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lurid flashes； and needles stabbed her brain with each flash。 With a sob of agony； she loosed her hold and clasped both hands to her head。
The crystal sphere shattered as the figure hit the floor and broke into pieces； and the needles vanished； leaving only dull memories of the pain and a queasiness that wobbled her knees。 She squeezed her eyes shut so she could not see the room heaving。 The figure had to be a ter'angreal； but why had it hurt her like that when she only touched it？ Perhaps because it was broken； perhaps； broken； it could not do what it was meant for。 She did not even want to think of what it might have been made for； testing ter'angreal was dangerous。 At least it must be broken beyond danger now。 Here； at least。 Why did it seem to call me？
Nausea faded； and she opened her eyes。 The figure was back on the shelf； as whole as it had been when she first saw it。 Strange things happened in Tel'aran'rhiod； but that was stranger than she wanted to see。 And this was not what she had e for。 First she had to find her way out of the Panarch's Palace。 Climbing back over the rope； she hurried out of the chamber； trying not to run。
The palace was empty of life； of course。 Human life； at least。 Colorful fish swam in large fountains that splashed merrily in the courtyards surrounded by delicately columned walks and balconies screened by stonework like intricately carved lace。 Lily pads floated on the waters； and white flowers as big as dinner plates。 In the World of Dreams； a place was as it was in the so…called real world。 Except for people。 Elaborate golden lamps stood in the hallways； wicks uncharted； but she could smell the perfumed oil in them。 Her feet raised no hint of dust from the bright carpets that surely could never have been beaten； not
here。
Once she did see another person walking ahead of her； a man in gilded； ornately worked plate and mail armor； a pointed golden helmet crested with white egret plumes under his arm。 〃Aeldra？〃 he called； smiling。 〃Aeldra； e look at me。 I am named the Lord Captain of the Panarch's Legion。 Aeldra？〃 He walked on another pace； still calling； and suddenly was not there。 Not a Dreamer。 Not even someone using a ter'angreal like her stone ring or Amico's iron disc。 Only a man whose dream had touched a place he was not aware of； with dangers he did not know。 People who died unexpectedly in their sleep had often dreamed their way into Tel'aran'rhiod and in truth had died there。 He was well out of it； back into an ordinary dream。
The candle was burning down beside that bed back in Tear。 Her time in Tel'aran'rhiod was burning away。
Hastening her steps； she came to tall； carved doors leading outside； to wide white stairs and a huge empty square。 Tanchico spread out in every direction across steep hills； white buildings upon white buildings shining in the sun； hundreds of thin towers and almost as many pointed domes； some gilded。 The Panarch's Circle； a tall round wall of white stone； stood in plain sight not half a mile away and a little lower than the palace。 The Panarch's Palace rose atop one of the loftiest hills。 At the top of the deep stairs； she was high enough to see water glinting to the west； inlets separating her from more hilly fingers where the rest of the city lay。 Tanchico was larger than Tear； perhaps larger than Caemlyn。
So much to search； and she did not even know for what。 For something that signified the presence of the Black Ajah； or something that indicated some sort of danger to Rand； if either existed here。 Had she been a real Dreamer； trained in the use of her talent； she would surely have known what to look for； how to interpret what she saw。 But no one remained who could teach her。 Aiel Wise Ones supposedly knew how to decipher dreams。 Aviendha had been so reluctant to talk about the Wise Ones that Egwene had not asked any of the other Aiel。 Perhaps a Wise One could teach her。 If she could find one。
She took a step toward the square； and suddenly she was somewhere else。
Great stone spires rose around her in a heat that sucked the moisture out of her breath。 The sun seemed to bake right through her dress； and the breeze blowing in her face seemed to e from a stove。 Stunted trees dotted a landscape almost bare of other growth； except for a few patches of tough grass and some prickly plants she did not recognize。 She recognized the lion； however； even if she had never seen one in the flesh。 It lay in a crevice in the rocks not twenty paces away； black tufted tail switching idly； looking not at her but at something another hundred strides on。 The large boar covered in coarse hair was rooting and snuffling at the base of a thorny bush； never noticing the Aiel woman creeping up on it with a spear ready to thrust。 Garbed like the Aiel in the Stone； she had her shoufa around her head but her face uncovered。The Waste； Egwene thought incredulously。 I've jumped into the Aiel Waste！ When will I learn to watch what I think here？
The Aiel woman froze。 Her eyes were on Egwene now； not the boar。 If it was a boar； it did not seem to be shaped exactly right。
Egwene was sure the woman was not a Wise One。 Not dressed like a Maiden； from what Egwene had been told； a Maiden of the Spear who wanted to bee a Wise One had to 〃give up the spear。〃 This had to be just an Aiel woman who had dreamed herself into Tel'aran'rhiod； like that fellow in the palace。 He would have seen her； too； if he had ever turned around。 Egwene closed her eyes and concentrated on her one clear image of Tanchico； that huge skeleton in the great hall。
When she opened them again； she was staring at the massive bones。 They had been wired together； she noticed this time。 Quite cleverly； so that the wires hardly showed at all。 The half figurine with its crystal sphere was still on its shelf。 She did not go near it； any more than the black collar and bracelets that felt of so much pain and suffering。 The angreal； the stone woman； was a temptation。 What are you going to do with it？ Light； you're here to look； to search！ Nothing more than that。 Get on with it； woman！
