by Unknown
She couldn't die. Min had said . . . We could be misinterpreting. Birgitte's voice returned to her. Any number of things could still go wrong.
"Heal her," Mellar said.
"What?" Chesmal demanded. Behind her, Eldrith was dusting herself off inside the cell doorway. She'd fallen to the ground when Elayne's weav-ings of Air dissipated, but her shield was still there. That one Elayne had tied in place.
Think, Elayne told herself, blood dribbling between her fingers. There has to be a way out. There has to be! Oh, Light! Birgitte, hurry!
"Heal her," Mellar said again. "The knife wound was to make her drop you."
"Fool," Chesmal said. "If the weaves had been tied off, a wound wouldn't have released us!"
"Then she would have died," Mellar said, shrugging. He eyed Elayne; those handsome eyes of his shone with lust. "And that would have been a pity. For she was promised to me, Aes Sedai. I won't have her die here in this dungeon. She doesn't die until I have had time to . . . enjoy her." He looked at the Black sister. "Besides, you think those whom we serve would be pleased if they knew you'd let the Queen of Andor die without yielding her secrets?"
Chesmal looked dissatisfied, but she apparently saw the wisdom in his words. Behind them, the secretary slipped out of the cell and after glancing both ways -slunk down the hallway toward the steps and hurried up them. Chesmal crossed the hallway toward Elayne. Blessedly. Elayne was getting fuzzy-headed. She rested her back against the wall, barely feeling the pain of her broken shoulder, and slid down until she was sitting.
"Idiot girl," Chesmal said. "I saw through your ploy, of course. I was leading you on, knowing that help was coming."
The words were hollow; she was lying for the benefit of the others. The
Healing. Elayne needed . . . that . . . Healing. Her mind was growing dull, her vision darkening. She held her hand to her side, terrified for herself, for her children.
Her hand slipped. She felt something through the fabric in the pocket of her dress. The foxhead medallion copy.
Chesmal put her hands on Elayne's head, crafting Healing weaves. Elayne's veins became ice water, her body overwhelmed by a wave of Power. She drew in a deep breath, the agony in her side and shoulder vanishing.
"There," Chesmal said. "Now, quickly, we need to "
Elayne whipped free the other medallion and held it up. By reflex, Chesmal grabbed it. That made the woman unable to channel. Her weaves vanished, including Elayne's shield.
Chesmal cursed, dropping the medallion. It hit and rolled as Chesmal wove a shield.
Elayne didn't bother with a shield. This time, she wove Fire. Simple, direct, dangerous. The Dark sister's clothing burst into flame before she could finish weaving, and she cried out.
Elayne hauled herself to her feet. The hallway shook and spun the Healing had taken a lot out of her but before things stopped spinning, she wove another thread of Fire, lashing it at Mellar. He had risked the life of her children! He had stabbed her! He . . .
The weaves unraveled the moment they touched him. He smiled up at her, stopping something with his foot. The second medallion. "Here now," he said, scooping it up. "Another one? If I shake you, will a third fall free?"
Elayne hissed. Chesmal was still screaming, afire. She fell to the ground, kicking, the hallway growing pungent with the scent of burned flesh. Light! Elayne hadn't meant to kill her. But there wasn't time to spare. She wove Air, snatching up Eldrith again before the woman could escape. Elayne pushed her forward, between herself and Mellar, just in case. He watched with keen eyes, edging forward, holding the two medallions in one hand and his dagger in the other. It still glistened with Elayne's blood.
"We aren't finished, my Queen," he said in a soft voice. "These others were promised power. But my reward was always to be you. I always collect what I am owed." He watched Elayne with care, expecting some trick.
If only she had one! She could barely stand upright. Holding the Source was difficult. She backed away, keeping Eldrith between herselfand Mellar. His eyes flicked to the statuesque woman; she stood with arms tied to her sides by Air, floating an inch above the ground. With a jerking motion, he jumped forward and slit Eldrith's throat.
Elayne started, scrambling backward.
"Sorry," Mellar said, and it took Elayne a moment to realize he was addressing Eldrith. "But orders are orders." With that, he ducked, plunging his dagger into Temaile's unconscious body.
