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had tangled herself in her own lies。 Now she almost always told it the same way； word for word。 〃If you could have seen Liandrin's face when she saw me。。。。 She would have murdered me on the spot had she thought I had heard anything。 And Temaile likes to hurt people。 She enjoys it。 I only heard a little before they saw me。 Liandrin said there was something in Tanchico； something dangerous to。。。 to him。〃 She meant Rand。 She could not say his name； and a mention of the Dragon Reborn was enough to send her into tears。 〃Liandrin said it was dangerous to whoever used it； too。 Almost as dangerous as to。。。 him。 That is why she had not already gone after it。 And she said being able to channel would not protect him。 She said； 'When we find it； his filthy ability will bind him for us。' 〃 Sweat ran down her face； but she shivered almost uncontrollably。
Not a word had changed。
Egwene opened her mouth； but Nynaeve spoke first。 〃I've heard enough of this。 Let us see if the other has anything new to say。〃
Egwene glared at her； and Nynaeve stared back just as hard； neither blinking。 Sometimes she thinks she's still the Wisdom； Egwene thought grimly； and I'm still the village girl to teach about herbs。 She had better realize things are different now。 Nynaeve was strong in the Power； stronger than Egwene； but only when she could actually manage to channel； unless angry； Nynaeve could not channel at all。
Elayne usually smoothed things over when it came to this； as it did more often than it should。 By the time Egwene thought of smoothing matters herself； she had almost always dug in her heels and flared back； and trying to be soothing then would only be backing down。 That was how Nynaeve would see it； she was sure。 She could not remember Nynaeve ever making any move to back down； so why should she？ This time Elayne was not there； Moiraine had summoned the Daughter…Heir with a word and a gesture to follow the Maiden who had e for the Aes Sedai。 Without her； the tension stretched； each of the Accepted waiting for the other to blink first。 Aviendha barely breathed； she kept herself strictly out of their confrontations。 No doubt she considered it simple wisdom to stand clear。
Strangely； it was Amico who broke the impasse this time； though likely all she meant to do was demonstrate her cooperation。 She turned to face the far wall； waiting patiently to be bound。
The foolishness of it struck Egwene suddenly。 She was the only woman in the room who could channel … unless Nynaeve grew angry； or Joiya's shield failed； she tested the weave of Spirit again without thinking … and she indulged in a staring match while Amico waited to accept her bonds。 At another time she might have laughed at herself aloud。 Instead； she opened herself to saidar； that never…seen； ever…felt glowing warmth that seemed always to be just beyond the corner of her eye。 The One Power filled her； like joyous life itself redoubled； and she wove the flows around Amico。
Nynaeve merely grunted； it was doubtful she was mad enough to sense what Egwene was doing … she could not； without her temper up … yet she could see Amico stiffen as the flows of Air touched her； then slump； half supported by the flows； as if to show how little she was resisting。
Aviendha shuddered； the way she had taken to doing whenever she knew the Power was being channeled near her。
Egwene wove blocks for Amico's ears … questioning them one at a time did little good if they could hear each other's stories … and turned to Joiya。 She shifted her fan from hand to hand so she could wipe them on her dress； and stopped with a grimace of distaste。 Her sweaty palms had nothing to do with the temperature。
〃Her face；〃 Aviendha said abruptly。 And surprisingly； she almost never spoke unless addressed by Moiraine or one of the others。 〃Amico's face。 She does not have the look she did； as if the years had passed her by。 Not as much as she did。 Is that because she was。。。 because she was stilled？〃 she finished in a breathless rush。 She had picked up a few habits being so much around them。 No woman of the Tower could speak of stilling without a chill。
Egwene moved down the table； to where she could see Amico's face from the side and yet stay out of Joiya's vision。 Joiya's eyes always turned her stomach to a lump of ice。
Aviendha was right； that was the difference she herself had noticed and not understood。 Amico looked young； perhaps younger than her years； but it was not quite the agelessness of Aes Sedai who had worked years with the One Power。 〃You have sharp eyes； Aviendha； but I don't know if this has anything to do with stilling。 It must； though； I suppose。 I don't know what else could cause it。〃
She realized that did not sound very much like an Aes Sedai； who generally spoke as if they knew everything； when an Aes Sedai said she did not know； she usually managed to make her denial appear to cloak volumes of knowledge。 While she was racking her brain for something properly portentous； Nynaeve came to her rescue。
〃Relatively few Aes Sedai have ever been burned out； Aviendha； and far fewer stilled。〃
〃Burned out〃 was what it was called when it happened by accident； officially； stilling resulted from trial and sentence。 Egwene could not see the point of it； really； it was like having two words for falling down the stairs； depending on whether you tripped or were pushed。 For that； most Aes Sedai seemed to see it the same； except when teaching novices or Accepted。 Three words； actually。 Men were 〃gentled；〃 must be gentled； before they went mad。 Only now there was Rand； and the Tower did not dare gentle him。
Nynaeve had put on a lecturing tone； no doubt trying to sound Aes Sedai。 She was doing an imitation of Sheriam before a class； Egwene realized； hands clasped at her waist； smiling slightly as if it were all so simple when you applied yourself。
