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Rand only watched Watched his friend being softened for what heleft to one He would do what he ained a rime of crystal frost as she spoke, almost in an echo "We all do as we must, as the Pattern decrees For some there is less freedom than for others It does not matter whether we choose or are chosen What must be, must be"

Mat did not look softened at all Wary, yes, and certainly angry, but not softened He could have been a tomcat backed into a corner by three hounds A tootten anyone was in the room except for himself and the three women "You always have to push a man where you want hio led by the nose Blood and bloody ashes! Don’t glare at wene, I’ll speak the way I want Burnher braid out of her head, and Elayne staring down her nose Well, I’lad she isn’t, to hear the news, but even if you had Nynaeve, I’d not be shoved --"

"What news?" Rand said sharply "News Elayne shouldn’t hear?"

Mat looked up at Moiraine "Youyou haven’t ferreted out?"

"What news, Mat?" Rand de both hands to her e circles Moiraine whispered soers never faltered on the harp

Rand felt as if his belly had been ripped out Elayne, forgive ive me "Are you certain?"

"As certain as I can be without seeing the body It see of Andor And Cairhien, too, for thatabout the ti er than Morgase herself Only, those Andorans down south have heard rumors that she hasn’t been seen in weeks More than rumors You tell , but now it has one, and the queen’s vanished Gaebril’s the one wanted Elayne killed I tried to tell her that, but you kno she always knows more than a mudfooted far a queen’s throat"

Rand discovered that he was sitting in one of the chairs across fro Aviendha laid a hand on his shoulder Concern tightened her eyes "I ahly "There’s no need to send for Somara" Her face reddened, but he hardly noticed

Elayne would never be able to forgive hiase prisoner, but he had ignored it because the Forsaken one his oay, to do what they did not expect And ended chasing Couladin instead of doing what he planned He had known, and concentrated his attention on Saase could hile he sase was dead Elayne’s mother was dead Elayne would curse hioing on "There are a lot of queen’sYou find Elayne Half of them will flock to you to put her on the --"

"Shut up!" Rand barked He quivered so hard with fury that Egwene stepped back, and even Moiraine eyed hihtened on his shoulder, but he shook it off as he stood Morgase dead because he had done nothing His own hand had been on the knife as surely as Rahvin’s Elayne "She will be avenged Rahvin, Mat Not Gaebril Rahvin I’ll lay hi!"

"Oh, blood and bloody ashes!" Mat groaned