He couldn't escape with the medallions! With a surge of strength, Elayne drew in the One Power and wove Earth. She pulled at the ceiling above Mellar as he stood up. Stones shattered, blocks falling downward, causing him to yell and cover his head as he ducked away. Something rang in the air. Metal on stone.
The hallway shook, and dust sprayed in the air. The rain of rocks drove Mellar away, but kept her from chasing. He vanished up the stairwell to the right. Elayne sank down to her knees, feeling drained. But then she saw something glittering among the rubble of the ceiling blocks she'd pulled down. A bit of silvery metal. One of the medallions.
Holding her breath, she grabbed it. Blessedly, the Source didn't leave her. Mellar had escaped with the copy, it seemed, but she still had the original.
She sighed, allowing herself to sit back against the cold stone wall. She wanted to lapse into unconsciousness, but forced herself to tuck away the medallion, then remain awake until Birgitte appeared in the hallway. The Warder panted heavily from having run, her red coat and golden braid wet with rainwater.
Mat stepped down into the hallway after her, wearing a scarf up around his face, his wet brown hair plastered to his head. His eyes darted from side to side, a quarterstaff held at guard.
Birgitte knelt by Elayne's side. "Are you all right?" she asked urgently.
Elayne nodded in exhaustion. "I got myself out of this one." In a way. "Did you happen to do the world a favor and kill Mellar on your way in?"
"Mellar?" Birgitte asked, alarmed. "No. Elayne, there's blood on your dress!"
"I'm fine," she said. "Really, I've been Healed."
So Mellar was free. "Quickly," she said. "Search the hallways. The Guards and the Kin who were guarding this place "
"We found them," Birgitte said. "Stuffed into the bottom of the stairwell. Dead. Elayne, what happened?" To the side, Mat poked at Temaile's corpse, noting the dagger wound in her chest.
Elayne pressed her hands to her abdomen. Her babes would be all right, wouldn't they? "I did something very rash, Birgitte, and I know that you are going to scream at me for it. But would you first please take me to my rooms? I think we should have Melfane look at me. Just in case."
An hour after the failed assassination attempt on Egwene, Gawyn stood alone in a small room that was part of the Amyrlin's chambers. He'd been released from the weaves that had held him, then told to stay put.
Egwene finally strode into the room. "Sit," she said.
He hesitated, but her fierce eyes could have set candles aflame. He sat down on the stool. This small room held several dressers and trunks for clothing. The doorway led out to the larger sitting room where he'd been captured in weaves; a doorway off of that room led to Egwene's bedchamber.
Egwene shut the door, sequestering the two of them from the many guards, Warders and Aes Sedai milling about in the rooms outside. Their conversations made a low hum through the door. Egwene still wore red and gold, and she had golden threads woven into her dark hair. Her cheeks were flushed with anger at him. That made her even more beautiful than usual.
"Egwene, I "
"Do you realize what you have done?"
"I checked to see if the woman I love was safe, following the discovery of an assassin outside her door."
She folded her arms beneath her breasts. He could almost feel the heat of her anger. "Your yelling has drawn half of the White Tower. They saw you captured. The assassin probably knows, now, about my weaves."
"Light, Egwene! You talk as if I did it on purpose. I was only trying to protect you."
> "I didn't ask for your protection! I asked for your obedience! Gawyn, don't you see the opportunity we've missed? If you hadn't scared Mesaana away, she'd have walked into my traps!"
"It wasn't one of the Forsaken," Gawyn said. "It was a man."
"You said you couldn't see the face or make out the figure because it was blurred."
"Well, yes," Gawyn said. "But he fought with the sword."
"And a woman couldn't use a sword? The size of the person you saw indicated a woman."
"Maybe, but one of the Forsaken? Light, Egwene, if it had been Mesaana, then she'd have used the Power to burn me to dust!"
"Another reason," Egwene said, "that you should not have disobeyed me! Perhaps you're right perhaps this was one of Mesaana's minions. A Darkfriend or Gray Man. If that were the case, I'd have them captive and be able to learn about Mesaana's plots. And Gawyn, what if you had found Mesaana? What could you have done?"
