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wrist and the placement of a lace fan？ Light shine on me； what am I thinking？ I swore I would never even hold a fan again！ But there were other Saldaean customs。 She was surprised to see the knife in her hand； she had been taught not to draw a knife unless she meant to use it。 〃Farm girls in Saldaea have a way of dealing with women who poach others' men。 If you do not swear to forget Perrin Aybara； I will shave your head as bald as an egg。 Perhaps the boys who tend the chickens will pant after you； then！〃
She was not sure exactly how Berelain gripped her wrist； but suddenly she was flying through the air。 The floor crashing into her back drove all the air from her lungs。
Berelain stood smiling； tapping the blade of Faile's knife on her palm。 〃A custom of Mayene。 The Tairens do like to use assassins； and the guards cannot always be close at hand。 I despise being attacked； farmgirl； so this is what I will do。 I will take the blacksmith away from you and keep him as a pet for as long as he amuses me。 Ogier's oath on it； farmgirl。 He is quite ravishing； really … those shoulders； those arms； not to mention those eyes of his … and if he is a bit uncultured； I can have that remedied。 My courtiers can teach him how to dress； and rid him of that awful beard。 Wherever he goes； I will find him and make him mine。 You can have him when I am finished。 If he still wants you； of course。〃
Finally managing to draw a breath； Faile struggled to her feet； pulling a second knife。 〃I will drag you to him； after I cut off those clothes you are almost wearing； and make you tell him you are nothing but a sow！〃 Light help me； I am behaving like a farmgirl； and talking like one！ The worst part was that she meant it。
Berelain set herself warily。 She meant to use her hands； obviously； not the knife。 She held it like a fan。 Faile advanced on the balls of her feet。
Suddenly Rhuarc was there between them； towering over them； snatching the knives away before either woman was really aware of him。 〃Have you not seen enough blood already tonight〃 he said coldly。 〃Of all those I thought I might find breaking the peace； the two of you would be the last named。〃
Faile gaped at him。 With no warning； she pivoted； driving her fist toward Rhuarc's short ribs。 The toughest man would feel it there。
He seemed to move without looking at her； caught her hand； forced her arm straight to her side； twisted。 Abruptly she was standing very straight and hoping he did not push her arm right up out of her shoulder。
As if nothing had happened； he addressed Berelain。 〃You will go to your room； and you will not e out until the sun is above the horizon。 I will see that no breakfast is brought to you。 A little hunger will remind you that there is a time and place for fighting。〃
Berelain drew herself up indignantly。 〃I am the First of Mayene。 I will not be ordered about like …〃
〃You will go to your rooms。 Now；〃 Rhuarc told her flatly。 Faile wondered if she could kick him； she must have tensed； because as soon as she thought of it； he increased the pressure on her wrist； and she was up on her tiptoes。 〃If you do not；〃 he went on to Berelain； 〃we will repeat our first talk together； you and I。 Right here。〃
Berelain's face went white and red by turns。 〃Very well；〃 she said stiffly。 〃If you insist； I will perhaps …〃
〃I did not propose a discussion。 If I can still see you when I have counted three。。。 One。〃
With a gasp； Berelain hiked her skirts and ran。 She even managed to sway doing that。
Faile stared after her in amazement。 It was almost worth having her arm nearly disjointed。 Rhuarc was watching Berelain go； too； a small appreciative smile on his lips。
〃Do you mean to hold me all night？〃 she demanded。 He released her … and tucked her knives into his belt。 〃Those are mine！〃
〃Forfeit；〃 he said。 〃Berelain's punishment for fighting was to have you see her sent to bed like a willful child。 Yours is to lose these knives you prize。 I know you have others。 If you argue； I might take those； too。 I will not have the peace broken。〃
She glared at him； but she suspected he meant just what he said。 Those knives had been made for her by a man who knew what he was doing； the balance was just right。 〃What 'first talk' did you have with her？ Why did she run like that？〃
〃That is between her and me。 You will not go near her again； Faile。 I do not believe she started this； that one's weapons are not knives。 If either of you makes trouble again； I will put both of you to carrying offal。 Some of the Tairens thought they could keep on fighting their duels after I had declared peace on this place； but the smell of the refuse carts soon taught them their mistake。 Be sure you do not have to learn it the same way。〃
She waited until he had gone before nursing her shoulder。 He reminded her of her father。 Not that her father had ever twisted her arm； but he had small patience with those who made trouble； whatever their position； and no one ever caught him by surprise。 She wondered if she could bait Berelain into something； just to see the First of Mayene sweating among the refuse carts。 But Rhuarc had said both of them。 Her father meant what he said； too。 Berelain。 Something Berelain had said was tickling the back of her mind。 Ogier's oath。 That was it。 An Ogier never broke an oath。 To say 〃Ogier oathbreaker〃 was like saying 〃brave coward；〃 or 〃wise fool。〃
She could not help laughing aloud。 〃You will take him from me； you silly peahen？ By the time you see him again； if you ever do； he'll be mine once more。〃 Chuckling to herself； and occasionally rubbing her shoulder； she walked on with a light heart。
Chapter 15
（Dice）
Into the Doorway
Holding the glass…mantled lamp high； Mat peered down the narrow corridor； deep in the belly of the Stone。 Not unless my life depended on it。 That's what I promised。 Well； burn me if it doesn't！
