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ed； shattered hulk of the Sea Folk ship still lay on a mudflat near the harbor mouth。
How long she would manage to keep Sea Folk elsewhere … and the accursed mainlanders … from learning that she held these islands； Suroth did not know。 It will be long enough； she told herself。 It must be long enough。
She had worked something of a miracle in rallying most of the Seanchan forces after the debacle the High Lord Turak had led them to。 All but a handful of the vessels that had escaped from Falme lay under her control； and no one questioned her right to mand the Hailene； the Forerunners。 If her miracle held； no one on the mainland suspected they were here。 Waiting to take back the lands the Empress had sent them to reclaim； waiting to achieve the Corenne； the Return。 Her agents already scouted the way。 There would be no need to return to the Court of the Nine Moons and apologize to the Empress for a failure not even hers。
The thought of having to apologize to the Empress sent a tremor through her。 Such an apology was always humiliating； and usually painful； but what made her shiver was the chance of being denied death at the end； of being forced to continue as if nothing had occurred while everyone； mon as well as the Blood； knew her degradation。 A handsome young serving man sprang to her side； bearing a pale green robe worked in brilliantly plumaged birds…of…delight。 She held her arms out for the garment and noticed him no more than a clod of dirt beside her velvet slipper。
To escape that apology； she must retake what had been lost a thousand years ago。 And to do that； she must deal with this man who； her mainland agents told her； claimed to be the Dragon Reborn。 If I cannot find a way to deal with him； the displeasure of the Empress will be the least of my worries。
Turning smoothly； she entered the long room fronting the terrace； its outer wall all doors and tall windows to catch the breezes。 The pale wood of the walls； smooth and glistening like satin； pleased Suroth； but she had removed the furnishings of the old owner； the former Atha'an Miere governor of Cantorin； and replaced them with a few tall screens； most painted with birds or flowers。 Two were different。 One showed a great spotted cat of the Sen T'jore； as large as a pony； the other a black mountain eagle； crest erect like a pale crown and snowy…tipped wings spread to their full seven feet。 Such screens were considered vulgar； but Suroth liked animals。 Unable to bring her menagerie with her across the Aryth Ocean； she had had the screens made to depict her two favorites。 She had never taken kindly to being balked in anything。
Three women awaited her as she had left them； two kneeling； one lying prostrate on the bare； polished floor； patterned in inlays of light and dark wood。 The kneeling women wore the dark blue dresses of sul'dam； red panels embroidered with forked silver lightning on the breast and on the sides of their skirts。 One of the two； Alwhin； a sharp…faced； blue…eyed woman with a perpetual glower； had the left side of her head shaved。 The rest of her hair hung to her shoulder in a light brown braid。
Suroth's mouth tightened momentarily at the sight of Alwhin。 No sul'dam had ever before been raised to the so'jhin； the hereditary upper servants of the Blood； much less to a Voice of the Blood。 Yet there had been reasons in Alwhin's case。 Alwhin knew too much。
Still； it was to the woman lying facedown； all in plain dark gray； that Suroth directed her attention。 A wide collar of silvery metal encircled the woman's neck； connected by a shining leash to a bracelet of the same material on the wrist of the second sul'dam； Taisa。 By means of leash and collar； the a'dam； Taisa could control the gray…clad woman。 And she had to be controlled。 She was damane； a woman who could channel； and thus too dangerous to be allowed to run loose。 Memories of the Armies of the Night were still strong in Seanchan a thousand years after their destruction。
Suroth's eyes flickered uneasily to the two sul'dam。 She no longer trusted any sul'dam； and yet she had no choice but to trust them。 No one else could control the damane； and without the damane。。。。 The very concept was unthinkable。 The power of Seanchan； the very power of the Crystal Throne； was built on controlled damane。 There were too many things about which Suroth had no choice to suit her。 Such as Alwhin； who watched as if she had been so'jhin all of her life。 No。 As if she were of the Blood itself； and knelt because she chose to。
〃Pura。〃 The damane had had another name when she was one of the hated Aes Sedai； before falling into Seanchan hands； but Suroth neither knew what it had been nor cared。 The gray…clad woman tensed； but did not raise her head； her training had been particularly harsh。 〃I will ask again； Pura。 How does the White Tower control this man who calls himself the Dragon Reborn？〃
The damane moved her head a fraction； enough to shoot a frightened look at Taisa。 If her answer was displeasing； the sul'dam could make her feel pain without raising a finger； by means of the a'dam。 〃The Tower would not try to control the false Dragon； High Lady；〃 Pura said breathily。 〃They would capture him； and gentle him。〃
Taisa looked an indignant question at the High Lady。 The answer had avoided Suroth's query； had perhaps even implied that one of the Blood had spoken untruth。 Suroth gave a slight shake of her head； the merest sideways motion … she had no wish to wait while the damane recovered from punishment … and Taisa bowed her head in acquiescence。
〃Once again； Pura； what do you know of Aes Sedai。。。〃 Suroth's mouth twisted at being defiled with that name； Alwhin gave a grunt of distaste 〃。。。 Aes Sedai aiding this man？ I warn you。 Our soldiers fought women of the Tower； women channeling the Power； at Falme； so do not attempt to deny it。〃
〃Pura。。。。 Pura does not know； High Lady。〃 There was urgency in the damane's voice； and uncertainty； she darted another wide…eyed glance at Taisa。 It was clear that she wanted desperately to be believed。 〃Perhaps。。。。 Perhaps the Amyrlin； or the Hall of the Tower。。。。 No； they would not。 Pura does not know； High Lady。〃