He looked down at the floor.
"I told you that I had taken precautions," she continued. "And still you
disobeyed! And now, because of what you've done, the murderer knows that I was anticipating her. She'll be more careful next time. How many lives do you think you just cost us?"
Gawyn kept his hands in his lap, trying to hide the fists that they had formed. He should have felt ashamed, but all he could feel was anger. A rage he couldn't explain frustration at himself, but mostly at Egwene for turning an honest mistake into a personal affront.
"It seems to me," he said, "that you don't want a Warder at all. Because I'll tell you, Egwene, if you can't stand being looked after, then no man will do."
"Perhaps you are right," she said curtly. Her skirts rustled as she pulled open the door to the hall, went out and then pulled it closed behind her. Not quite a slam.
Gawyn stood up and wanted to kick the door. Light, what a mess this had become!
He could hear Egwene through the door, sending the gawkers back to their beds, ordering the Tower Guard to be extra vigilant tonight. That was likely for show. She knew that the assassin wouldn't try again so soon.
Gawyn slipped out of the room and left. She noted his departure, but said nothing to him, instead turning to speak softly with Silviana. The Red had a glare for Gawyn that would have made a boulder wince.
Gawyn passed several guards who for their parts seemed respectful of Gawyn. As far as they knew, he'd foiled an attempt on the Amyrlin's life. Gawyn nodded to their salutes. Chubain stood nearby, inspecting the knife that had nearly taken Gawyn in the chest.
Chubain held up the knife to him. "Have you ever seen anything like this?"
Gawyn took the narrow, sleek knife. It was balanced for throwing, with a fine steel blade that looked something like an elongated candle's flame. Set into the center were three bits of blood-colored rock.
"What kind of stone is that?" Gawyn asked, holding the knife up to the light.
"I've never seen it before."
Gawyn turned the knife over a few times. There weren't any inscriptions or carvings. "This came within half a breath of claiming my life."
"You can take it, if you wish," Chubain said. "Maybe you can ask Bryne's men if they've ever seen one like it. We have a second one we found down the hallway."
"It was also intended for my heart," Gawyn said, tucking the knife into his belt. "Thank you. I have a gift for you in return."
Chubain raised an eyebrow.
"You've been complaining of the men you lost," Gawyn said. "Well, I've a group of soldiers I can recommend strongly."
"From Bryne's army?" Chubain asked, lips downturned. Like many of the Tower Guard, he still regarded Bryne's army as a rival force.
"No," Gawyn said. "Men loyal to the Tower. Some of those who trained to be Warders and who fought with me on Elaida's side. They're feeling displaced now, and they would rather be soldiers than Warders. I'd appreciate it if you'd give them a home. They're solid men and excellent warriors."
Chubain nodded. "Send them to me."
"They'll come to you tomorrow," Gawyn said. "I only ask one thing. Try not to break the group apart. They've been through much together. Their bond gives them strength."
"Shouldn't be difficult," Chubain said. "The Tenth Tower Company was destroyed nearly to a man by those flaming Seanchan. I'll set some veteran officers over your lads and form the new company out of them."
"Thank you," Gawyn said. He nodded toward Egwene's quarters. "Watch over her for me, Chubain. I think she's determined to see herself dead."
"It is ever my duty to defend and uphold the Amyrlin. But where will you be?"
"She made it clear that she wants no Warder," Gawyn said, his mind drifting back to the things Bryne had said to him earlier. What did he want, aside from Egwene? Perhaps it was time to find out. "I think it's past time I went to visit my sister."
Chubain nodded, and Gawyn took his leave. He visited the barracks and gathered his possessions little more than a change of clothing and a winter cloak then made his way to the stables and saddled Challenge.
Then he led the horse to the Traveling ground. Egwene maintained a sister on duty there at all times. Tonight's Aes Sedai a petite, drowsy-eyed Green named Nimri didn't question him. She made him a gateway to a hillside about an hour's travel from Caemlyn.
And so he left Tar Valon and Egwene al'Vere behind.
"What is that?" Lan demanded.
