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ould anyone with half their wits believe these two were Aes Sedai？ Spent all their coin on dresses to impress the man； and now they'd starve unless they smile for him。 Aes Sedai！〃 Giving Enid no chance to answer； she seized Nynaeve's ear with her right hand； Elayne's with her left； and in three quick steps had them out into the stableyard。
That was as long as Nynaeve's shock held。 Then she pulled free； or tried to； because the woman let go at the same instant and she stumbled half a dozen paces； glaring indignantly。 She had not bargained for being dragged about。 Elayne's chin rose； her blue eyes so cold Nynaeve would not have been surprised to see frost forming in her curls。
Hands on hips； Mistress Anan seemed not to notice。 Or perhaps she simply did not care。 〃I can hope no one in there believes Caira after that；〃 she said calmly。 〃If I could have been sure you had the wits to keep your mouths shut； I'd have said and done more； and made certain。〃 She was calm； but not at all pleasant or soft； they had troubled her morning。 〃Now follow me and don't get lost。 Or if you do； do not show your faces anywhere near my inn again； or I'll send somebody to the palace to tell Merilille and Teslyn。 They are two of the real sisters； and they'll probably rip you each down the middle and share you out。〃
Elayne shifted her gaze from the innkeeper to Nynaeve。 Not a glare； or a frown； yet a very meaning look just the same。 Nynaeve wondered whether she was going to be able to go through with this。 The thought of Mat convinced her； any chance was better than that。
〃We won't lose ourselves； Mistress Anan；〃 she said； striving for meekness。 She thought she did fairly well； considering how foreign meekness was to her。 〃Thank you for helping us。〃 Smiling at the innkeeper； she did her best to ignore Elayne； whose stare became more meaningful； hard as that was to credit。 Looks or no looks； she had to make sure the woman continued to think them worth the trouble。 〃We are truly grateful； Mistress Anan。〃
Mistress Anan eyed her askance； then sniffed and shook her head。 When this was done； Nynaeve decided； she was going to drag the innkeeper to the palace； if need be； and make the other sisters acknowledge her in Mistress Anan's presence。
This early； the stableyard was empty save for a lone boy of ten or twelve with a bucket and a sieve who sprinkled water to dampen the hard…packed ground against dust。 The white plastered stable's doors were wide open； and a barrow sat in front with a dung…fork resting across it。 Sounds like a huge frog being stepped on floated out； Nynaeve decided it was a man singing。 Would they have to ride to reach their destination？ Even a short journey would not be pleasant； walking only across the square and meaning to be back before the sun rose very high； they had brought neither hats nor parasols nor hooded cloaks。
Mistress Anan led them through the stableyard； however； down a narrow alleyway between the stable and a high wall that had drought…bedraggled trees poking above the top。 Someone's garden； no doubt。 A small gate at the end let into a dusty alley so cramped dawn had not pletely reached it yet。
〃You children keep up now； mind you；〃 the innkeeper told them； starting away down the dim alley。 〃You lose yourselves； and I vow I'll go to the palace myself。〃
Nynaeve took a grip on her braid with both hands as she followed； to keep them from the Anan woman's throat。 How she yearned for her first gray hairs。 First the other Aes Sedai； then the Sea Folk … Light； she did not want to think about them！ … and now an innkeeper！ No one took you seriously until you had at least a little gray； even an Aes Sedai's ageless face could not possibly do as well in her estimation。
Elayne was lifting her skirts out of the dust； though their slippers still kicked up little puffs that settled on the hems of their dresses。 〃Let me see；〃 Elayne said softly； looking straight ahead。 Softly； but coolly。 Very coolly； in fact。 She had a way of slashing someone to tatters without letting her tone heat that Nynaeve admired。 Usually。 Now； it just made her want to box the other woman's ears。 〃We could be back in the palace drinking blueberry tea and enjoying the breezes while we waited for Master Cauthon to move his belongings。 Perhaps Aviendha and Birgitte might return with something useful。 We could finally be settling exactly what to do with the man。 Do we simply follow him along the streets of the Rahad and see what happens； or take him into buildings that look likely； or let him choose？ There must be a hundred worthwhile uses for this morning； including deciding whether it's safe to go back to Egwene … ever … after that bargain the Sea Folk wrung out of us。 We have to talk about that sooner or later； ignoring it won't help。 Instead； we are off on a walk of who knows what length； squinting into the sun the whole way if we keep on as we are； to visit women who feed runaways from the Tower。 Myself； I don't have much interest in catching runaways this morning or any morning。 But I'm sure you can explain it so I will understand。 I do so want to understand； Nynaeve。 I would hate to think I'm going to kick you the length of the Mol Hara for nothing。〃
Nynaeve's eyebrows drew down。 Kick her？ Elayne really was being violent； spending so much time with Aviendha。 Someone ought to slap some sense into that pair。 〃The sun isn't high enough to make us squint yet；〃 she muttered。 It would be soon； unfortunately。 〃Think； Elayne。 Fifty women who can channel； helping wilders and women put out of the Tower。〃 She felt guilty sometimes； using the term wilders； in the mouths of most Aes Sedai； it was an insult； but she intended to make them speak it as a badge of pride one day。 〃And she called them 'the Circle。' That doesn't sound like a few friends to me。 It sounds organized。〃 The alley meandered between high walls and the backs of buildings； many showing bare brick through the plaster； between palace gardens and shops where an open back door revealed silversmiths or tailors or wood…carvers at work。 Every so often Mistress Anan looked over her shoulder to make sure they still followed。 Nynaeve gave her smiles and nods she hoped would convey eagerness。