〃The man can channel；〃 Suroth said curtly。 The woman on the floor moaned； though she had heard the same words from Suroth before。 Saying it again made Suroth's stomach knot； but she allowed nothing to show on her face。 Little of what had happened at Falme had been the work of women channeling； damane could sense that； and the sul'dam wearing the bracelet always knew what her damane felt。 That meant it had to have been the work of the man。 It also meant he was incredibly powerful。 So powerful that Suroth had once or twice found herself wondering； growing queasy； whether he might really be the Dragon Reborn。 That cannot be； she told herself firmly。 In any case； it made no difference to her plans。 〃It is impossible to believe that even the White Tower would allow such a man to walk free。 How do they control him？〃
The damane lay there silently； face to the floor； shoulders shaking； weeping。
〃Answer the High Lady！〃 Taisa said sharply。 Taisa did not move； but Pura gasped； flinching as if struck across the hips。 A blow delivered through the a'dam。
〃P…Pura does not kn…know。〃 The damane stretched out a hesitant hand as though to touch Suroth's foot。 〃Please。 Pura has learned to obey。 Pura speaks only the truth。 Please do not punish Pura。〃
Suroth stepped back smoothly； letting none of her irritation show。 That she should be forced to move by a damane。 That she could almost be touched by one who could channel。 She felt a need to bathe； as if the touch had actually landed。
Taisa's dark eyes bulged in outrage at the damane's effrontery； her cheeks were scarlet with shame that this should happen while she wore the woman's bracelet。 She seemed torn between prostrating herself beside the damane to beg forgiveness and punishing the woman then and there。 Alwhin stared a thin…lipped contempt； every line of her face saying that such things did not happen when she wore a bracelet。
Suroth raised one finger a fraction； making a small gesture every so'jhin knew from childhood； a simple dismissal。
Alwhin hesitated before interpreting it； then tried to cover her slip by rounding harshly on Taisa。 〃Take this。。。 creature from the presence of the High Lady Suroth。 And when you have punished her； go to Surela and tell her that you control your charges as if you had never worn the bracelet before。 Tell her that you are to be …〃
Suroth shut Alwhin's voice from her mind。 None of that had been her mand except the dismissal； but quarrels between sul'dam were beneath her notice。 She wished she knew whether Pura was managing to hide something。 Her agents reported claims that the women of the White Tower could not lie。 It had not been possible to force Pura to tell even a simple lie； to say that a white scarf was black； yet that was not enough to be conclusive。 Some might accept the tears of the damane； her protests of inability whatever the sul'dam did； but none who did would have risen to lead the Return。 Pura might have some reservoir of will left； might be clever enough to try using the belief that she was incapable of lying。 None of the women collared on the mainland were fully obedient； trustworthy； not like the damane brought from Seanchan。 None of them truly accepted what they were； as Seanchan damane did。 Who could say what secrets might hide in one who had called herself Aes Sedai？
Not for the first time Suroth wished she had the other Aes Sedai who had been captured on Toman Head。 With two to question； there would have been a better chance to catch lies and evasions。 It was a useless wish。 The other could be dead； drowned at sea； or on display at the Court of the Nine Moons。 Some of the ships Suroth had failed to gather in must have managed the journey back across the ocean； and one might well have carried the woman。
She herself had sent a ship carrying carefully crafted reports； nearly half a year ago now； as soon as she had solidified her control of the Forerunners； with a captain and crew from families that had served hers since Luthair Paendrag had proclaimed himself Emperor； nearly a thousand years ago。 Dispatching the ship had been a gamble； for the Empress might send back someone to take Suroth's place。 Not sending the vessel would have been a greater； though； only utter and crushing victory could have saved her then。 Perhaps not even that。 So the Empress knew of Falme； knew of Turak's disaster and Suroth's intention to go on。 But what did she think of that knowledge； and what was she doing about it？ That was a greater concern than any damane； whatever she had been before collaring。
Yet the Empress did not know everything。 The worst could not be entrusted to any messenger； no matter how loyal。 It would only be passed from Suroth's lips directly to the ear of the Empress； and Suroth had taken pains to keep it so。 Only four still lived who knew the secret； and two of those would never speak of it to anyone； not of their own volition。 Only three deaths can hold it more tightly。
Suroth did not realize she had murmured the last aloud until Alwhin said； 〃And yet the High Lady needs all three alive。〃 The woman had a properly humble suppleness to her stance； even to the trick of downcast eyes that still managed to watch for any sign from Suroth。 Her voice was humble； too。 〃Who can say； High Lady； what the Empress … may she live forever！ … might do if she learned of an attempt to keep such knowledge from her？〃
Instead of answering； Suroth made the tiny dismissing gesture once more。 Again Alwhin hesitated … this time it had to be simple reluctance to leave； the woman rose above herself！ … before bowing deeply and backing out of Suroth's presence。
With an effort Suroth found calmness。 The sul'dam and the other two were a problem she could not solve now； but patience was a necessity for the Blood。 Those who lacked it were likely to end in the Tower of Ravens。
On the terrace； kneeling servants leaned forward a hair in readiness as she appeared again。 The soldiers maintained their watch to see she was undisturbed。 Suroth took up her place before the balustrade； this time staring out to sea； toward the mainland hundreds of miles to the east。
To be the one who successfully led the F