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aden grain barges would be ing downriver〃 … his voice was heavy with contempt …〃or why they'd dock at the Stone； or why the crews left the hatches shut until nearly sunfall。 Also； a train of wagons arrived … about two hours ago； now … thirty of them； supposedly bringing some lord or other's things from the country for his return to the Stone。 When the canvas was thrown back； they were packed with Halfmen and Trollocs； too。 If they came in any other way； I don't know of it； yet。〃
Rand nodded again； and the effort buckled his knees。 Suddenly Lan was there； pulling Rand's arm over his shoulder to hold him up。 Moiraine took his face in her hands。 A chill rippled through him； not the blasting cold of full Healing； but a chill that pushed weariness out as it passed。 Most of the weariness。 A seed remained； as if he had worked a day hoeing tabac。 He moved away from the support he no longer needed。 Lan watched him warily； to see if he could really stand alone； or perhaps because the Warder was not certain how dangerous he was； how sane。
〃I left some apurpose；〃 Moiraine told him。 〃You need to sleep tonight。〃
Sleep。 There was too much to do to sleep。 But he gave another nod。 He did not want her shadowing him。 Yet what he said was 〃Lanfear was here。 This was not her doing。 She said so； and I believe her。 You don't seem surprised； Moiraine。〃 Would Lanfear's offer surprise her？ Would anything？ 〃Lanfear was here； and I talked with her。 She didn't try to kill me； and I didn't try to kill her。 And you are not surprised。〃
〃I doubt you could kill her。 Yet。〃 Her glance at Callandor was the merest flicker of dark eyes。 〃Not unaided。 And I doubt she will try to kill you。 Yet。 We know little of any of the Forsaken； and least of all Lanfear； but we do know she loved Lews Therin Telamon。 To say you are safe from her is certainly too strong … there is a good deal she can do to harm you short of murder … but I do not think she will try to kill as long as she thinks she might win Lews Therin back again。〃
Lanfear wanted him。 The Daughter of the Night； used by mothers who only half…believed in her to frighten children。 She certainly frightened him。 It was nearly enough to make him laugh。 He had always felt guilty for looking at any woman besides Egwene； and Egwene did not want him； but the Daughter…Heir of Andor wanted to kiss him； at least； and one of the Forsaken claimed to love him。 Nearly enough for laughter； but not quite。 Lanfear seemed jealous of Elayne； that pale…haired milksop； she had called her。 Madness。 All madness。
〃Tomorrow。〃 He started away from them。
〃Tomorrow？〃 Moiraine said。
〃Tomorrow； I will tell you what I am going to do。〃 Some of it； he would。 The thought of Moiraine's face if he told her everything made him want to laugh。 If he knew everything himself； yet。 Lanfear had given him almost the last piece； without knowing it。 One more step； tonight。 The hand holding Callandor by his side trembled。 With that； he could do anything。 I am not mad yet。 Not mad enough for that。 〃Tomorrow。 A good night to us all； the Light willing。〃 Tomorrow he would begin to unleash another kind of lightning。 Another lightning that might save him。 Or kill him。 He was not mad yet。
Chapter 11
（Dream Ring）
What Lies Hidden
Clad in her shift； Egwene drew a deep breath and left the stone ring lying beside an open book on her bedside table。 All flecked and striped in brown and red and blue； it was slightly too large for a finger ring； and shaped wrong； flattened and twisted so that a fingertip run along the edge would circle both inside and out before ing back to where it had started。 There was only one edge； impossible though that seemed。 She was not leaving the ring there because she might fail without it； because she wanted to fail。 She had to try without the ring sooner or later； or she could never do more than dabble her toes where she dreamed of swimming。 It might as well be now。 That was the reason。 It was。
The thick leather bound book was A Journey to Tarabon； written by Eurian Romavni； from Kandor … fifty three years ago； according to the date the author gave in the first line； but little of any consequence would have changed in Tanchico in that short a time。 Besides； it was the only volume she had found with useful drawings。 Most of the books only had portraits of kings； or fanciful renderings of battles by men who had not seen them。
Darkness filled both windows； but the lamps gave more than adequate light。 One tall beeswax candle burned in a gilded candlestick on the bedside table。 She had gone to fetch that herself； this was no night to be sending a maid for a candle。 Most of the servants were tending the wounded or weeping over loved ones； or being tended themselves。 There had been too many for Healing any but those who would have died without it。
Elayne and Nynaeve waited with high backed chairs pulled to either side of the wide bed with its tall； swallow carved posts； they tried to hide their anxiety with differing degrees of success。 Elayne managed a passably stately calm； and only spoiled it by frowning and chewing her underlip when she thought Egwene was not looking。 Nynaeve was all brisk confidence； the sort that made you feel forted when she tucked you into a sickbed； but Egwene recognized the set of her eyes； they said Nynaeve was afraid。
Aviendha sat cross…legged beside the door； her browns and grays standing out sharply against the deep blue of the carpet。 This time the Aiel woman had her long bladed knife at one side of her belt； a bristling quiver at the other； and four short spears across her knees。 Her round； hide buckler lay close at hand； atop a horn bow in a worked leather case with straps that could hold it on her back。 After tonight； Egwene could not fault her for going armed。 She still wanted to hold a lightning bolt ready to fling herself。
Light； what was that Rand did？ Burn him； he frightened me almost as badly as the Fades did。 Maybe worse。 It isn't fair he can do something like that and I can't even see the flows。