〃Nynaeve； if two women who could channel made a society； the Tower would fall on them like a pack of wolves。 How would Mistress Anan know whether they can or not； anyway？ Women who can and aren't Aes Sedai do not go about making a show of themselves； you know。 Not for very long； anyway。 In any case； I can't see it makes a difference。 Egwene might want to bring every woman who can channel into the Tower somehow； but that is not what we are about here。〃 The frosty patience in Elayne's voice tightened Nynaeve's hands on her braid。 How could the woman be so dense？ She bared her teeth again for Mistress Anan； and managed not to scowl at the innkeeper's back when her head turned forward once more。
〃Fifty women isn't two；〃 Nynaeve whispered fiercely。 They could channel； they must be able to； everything hinged on that。 〃It's beyond reason that this Circle can be in the same city with a storeroom packed full of angreal and such without at least knowing of it。 And if they do。。。 〃 She could not keep satisfaction from honeying her voice。 〃。。。 we'll have found the Bowl without Master Matrim Cauthon。 We can forget those absurd promises。〃
〃They were not a bribe； Nynaeve；〃 Elayne said absently。 〃I will keep them； and so will you； if you have any honor； and I know you do。〃 She was spending entirely too much time with Aviendha。 Nynaeve wished she knew why Elayne had begun thinking they all had to follow this preposterous Aiel ji…whatever…it…was。
Elayne bit her underlip； frowning。 All that iciness seemed to have vanished； she was herself again； apparently。 Finally she said； 〃We would never have gone to the inn without Master Cauthon； so we'd never have met the remarkable Mistress Anan or been taken to this Circle。 So if the Circle does lead us to the Bowl； we have to say he was the root cause。〃
Mat Cauthon； his name boiled in her head。 Nynaeve stumbled over her own feet and let go of her braid to lift her skirts。 The alley was hardly as smooth as a paved square much less a palace floor。 At times； Elayne in a taking was better than Elayne thinking clearly。 〃Remarkable；〃 she muttered。 〃I'll 'remarkable' her till her eyes cross。 No one has ever treated us this way； Elayne； not even people who doubted； not even the Sea Folk。 Most people would step wary if a ten…year…old said she was Aes Sedai。〃
〃Most people don't really know what an Aes Sedai's face looks like； Nynaeve。 I think she went to the Tower once； she knows things she couldn't； otherwise。〃
Nynaeve snorted； glowering at the back of the woman striding ahead。 Setalle Anan might have been to the Tower ten times； a hundred； but she was going to acknowledge Nynaeve al'Meara as Aes Sedai。 And apologize。 And learn what it was like to be hauled about by her ear； too！ Mistress Anan glanced back； and Nynaeve flashed her a rigid smile； nodded as if her neck 。was a hinge。 〃Elayne？ If these women do know where the Bowl is。。。 We don't have to tell Mat how we found it〃 That was not quite a question。
〃I do not see why；〃 Elayne replied； then dashed all her hopes by adding； 〃But I'll have to ask Aviendha to be sure。〃
If she had not thought the Anan woman might abandon them on the spot； Nynaeve would have screamed。
The wandering alley gave way to a street； and there was no talking then to amount to anything。 The sun's thin rim glared blindingly above the rooftops ahead； Elayne shaded her eyes with one hand very ostentatiously。 Nynaeve refused to。 It was not that bad。 She barely had to squint at all； really。 A clear blue sky mocked her weather sense； that still told her a storm was right on top of the city。
Even this early a few brightly lacquered coaches were about in the winding streets； and a double fistful of brighter sedan chairs； two or sometimes four barefoot bearers in green…and…red striped vests to each； trotting because they carried passengers hidden behind the grilled wooden screens。 Carts and wagons rumbled over the paving stones； and people began to fill the streets as shop doors opened and awnings went up； vested apprentices hurrying on errands and men with great rolled carpets balanced on their shoulders； tumblers and jugglers and musicians readying themselves at likely corners and hawkers with their trays of pins or ribbons or shabby fruit。 The open…sided fish…and meat…markets had long since been in full cry； all the fishmongers were women； and most of the butchers； too； except those dealing in beef。
Dodging through the crowds； past the coaches and sedan chairs and wagons that seemed to think they had no reason to slow； Mistress Anan set a fast pace to make up for interruptions。 There were plenty of those。 She seemed to be a well…known woman； hailed by shopkeepers and craftsmen and other innkeepers standing in their doorways。 The shopkeepers and craftsmen received a few words； a pleasant nod； but she always stopped to chat a moment with the innkeepers。 After the first； Nynaeve wished fervently that she would not again； after the second； she prayed for it。 After the third she stared straight ahead and tried in vain not to hear。 Elayne's face grew tighter and tighter； colder and colder； her chin rose till it was a wonder she could see to walk。
There was a reason； Nynaeve had to admit grudgingly。 In Ebou Dar； someone wearing silk might stroll the length of a square； maybe； but no further。 Everybody else in sight wore wool or linen； seldom with much embroidery； except for an occasional beggar who had acquired a cast…off silk garment； frayed on every edge and more hole than cloth。 She just wished Mistress Anan had chosen some other explanation for why she was leading the pair of them through the streets。 She wished she did not have to listen one more time to a tale of two flighty girls who had spent all their money on fine clothes to impress a man。 Mat came out of it well； burn him。 A fine young fellow； if Mistress Anan had not been married； a beautiful dancer with just a touch of the rogue。 All of the women laughed。 Not her or Elayne； though。 Not the brainless litt