This time she quickly found her way back to the square。 Time passed differently here； Elayne and Nynaeve could be waking her up any moment； and she still had not even begun。 There might be no more minutes to waste。 She had to be careful of what she thought from here on。 No more thinking about the Wise Ones。 Even the admonition made everything lurch around her。 Keep your mind on what you are doing； she told herself firmly。
She set out through the empty city； walking fast； sometimes trotting。 Winding； stone paved streets slanted up and down； curving every which way； all empty； except for green backed pigeons and pale gray gulls that rose in thunderclaps of wings when she came close。 Why birds and not people？ Flies buzzed by； and she could see roaches and beetles scurrying along in the shadows。 A pack of lean dogs； all different colors； loped across the street far ahead of her。 Why dogs？
She pulled herself back to why she was there。 What would be a sign of the Black Ajah？ Or of this danger to Rand； if it existed？ Most of the white buildings were plastered； the plaster chipped and cracked； often showing weathered wood or pale brown brick beneath。 Only the towers and the larger structures … palaces； she supposed … were stone； if still white。 Even the stone had tiny fissures； though； most of it； cracks too minute for the eye to catch； but she could feel them with the Power in her； spiderwebbing domes and towers。 Perhaps that meant something。 Perhaps it meant Tanchico was a city not looked after by its inhabitants。 As likely that as anything else。
She jumped as a shrieking man suddenly plummeted out of the sky in front of her。 She only had time to register baggy white trousers and thick mustaches covered by a transparent veil before he vanished； only a pace above the pavement。 Had he struck； here in Tel'aran'rhiod； he would have been found dead in his bed。
He probably has as much to do with anything as the roaches； she told herself。
Perhaps something inside the buildings。 It was a small chance； a wild hope； but she was desperate enough to try anything。 Almost anything。 Time。 How much time did she have left？ She began running from doorway to doorway； putting her head into shops and inns and houses。
Tables and benches stood in mon rooms awaiting customers； as neatly arranged as the dully gleaming pewter mugs and plates on their shelves。 The shops were as tidy as if the shopkeeper had just opened for the morning； yet while a tailor's tables held bolts of cloth； and a cutler's knives and scissors； the ceiling hooks hung empty in a butcher's shop and the shelves stood bare。 A finger run along anywhere picked up no dust at all； everything was clean enough to suit her mother。
In the narrower streets there were homes； small simple white plastered buildings with flat roofs and no windows onto the street； ready for families to walk in and sit on benches before cold fireplaces or around narrow tables with carved legs where a goodwife's best bowl or platter was given pride of place。 Clothes hung on pegs； pots hung from ceilings； handtools lay on benches； waiting。
On a hunch she retraced her steps once； just to see； back a dozen doors； and peered a second time into what was some woman's home in the real world。 It was almost the way it had been。 Almost。 The red striped bowl that had been on the table was now a narrow blue vase； one of the benches； on it a broken harness and the tools for mending it； that had been near the fireplace now sat by the door holding a darning basket and a child's embroidered dress。
Why did it change！ she wondered。 But for that matter； why should it stay the same？ Light； I don't know anything！
There was a stable across the street； the white plaster showing large patches of brick。 She trotted to it and pulled open one of the big doors。 Straw covered the dirt floor； just as in every stable she had ever seen； but the stalls stood empty。 No horses。 Why？ Something rustled in the straw； and she realized the stalls were not empty after all。 Rats。 Dozens of them； staring at her boldly； noses testing the air for her scent。 None of the rats ran； or even shied away； they behaved as if they had more right there than she。 In spite of herself she stepped back。 Pigeons and gulls and dogs； flies and rats。 Maybe a Wise One would know why。
As suddenly as that she was back in the Waste。
With a scream she fell flat on her back as the hairy boarlike creature darted straight for her； looking as large as a small pony。 Not a pig； she saw as it leaped nimbly over her； the snout was too sharp and full of keen teeth； and it had four toes on each foot。 The thought was calm； but she shuddered as the beast scampered away through the rocks。 It was big enough to have trampled her； breaking bones and worse； those teeth could have ripped and torn as well as any wolf's。 She would have awakened with the wounds。 If she had waked at all。
The gritty rock under her back was a blistering stovetop。 She scrambled to her feet； angry with herself。 If she could not keep her mind on what she was doing； she would acplish nothing。 Tanchico was where she was supposed to be； she had to concentrate on that。 Nothing else。
She stopped brushing at her skirts when she saw the Aiel woman watching her with sharp blue eyes from ten paces off。 The woman was Aviendha's age； no older than herself； but the wisps of hair that stuck out from under her shoufa were so pale as to be almost white。 The spear in her hands was ready to be cast； and at that distance she was not likely to miss。
The Aiel were said to be more than rough with those who entered the Waste without permission。 Egwene knew she could wrap woman and spear in Air； hold them safely； but would the flows keep long enough when she began to fade？ Or would they just anger the woman enough to make her cast her spear the moment she was able； perhaps before Egwene was truly gone？ Much good it would do to take herself back to Tanchico with an Aiel spear through her。 If she tied the flows； that would leave the woman trapped in Tel'aran'rhiod until they were unraveled； h