She climbed onto the bed and took the leather…bound book on her knees； frowning at an engraved map of Tanchico。 Little of any use was marked； really。 A dozen fortresses； surrounding the harbor； guarding the city on its three hilly peninsulas； the Verana to the east； the Maseta in the center； and the Calpene nearest the sea。 Useless。 Several large squares； some open areas that seemed to be parks； and a number of monuments to rulers long since dust。 All useless。 A few palaces； and things that seemed strange。 The Great Circle； for instance； on the Calpene。 On the map it was just a ring； but Master Romavni described it as a huge gathering place that could hold thousands to watch horse races or displays of fireworks by the Illuminators。 There was also a King's Circle； on the Maseta and larger than the Great Circle； and a Panarch's Circle； on the Verana； just a little smaller。 The Chapter House of the Guild of Illuminators was marked as well。 They were all useless。 The text certainly had nothing of use。
〃Are you certain you want to try this without the ring？〃 Nynaeve asked quietly。
〃Certain；〃 Egwene replied as calmly as she could。 Her stomach was leaping as badly as it had when she saw that first Trolloc tonight； holding that poor woman by the hair and slitting her throat like a rabbit's。 The woman had screamed like a rabbit； too。 Killing the Trolloc had done her no good； the woman was as dead as the Trolloc。 Only her shrill scream would not go away。 〃If it doesn't work； I can always try again with the ring。〃 She leaned over to mark the candle with a thumbnail。 〃Wake me when it burns down to there。 Light； but I wish we had a clock。〃
Elayne laughed at her； a lighthearted trill； and it very nearly sounded unforced。 〃A clock in a bedchamber？ My mother has a dozen clocks； but I never heard of a clock in a bedchamber。〃
〃Well； my father has one clock；〃 Egwene grumbled； 〃the only one in the whole village； and I wish I had it here。 Do you think it will burn that far in an hour？ I don't want to sleep longer than that。 You must wake me as soon as the flame reaches that mark。 As soon as！〃
〃We will；〃 Elayne said soothingly。 〃I promise it。〃
〃The stone ring；〃 Aviendha said suddenly。 〃Since you are not using it； Egwene； could not someone … one of us … use it to go with you？〃
〃No；〃 Egwene muttered。 Light； I wish they could all e with me。 〃Thank you for the thought； though。〃
〃Can only you use it； Egwene？〃 the Aiel woman asked。
〃Any of us might；〃 Nynaeve replied； 〃even you； Aviendha。 A woman needn't be able to channel； only sleep with it touching her skin。 A man might be able to； for all we know。 But we do not know Tel'aran'rhiod as well as Egwene； or the rules of it。〃
Aviendha nodded。 〃I see。 A woman can make mistakes where she does not know the ways； and her mistakes can kill others as well as herself。〃
〃Exactly；〃 Nynaeve said。 〃The World of Dreams is a dangerous place。 That much we do know。〃
〃But Egwene will be careful；〃 Elayne added； speaking to Aviendha but obviously meaning it for Egwene's ears。 〃She promised。 She will look around … carefully！ … and no more。〃
Egwene concentrated on the map。 Careful。 If she had not guarded her twisted stone ring so jealously … she thought of it as hers； the Hall of the Tower might not agree； but they did not know she had it … if she had been willing to let Elayne or Nynaeve use it more than once or twice； they might know enough to e with her now。 Yet it was not regret that made her avoid looking at the other women。 She did not want them to see the fear in her eyes。
Tel'aran'rhiod。 The Unseen World。 The World of Dreams。 Not the dreams of ordinary people； though sometimes they touched Tel'aran'rhiod briefly； in dreams that seemed as true as life。 Because they were。 In the Unseen World； what happened was real； in a strange way。 Nothing that happened there affected what was … a door opened in the World of Dreams would still be shut in the real world； a tree cut down there still stood here … yet a woman could be killed there； or stilled。 〃Strange〃 barely began to describe it。 In the Unseen World the whole world lay open； and maybe other worlds； too； any place was attainable。 Or at least； its reflection in the World of Dreams was。 The weave of the Pattern could be read there … past； present and future … by one who knew how。 By a Dreamer。 There had not been a Dreamer in the White Tower since Corianin Nedeal； nearly five hundred years earlier。
Four hundred and seventy three years； to be exact； Egwene thought。 Or is it four…hundred seventy…four now？ When did Corianin die？ If Egwene had had a chance to finish novice training in the Tower； to study there as an Accepted； perhaps she would know。 There was so much she might have known； then。
A list lay in Egwene's pouch of the ter'angreal； most small enough to slip into a pocket； that had been stolen by the Black Ajah when they fled the Tower。 They all three had a copy。 Thirteen of those stolen ter'angreal had 〃no known use〃 written alongside； and 〃last studied by Corianin Nedeal。〃 But if Corianin Sedai had truly not discovered their uses； Egwene was sure of one of them。 They gave entrance to Tel'aran'rhiod； not as easily as the stone ring； perhaps； and perhaps not without channeling； but they did it。
Two they had recovered from Joiya and Amico： an iron disc； three inches across； scribed on both sides with a tight spiral； and a plaque no longer than her hand； apparently clear amber yet hard enough to scratch steel； with a sleeping woman somehow carved into the middle of it。 Amico had spoken freely of them； and so had Joiya； after a session alone in her cell with Moiraine that had left the Darkfriend pale…faced and almost civil。 Channel a flow of Spirit into either ter'angreal； and it would take you into sleep and then into Tel'aran'rhiod。 Elayne had tried both of them briefly； and they worked； though all she saw was the inside of the Stone； and Morgase's Royal Palace in Caemlyn。
Egwene had not wanted her to try； however fleeting the visit； but not from jealousy。 She had not been able to argue very effectively； though； for she