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er power equals his now； and is no longer as pliant as before。 Nothing to say what her allegiances are。〃 With a glance at the dark…haired woman in the chair； he added； 〃I am grateful for the aid Mistress Egeanin gave you with those robbers； but to now I have thought she was a casually met friend。 May I ask who she is to be brought into this？ I seem to recall you threatening to tie a knot in any careless tongues； Nynaeve。〃
〃She's Seanchan；〃 Nynaeve told him。 〃Close your mouth before you swallow a moth； Thom； and sit down。 We can eat while we try to figure out what to do。〃
〃In front of her？〃 Thom said。 〃Seanchan？〃 He had heard some of the story of Falme from Elayne … some of it … and he had certainly heard the rumors here； he studied Egeanin as if wondering where she hid her horns。 Juilin seemed to be strangling； if his bulging eyes were any indication； he must have heard the Tanchican rumors； too。
〃Do you suggest I ask Rendra to lock her in a storeroom？〃 Nynaeve asked calmly。 〃That would cause ment； wouldn't it？ I'm fairly certain three big； hairy men can protect Elayne and me if she pulls a Seanchan army out of her pouch。 Sit； Thom； or else eat standing up； but stop staring。 All of you； sit。 I mean to eat before it grows cold。〃
They did； Thom looking as ill…contented as Juilin and Domon。 Sometimes Nynaeve's bullying manner did seem to work。 Perhaps Rand would respond to occasional bullying。
Putting Rand out of her mind； Elayne decided it was time to add something of worth。 〃I cannot see how the Black sisters can be in the Panarch's Palace without Amathera's knowledge；〃 she said； pulling her chair under her。 〃As I see it； that makes for three possibilities。 One； Amathera is a Darkfriend。 Two； she thinks they are Aes Sedai。 And three； she is their prisoner。〃 For some reason； Thom's approving nod made her feel warm inside。 Silly。 Even if he did know the Game of Houses； he was just a foolish bard who had thrown it all away to bee a gleeman。 〃In any case； she will help them look for what they seek； but it seems to me that if she thinks they are Aes Sedai； we might be able to gain her help with the truth。 And if she is a prisoner； we could gain it by freeing her。 Even Liandrin and her panions could not hold on to the palace if the Panarch ordered it cleared； and that would give us a free hand to search。〃
〃The problem is discovering whether she is ally； dupe or captive；〃 Thom said； gesturing with his pair of sursa。 He knew how to use the things perfectly！
Juilin shook his head。 〃The real problem is to reach her； whatever her situation。 Jaichim Carridin has five hundred Whitecloaks around the palace like fisher…birds around the docks。 The Panarch's Legion has nearly twice that； and the Civil Watch almost as many。 Few of the ring forts are held half so well。〃
〃We are not going to fight them；〃 Nynaeve said dryly。 〃Stop thinking with the hair on your chest。 This is a time for wits； not muscle。 As I see it。。。〃
The discussion went on through the meal； continuing after the last small bowl was emptied。 Egeanin even offered a few cogent ments after a while spent silently； not eating and not seeming to listen。 She had a sharp mind and Thom readily accepted any of her suggestions he agreed with； though he stubbornly rejected out of hand those he did not； just the way he treated everyone else。 Even Domon； rather surprisingly； supported Egeanin when Nynaeve wanted her to keep quiet。 〃She do make sense； Mistress al'Meara。 Only a fool do reject sense； wherever it do e from。〃
Unfortunately； knowing where the Black sisters were did little good without knowing whether or not Amathera was with them； that； or what they were after。 In the end； almost two hours of discussion came to not much more than that and a few suggestions as to how to find out about Amathera。 All of which； it seemed； were to be used by the men with their spiderweb of contacts crisscrossing Tanchico。
None of the fool men wanted to leave them alone with one of the Seanchan … until Nynaeve became angry enough to wrap them all three in flows of Air while they dithered before the door。 〃Do you not think；〃 she said icily； surrounded by the glow of saidar； 〃that one of us might be able to do the same to her if she says boo？〃 She would not release any of them until they all nodded their heads； the only bits they could move。
〃You keep a taut crew；〃 Egeanin said as soon as the door closed behind them。
〃Be quiet； Seanchan！〃 Nynaeve folded her arms tightly； she seemed to have given up trying to pull at those braids when she was angry。 〃Sit down； and…be…quiet！〃
It was frustrating waiting there； staring at the plum trees and falling blossoms painted on the windowless walls； pacing the floor or watching Nynaeve pace； while Thom and Juilin and Domon were out actually doing something。 Yet it was worse when each man came back at intervals； to report another trail faded away to nothing； another thread snapped； hear what the others had learned； and hurry out again。
The first time Thom returned … with a second purple bruise； on the other cheek … Elayne said； 〃Wouldn't you do better here； Thom； where you could hear whatever Juilin and Master Domon report？ You could evaluate much better than Nynaeve or I。〃
He shook his foolish shaggy white head while Nynaeve sniffed loudly enough to be heard in the hallway。 〃I've a lead to a house on the Verana； where Amathera supposedly went sneaking some nights before she was raised Panarch。〃 And he was gone before she could say another word。
When he next returned … limping distinctly more； reporting that the house was the home of Amathera's old nurse … Elayne spoke in her firmest voice。 〃Thom； I want you to sit down。 You will stay here。 I will not have you getting yourself hurt。〃
〃Hurt？〃 he said。 〃Child； I never felt better in my life。 Tell Juilin and Bayle there is supposedly a woman named Cerindra somewhere in this city who claims to know all sorts of dark secrets about Amathera。〃 And off he hobbled； cloak swirling behind him。 He had another tear in that； too。 Stubborn； stubborn； foolish old man。
