Page 245 (1/2)

Perrin lifted the note It smelled faintly of perfume He turned it over, then held it up to a candle

"Doesn’t work," Mat said

Perrin grunted "So what do you think it says?"

"Don’t know," Mat said "Bloody insane Aes Sedai I mean, they’re all odd But Verin’s fallen completely off her stone Don’t suppose you’ve heard froht," Mat said "She sounded worried soht happen to her" He took the note back, then tapped it on the table

"You going to open it?"

Mat shook his head "I’ll open it when I get back I--"

A knock ca the innkeeper, a younger man named Denezel He was tall, with a lean face and a head he kept shaved The oing so far as to have a portrait of Rand co in the common room It wasn’t a bad likeness

"I apologize, Master Crimson," Denezel said, "but Master Golden’s ht," Perrin said

Grady poked his weathered face into the roo "Blown up anyone interesting lately?"

The tanned Asha’ to Perrin "My Lord Lady Faile asked ht arrived"

Mat whistled "See, this is why I left dom"

Grady’s frown deepened

"Thank you, Grady," Perrin said with a sigh "I hadn’t realized the ti soon"

The Asha’man nodded, then withdrew

"Burn hi sky is depressing enough without people like hi some ale, "some just don’t find the world particularly humorous lately"

"Nonsense," Mat said "The world’s plenty hu at s of us about, you need to keep your head low"

"I don’t see how I can," Perrin said "I’ve got an army to lead, people to care for"

"I don’t think you’re taking Verin’s warning seriously enough, lad," Tho his head "You ever heard of the Banath people?"

"No," Perrin said, looking at Mat