The aged Nazar looked up from his saddlebags, leather hadori holding down his powdery white hair. A small stream gurgled near their camp in the middle of a forest of highland pines. Those pines shouldn't have borne half so many brown needles.
Nazar had been tucking something into his saddlebags, and Lan had happened to spot a bit of gold peeking out. "This?" Nazar asked. He pulled the cloth out: a brilliant white flag with a golden crane embroidered in the center. It was a fine work, with beautiful stitching. Lan nearly grabbed it out of Nazar's fingers and ripped it in half.
"Now, I see that expression on your face, Lan Mandragoran," Nazar said. "Well, don't you be getting all self-centered about this. A man has a right to carry his kingdom's flag with him."
"You're a baker, Nazar."
"I'm a Borderlander first, son," the man said, tucking the banner away. "This is my heritage."
"Bah!" Lan said, turning away. The others were breaking up camp. He'd grudgingly allowed the three newcomers to join him they were stubborn as boars, and in the end, he had had to succumb to his oath. He'd promised that he'd accept followers. These men, technically, hadn't asked to ride with him they'd simply started doing it. That was enough. Besides, if they were going to travel in the same direction, then there was little sense in making two camps.
Lan continued to wipe his face dry from the morning's washing. Bulen was getting bread ready for breakfast. This grove of pines was in eastern Kandor; they were getting close to the border into Arafel. Perhaps he could-
He froze. There were several new tents in their camp. A group of eight men were chatting with Andere. Three of them looked plump around the waist not warriors, judging by their soft clothing, though they did appear to be Malkieri. The other five were all Shienarans, topknots on their heads, leather bracers on their arms, and horsebows stored in cases on their backs beside long, two-handed swords.
"What is this?" Lan demanded.
"Weilin, Managan and Gorenellin," Andere said, gesturing to the Malkieri. "These others are Qi, Joao, Merekel, Ianor, Kuehn "
"I didn't ask who" Lan said, voice cold. "I asked what. What have you done?"
Andere shrugged. "We met them before running into you. We told them to wait along the southern roadway for us. Rakim fetched them last night, while you were sleeping."
"Rakim was supposed to be on watch!" Lan said.
"I watched in his stead," Andere said. "I figured we'd want these fellows."
All three of the plump merchants looked to Lan, then went down on their knees. One was weeping openly. "Tai'shar Malkier."
The five Shienara
ns saluted Lan. "Dai Shan," one said.
"We have brought what we could to the cause of the Golden Crane," another of the merchants added. "All that we could gather in a little time."
"It is not much," said the third. "But we lend you our swords as well. We may look to have grown soft, but we can fight. We will fight."
"I don't need what you brought," Lan said, exasperated. "I- "
"Before you say too much more, old friend," Andere said, laying a hand on Lan's shoulder, "perhaps you should have a look at that." He nodded to the side.
Lan frowned, hearing a rattling sound. He stepped past a patch of trees to look upon the path to the camp. Two dozen wagons were approaching, each piled high with supplies weapons, sacks of grain, tents. Lan opened his eyes wide. A good dozen warhorses were hitched in a line, and strong oxen pulled the wagons. Teamsters and servants walked alongside them.
"When they said they sold what they could and brought supplies," Andere said, "they meant it."
"We will never be able to move quietly with all of this!" Lan said.
Andere shrugged.
Lan took a deep breath. Very well. He would work with it. "Moving quietly appears to be failing anyway. From now on, we will pose as a caravan delivering supplies to Shienar."
"But "
"You will swear to me," he said, turning toward the men. "Each of you will swear not to reveal who I am or send word to anyone else who might be looking for me. You will swear it!'
Nazar looked like he would object, but Lan silenced him with a stern look. One by one, they swore.
The five had become dozens, but it would stop there.
CHAPTER 24
To Make a Stand
Bed rest," Melfane announced, taking her ear from the wooden tube she'd placed against Elayne's chest. The midwife was a short, ample-cheeked woman who today wore her hair tied back by a translucent blue scarf. Her neat dress was of white and matching sky-blue, as if worn in defiance of the perpetually overcast sky. "What?" Elayne asked.
