opening "Did you knohat Tho"

"I told theain as they started between the stable and a cru stone wall, down a dim alley of brush stubble and traive up the chance to study again You were always eager Nynaeve, too, even if she won’t ado with you At least, I" Sheunder her breath "Those three you brought with you are trouble, and