〃Stilling is not a thing anyone would choose to study； you understand；〃 Nynaeve continued。 〃It is generally accepted to be irreversible。 What makes a woman able to channel cannot be replaced once it is removed； any more than a hand that has been cut off can be Healed back into existence。〃 At least； no one had ever been able to Heal stilling。 There had been attempts。 What Nynaeve said was generally true； yet some sisters of the Brown Ajah would study almost anything if given the chance； and some Yellow sisters； the best Healers； would try to learn to Heal anything。 But even a hint of success at Healing a woman who had been stilled was nonexistent。 〃Aside from that one hard fact； little is known。 Women who are stilled seldom live more than a few years。 They seem to stop wanting to live； they give up。 As I said； it is an unpleasant subject。〃
Aviendha shifted unfortably。 〃I only thought that might be it；〃 she said in a low voice。
Egwene thought it might be； too。 She resolved to ask Moiraine。 If she ever saw her without Aviendha there as well。 It seemed to her that their deceit got in the way almost as much as it helped。
〃Let us see if Joiya still tells the same tale； too。〃 Even so； she had to take herself in hand before she could unravel the flows of Air woven around the Darkfriend。
Joiya must have been stiff from standing so still for so long； but she turned smoothly to face them。 The sweat beading her forehead could not diminish her dignity and presence； any more than her drab； rough dress lessened the sense of her being there by choice。 She was a handsome woman with something motherly about her face despite its ageless smoothness； something forting。 But the dark eyes set in that face made a hawk's look kind。 She smiled at them； a smile that never reached those eyes。 〃The Light illumine you。 May the hand of the Creator shelter you。〃
〃I will not hear that out of you。〃 Nynaeve's voice was quiet and calm； but she tossed her braid over her shoulder and gripped the end in her fist； the way she did when angry or uneasy。 Egwene did not think she was uneasy； Joiya did not seem to make Nynaeve's skin crawl as she did Egwene's。
〃I have repented my sins；〃 Joiya said smoothly。 〃The Dragon is Reborn； and he holds Callandor。 The Prophecies are fulfilled。 The Dark One must fail。 I can see that； now。 My repentance is real。 No one can walk so long in the Shadow that she cannot e again to the Light。〃
Nynaeve's face had grown darker by the word。 Egwene was sure she was furious enough to channel now； but if she did it would probably be to strangle Joiya。 Egwene did not believe Joiya's repentance any more than Nynaeve； of course； but the woman's information might be real。 Joiya was quite capable of a cold decision to go over to what she believed would be the winning side。 Or she might only be buying time； lying in hope of rescue。
Lies should not have been possible for an Aes Sedai； even one who had lost all right to the name； not outright lies。 The very first of the Three Oaths； taken with the Oath Rod in hand； should have seen to that。 But whatever oaths to the Dark One were sworn on joining the Black Ajah； they seemed to sever all Three Oaths。
Well。 The Amyrlin had sent them out to hunt the Black Ajah； to hunt Liandrin and the other twelve who had done murder and fled the Tower。 And all they had to go on now was what these two could； or would； tell them。
〃Give us your tale again；〃 Egwene manded。 〃Use different words； this time。 I am tired of listening to memorized stories。〃 If she was lying； there was more chance she would trip herself up telling it differently。 〃We will hear you out。〃 That was for Nynaeve's benefit； she gave a loud sniff； then a curt nod。
Joiya shrugged。 〃As you wish。 Let me see。 Different words。 The false Dragon； Mazrim Taim； who was captured in Saldaea； can channel with incredible strength。 Perhaps as much as Rand al'Thor； or nearly so； if the reports can be believed。 Before he can be brought to Tar Valon and gentled； Liandrin means to break him free。 He will be proclaimed as the Dragon Reborn； his name given as Rand al'Thor； and then he will be set to destruction on such a scale as the world has not seen since the War of the Hundred Years。〃
〃That is impossible；〃 Nynaeve broke in。 〃The Pattern will not accept a false Dragon； not now that Rand has proclaimed himself。〃
Egwene sighed。 They had had this out before； but Nynaeve always argued the point。 She was not sure Nynaeve really believed that Rand was the Dragon Reborn； no matter what she said； no matter the Prophecies and Callandor and the fall of the Stone。 Nynaeve was just enough older than he to have looked after him when he was a child； just as she had after Egwene。 He was an Emond's Fielder； and Nynaeve still saw her first duty as protecting the people of Emond's Field。
〃Is that what Moiraine told you？〃 Joiya asked with a touch of contempt。 〃Moiraine has spent little time in the Tower since she was raised； and not much more with her sisters anywhere。 I suppose she knows the workings of village life； perhaps even something of the politics between nations； but she does claim certainty about matters learned only through study and discussion with those who know。 Still； she might be correct。 Mazrim Taim might well find it impossible to proclaim himself。 But if others do it for him； is there a difference that matters？〃
Egwene wished Moiraine would e back。 The woman would not speak so confidently if Moiraine were there。 Joiya knew very well that she and Nynaeve were only Accepted。 It made a difference。
〃Go on；〃 Egwene said； almost as harshly as Nynaeve。 〃And remember； different words。〃
〃Of course；〃 Joiya replied； as though responding to a gracious invitation； but her eyes glittered like chips of black glass。 〃You can see the obvious result。 Rand al'Thor will be blamed for the depredations of。 。 。 Rand al'Thor。 Even proof that they are not the same man may well be dismissed。 After all； who can say what tricks the Dragon Reborn can play？ Perhaps put himself in two places at once。 Even the sort who have always rallied to a false Dragon will hesitate in the face of the indiscriminate slaughter and worse laid at his feet。 Those who do not shrink at such butchery will seek out the Rand al'Thor who seems to re