Once a clamor penetrated the thick walls； brutal shouts and cries from the street。 Rendra bustled into the room just when Elayne had decided to go down and see for herself what it was。 〃Some little trouble outside。 Do not disturb yourself。 Bayle Domon's men； they keep it away from us； yes。 I did not want you to worry。〃
〃A riot here？〃 Nynaeve said sharply。 The immediate neighborhood of the inn had been one of the few calm areas in the city。
〃Not to worry；〃 Rendra said soothingly。 〃Perhaps they want food。 I will tell them where Bayle Domon's soup kitchen is； and they will go away。〃
The noise did die down after a while； and Rendra sent up some wine。 Not until the serving man was leaving； with a sulky look on his face； did Elayne realize it was the young man with the beautiful brown eyes。 The man had begun reacting to her coldest stares as if they were smiles。 Did the fool think she had time to notice him now？
Waiting and pacing； pacing and waiting。 Cerindra turned out to be a tirewoman dismissed for theft； not at all grateful for not being imprisoned； she would make any accusation against Amathera that was suggested to her。 A fellow who claimed to have proof that Amathera was Aes Sedai and Black Ajah also claimed that the same documents proved King Andric the Dragon Reborn。 The group of women whom Amathera used to meet in secret were friends Andric despised； and the shocking discovery that she financed several smuggling craft led nowhere。 Almost every noble but the King himself had a finger in smuggling。 Every trail ended that way。 The worst Thom could discover was that Amathera had convinced two handsome young lords that each was the true love of her life and Andric only a means to an end。 On the other hand； she had given audiences in the Panarch's Palace to various lords； both alone and in pany with various women recognizable as Liandrin and others on the list； and reportedly asked and accepted their advice for her decisions。 Ally； or captive？
When Juilin came back； a good three hours after sunset； spinning a thumb…thick staff of ridged wood and muttering about some pale…haired fellow who had tried to rob him； Thom and Domon were already slumped disconsolately at the table with Egeanin。
〃This will be Falme again；〃 Domon growled at the air。 The stout cudgel he had acquired somewhere lay in front of him； and he wore a short sword at his belt now。 〃Aes Sedai。 The Black Ajah。 Meddling with the Panarch。 If we do no find something tomorrow； I do mean to take myself out of Tanchico。 The next day for certain； if my own sister do ask me to stay！〃
〃Tomorrow；〃 Thom said wearily； elbows on the table and chin on fists。 〃I am too tired to think straight any longer。 I found myself listening to a laundryman from the Panarch's Palace who claims he has heard Amathera singing bawdy songs； the sort you hear in the roughest taverns on the docks。 I actually listened to him。〃
〃For me；〃 Juilin said； reversing a chair to straddle it； 〃I mean to look on tonight。 I found a roofman who says the woman he keeps pany with was another of Amathera's tirewomen。 According to him； Amathera discharged all of her tirewomen without warning the same evening she was invested Panarch。 He will take me to talk with her after he finishes some business of his own at a merchant's house。〃
Nynaeve moved to the end of the table； fists on hips。 〃You will not be going anywhere tonight； Juilin。 The three of you will be taking turns guarding our door。〃 The men protested volubly； of course； all together。
〃I do have my own trade to keep up； and if I must spend my days asking questions for you。。。〃
〃Mistress al'Meara； this woman is the first person I have found who's actually seen Amathera since she was raised。。。〃
〃Nynaeve； I'll hardly be able to find a rumor tomorrow； much less trace it； if I spend the night playing at。。。〃
She let them argue themselves out。 When they began to trail off； obviously thinking her convinced； she said； 〃Since we have nowhere else to keep the Seanchan woman； she will have to sleep with us。 Elayne； will you ask Rendra to have a pallet made Up？ On the floor will do nicely。〃 Egeanin glanced at her； but said nothing。
The men were neatly boxed； either they refused flatly； and openly broke their word to do as Nynaeve said； or else argued on； sounding as if they were whining。 They glowered and spluttered … and acquiesced。
Rendra was clearly surprised they requested only a pallet； but accepted the tale that Egeanin feared to risk the streets at night。 She did look miffed when Thom seated himself in the hall beside their door。 〃Those fellows； they did not get inside however hard they tried。 I told you the soup kitchen would take them away； yes？ Guests at the Three Plum Court have no need for the bodyguards on their rooms。〃
〃I am sure not；〃 Elayne told her； gently trying to push her out with the door。 〃It's just that Thom and the others do worry so。 You know how men are。〃 Thom shot her a hawkish stare beneath those thick white eyebrows； but Rendra sniffed； agreeing that she did indeed know； and let Elayne shut the door。
Nynaeve immediately turned to Egeanin； who Was spreading her pallet on the far side of the bed。 〃Take off your clothes； Seanchan。 I want to be sure you don't have another knife hidden away。〃
Egeanin calmly stood and undressed down to her linen shift。 Nynaeve searched through her dress thoroughly； then insisted on searching Egeanin as well； and none too gently。 Finding nothing did not seem to soothe her。
〃Hands behind your back； Seanchan。 Elayne； bind her。〃
〃Nynaeve； I don't think she …〃
〃Bind her with the Power； Elayne；〃 Nynaeve said roughly； 〃or I'll cut strips from her dress and bind her hands and heels。 You remember how she handled those fellows in the street。 Probably her own hirelings。 She could probably kill us in our sleep with her bare hands。〃
〃Really； Nynaeve； with Thom outside …〃
〃She's Seanchan！ Seanchan； Elayne！〃 She sounded as if she hated the dark…haired woman for a personal wron