Before doubt could seize him again； he hurried on； past doors dry…rotted and hanging aslant； past others only shreds of wood clinging to rusted hinges。 The floor had been swept recently； but the air still smelled of old dust and mold。 Something skittered in the darkness； and he had a knife out before he realized it was just a rat； running from him； no doubt running toward some escape hole it knew。
〃Show me the way out；〃 he whispered after it； 〃and I'll e with you。〃 Why am I whispering？ There's nobody down here to hear me。 It seemed a place for quiet； though。 He could feel the whole weight of the Stone over his head； pressing down。
The last door； she had said。 That one hung askew； too。 He kicked it open； and it fell apart。 The room was littered with dim shapes； with crates and barrels and things stacked high against the walls and out into the floor。 Dust； too。 The Great Hold！ It looks like the basement of an abandoned farmhouse； only worse。 He was surprised that Egwene and Nynaeve had not dusted and tidied while they were down here。 Women were always dusting and straightening； even things that did not need it。 Footprints crisscrossed the floor； some of them from boots； but no doubt they had had men to shift the heavier items about for them。 Nynaeve liked finding ways to make a man work； likely she had deliberately hunted out some fellows enjoying themselves。 。
What he sought stood out among the jumble。 A tall redstone doorframe； looming oddly in the shadows cast by his lamp。 When he came closer； it still looked odd。 Twisted； somehow。 His eye did not want to follow it around； the corners did not join right。 The tall hollow rectangle seemed likely to fall over at a breath； but when he gave it an experimental push； it stood steady。 He pushed a bit harder； not sure he did not want to heave the thing over； and that side of it scraped through the dust。 Goose bumps ran down his arms。 There might as well have been a wire fastened to the top； suspending it from the ceiling。 He held the lamp up to see。 There was no wire。 At least it won't topple while I'm inside。 Light； I am going inside； aren't I？
A clutter of figurines and small things wrapped in rotting cloth occupied the top of a tall； upended barrel near him。 He pushed the jumble to one side so he could set the lamp there； and studied the doorway。 The ter'angreal。 If Egwene knew what she was talking about。 She probably did； no doubt she had learned all sorts of strange things in the Tower； however much she denied。 She would deny things； wouldn't she now。 Learning to be Aes Sedai。 She didn't deny this though； now did she？ If he squinted； it just looked like a stone doorframe； dully polished and the duller for dust。 Just a plain doorframe。 Well； not entirely plain。 Three sinuous lines carved deep in the stone ran down each upright from top to bottom。 He had seen fancier on farmhouses。 He would probably step through and find himself still in this dusty room。
Won't know till I try； will I？ Luck！ Taking a deep breath … and coughing from the dust … he put his foot through。
He seemed to be stepping through a sheet of brilliant white light； infinitely bright； infinitely thick。 For a moment that lasted forever； he was blind； a roaring filled his ears； all the sounds of the world gathered together at once。 For just the length of one measureless step。
Stumbling another pace； he stared around in amazement。 The ter'angreal was still there； but this was certainly not where he had started。 The twisted stone doorframe stood in the center of a round hall with a ceiling so high it was lost in shadows； surrounded by strange spiraled yellow columns snaking up into the gloom； like huge vines twining 'round poles that had been taken away。 A soft light came from glowing spheres atop coiled stands of some white metal。 Not silver； the shine was too dull for that。 And no hint of what made the glow； it did not look like flame； the spheres simply shone。 The floor tiles spiraled out in white and yellow stripes from the ter'angreal。 There was a heavy scent in the air； sharp and dry and not particularly pleasant。 He almost turned around and went back on the spot。
〃A long time。〃
He jumped； a knife conning into his hand； and peered among the columns for the source of the breathy voice that pronounced those words so harshly。
〃A long time； yet the seekers e again for answers。 The questioners e once more。〃 A shape moved； back among the columns； a man； Mat thought。 〃Good。 You have brought no lamps； no torches； as the agreement was； and is； and ever will be。 You have no iron？ No instruments of music？〃
The figure stepped out； tall； barefoot； arms and legs and body wound about in layers of yellow cloth； and Mat was suddenly not so sure if it was a man。 Or human。 It looked human； at first glance； though perhaps too graceful； but it seemed far too thin for its height； with a narrow； elongated face。 Its skin； and even its straight black hair； caught the pale light in a way that reminded him of a snake's scales。 And those eyes； the pupils just black； vertical slits。 No； not human。
〃Iron。 Instruments of music。 You have none？〃
Mat wondered what it thought the knife was； it certainly did not seem concerned over it。 Well； the blade was good steel； not iron。 〃No。 No iron； and no instruments of … Why …？〃 He cut off sharply。 Three questions； Egwene had said。 He was not about to waste one on 〃iron〃 or 〃instruments of music。〃 Why should he care if I have a dozen musicians in my pocket and a smithy on my back？ 〃I have e here for true answers。 If you are not the one to give them； take me to who can。〃
The man … it was male at least； Mat decided … smiled slightly。 He did not show any teeth。 〃According to the agreement。 e。〃 He beckoned with one long…fingered hand。 〃Follow。〃
Mat made the knife disappear up his sleeve。 〃Lead； and I will follow。〃 Just you keep ahead of me and in plain sight。 This place makes my skin crawl。
There was not a straight line to be seen anywhere except for the floor itself； as he trailed the strange man。 Even the ceiling was always arched； and the walls bowed out。 The halls were continuously curved； the doorways rounded； the windows perfect circles。 Tilework made spirals and sinuous lines； and what seemed t