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Rand swirled the goblet, staring down into the dark red wine Saht alone knehere Seanchan waiting across the Aryth Ocean, and e and profit whatever it cost the world "Peace is far off yet," he said softly "It will be blood and death for some time to come"

"It always is," Bashere replied quietly, and Rand did not knohich state his harp under his arm, As, but not for a pair who did not listen, much less appreciate He was not sure what had happened that , and not sure he wanted to be sure Toohim, had claimed they had seen hiash down the wall in front of hie, that surface as slick as ice, smoother than any hand could have polished in a hundred years

Idly -- but with a shiver, too -- he wondered whether being reborn in this fashion one That was a gift of the Great Lord; he used that naue That was proof enough that he was hiination, yet so hi the little of saidin he could was like drinking sewage He was hardly sorry Lanfear was dead Rahvin neither, but Lanfear especially, for what she had done to hih when each of the others died, too, and most for the last It was not that he had been reborn as a new rass on the cliff’s brink as long as he could The roots would give way eventually, the long fall would come, but until then he was still alive

He pulled open a s to find his way to the pantry There should be so fro in the air when death took hiase blotted sweat from her face, then tucked the handkerchief back up her sleeve and readjusted her soed to acquire a decent riding dress, though even fine gray as still uncomfortable in this heat Actually, Tallanvor had acquired it Letting her horse walk, she eyed the tall young h the trees Basel Gill’s roundness emphasized how tail and fit Tallanvor was He had handed the dress to her saying it suited her better than the itchy thing she had fled the palace in, looking down at her, never blinking, never speaking a word of respect Of course, she herself had decided it was not safe for anyone to knoho she was, especially after discovering Gareth Bryne gone fro barnburners when she needed him? No matter; she would do as ithout hi in Tallanvor’s eyes when he called her silanced back over her shoulder Hulking La hirohit since Caemlyn Too many had heard of nobles exiled for no cause and unjust laws in the capital to doa hand in support of their rightful ruler She doubted that even knoho spoke to theh Altara, keeping to forest as much as possible because there seeh the forest with a scarfaced street tough, a besotted refugee Cairhienin noblewo whenever she glanced at hih she had on one of those dresses she had worn for Gaebril And Lini, of course There was no forgetting Lini

As if thinking of her had been a summons, the old nurse heeled her horse closer "Better to keep your eyes ahead," she said quietly "A young lion charges quickest, and when you least expect it"

"You think Tallanvor is dangerous?" Morgase said sharply, and Lini gave her a sidelong, considering look

"Only the way any ure ofhands, I should think ’There’s no point letting honey age too long before you eat it"

"Lini," Morgase said warningly The old wo on this way too often of late Tallanvor was a handso, and he had a wellturned calf, but he was young, and she was his queen The last thing she needed was to start looking at him as a man instead of her subject and soldier She was about to tell Lini that -- and that the wo to take up with any man ten years her junior; he had to be that -- but Tallanvor and Gill were turning back "You hold your tongue, Lini If you put foolish ideas into that young man’s head, I will leave you sohest noble in Andor time in a cell to meditate If she still had her throne, it would

"Are you sure you want to do this, girl? It’s too late to change your mind after you’ve jumped off the cliff"

"I will find ase told her stiffly

Tallanvor reined up, sitting tall in his saddle Sweat rolled down his face, but he seeed at the neck of his disccovered jerkin as though he wished he could have it off

"The wood gives way to farms just ahead," Tallanvor said, "but it isn’t likely anyone will recognize you here" Morgase ly hard to look ahen he was looking at her "Another ten miles should take us to Cor, there will be a ferry, and we can be on the Amadicia side before dark Are you certain you want to do this, Morgase?"

The way he said her na Lini’s ridiculous fancies take hold of her It was the accursed heat "I haveTallanvor," she said coolly, "and I do not expect you to questionthe horse’s leap forward break their gazes apart, letting it shove past him He could catch up to her She would find her allies where she found them She would have her throne back, and woe to Gaebril or any ht he cou