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aeve and Elayne。 When she scurried away； out of the room in fact； the three women stood slowly； standing like grim magistrates pronouncing sentence。
〃I regret that you will not accept our help；〃 Mistress Corly said coldly。 〃I regret this whole affair。〃 Reaching into her pouch； she pressed three silver marks into Nynaeve's hand and another three into Elayne's。 〃These will take you a little way。 You can also get something for those dresses； I should think； if not what you paid。 Those are hardly suitable garments for a journey。 By tomorrow sunrise； you will be gone from Ebou Dar。〃
〃We aren't going anywhere；〃 Nynaeve told her。 〃Please； if you know … 〃 She might as well have kept silent。 The measured flow of words did not slow。
〃At that time we will begin circulating your descriptions； and we will make certain they reach the sisters in the Tarasin Palace。 If you are seen after sunrise； we will see that the sisters know where you are； and the Whitecloaks as well。 Your choice then will be to run； surrender to the sisters； or die。 Go； do not return； and you should live long if you give over this repulsive and dangerous ruse。 We are done with you。 Berowin； see to them； please。〃 Brushing between them； she went from the room without looking back。
Sullenly； Nynaeve let herself be herded down to the front door。 A struggle would not achieve anything except maybe being thrown out bodily； but she did not like giving up。 Light； she did not！ Elayne marched； frozen determination to leave and be done shining in every line of her。
In the small entry hall； Nynaeve decided to try once more。 〃Please； Garenia； Berowin； if you have any hint； tell us。 Any clue at all。 You must see how important this is。 You must！〃
〃'The blindest are those who keep their eyes shut；'〃 Elayne quoted； not quite under her breath。
Berowin hesitated； but not Garenia。 She put her face right in Nynaeve's。 〃Do you think we're fools； girl？ I'll tell you this。 If I had my way； we would bundle you out to the farm no matter what you say。 A few months of Alise's attentions； and you'd learn to guard your tongue and be grateful for the help you spit on。〃 Nynaeve considered hitting her on the nose； she did not need saidar to use her fist。
〃Garenia；〃 Berowin said sharply。 〃Apologize！ We do not hold anyone against her will； and you know it well。 Apologize immediately！〃
And wonder of wonders； the woman who would have stood very close to the top had she been Aes Sedai looked sideways at the woman who would have stood near the bottom； and blushed crimson。 〃I ask forgiveness；〃 Garenia mumbled at Nynaeve。 〃My temper gets the better of me sometimes； and I say what I have no right to。 I humbly ask forgiveness。〃 Another sidelong glance at Berowin； who nodded； producing a sigh of open relief。
While Nynaeve was still gaping； the shields were released； and she and Elayne were pushed into the street； the door slamming shut behind them。
Chapter 24
（Flame of Tar Valon）
The Kin
Incredible； Reanne thought； watching from a window as the two strange girls vanished down the street among the tradesmen and beggars and occasional sedan chairs。 She had returned to the meeting room as soon as the pair was escorted from it。 She did not know what to make of them； and their persistent claims in the face of all reason were only part of her confusion。
〃They did not perspire；〃 Berowin whispered at her shoulder。
〃Yes？〃 She would have arranged for the news to reach the Tarasin Place in the next hour if she had not given her word。 And if not for the danger。 Fear bubbled in her middle； the same panic that had overtaken her after one passage through the silver arches when she went to test for Accepted。 Just as she had every time it had stirred in the years since； she took a fresh grip on herself； in truth； she did not realize that the fear she might run screaming again had long since conquered any possibility that she would。 She prayed that those girls would abandon their insanity。 She prayed that if they did not； they were caught far from Ebou Dar and either kept silent or were not believed。 Precautions would have to be taken； safeguards carried out that had not been used in years。 Aes Sedai were as near omnipotent as made no difference； though。 That； she knew in her bones。
〃Eldest； could it be possible that the older of the two really is。。。？ We channeled； and。。。 〃
Berowin trailed off miserably； but Reanne did not need to consider； not even setting aside the younger girl。 Why would any Aes Sedai pretend to be less； so much less？ Besides； any real Aes Sedai would have put them all on their knees begging mercy； not stood there so submissively。
〃We did not channel in front of an Aes Sedai；〃 she said firmly。 〃We broke no rule。〃 Those rules applied to her as strictly as anyone else； the very first was that they were all one； even those set above for a time。 How could it have been otherwise； when those who were above must eventually step down？ Only through movement and change could they remain hidden。
〃But some of the rumors do mention a girl as Amyrlin； Eldest。 And she knew … 〃
〃Rebels。〃 Reanne put into that all the outraged disbelief she felt。 That anyone should dare to rebel against the White Tower！ It was hardly strange for unbelievable tales to attach to anyone like that。
〃What about Logain； and the Red Ajah？〃 Garenia demanded； and Reanne fixed her with a stare。 The woman had gotten herself another cup of tea before ing back up； and she managed to sip defiantly。
〃Whatever the truth； Garenia； it is not our place to criticize anything Aes Sedai might do。〃 Reanne's mouth tightened。 That hardly squared with what she felt toward the rebels； but how could any Aes Sedai do such a thing？
The Saldaean bent her neck in acquiescence； though； and perhaps to hide the sullen twist of her mouth。 Reanne sighed。 She herself had given up dreams of the Green Ajah long long ago； but there were those like Berowin who believed； secretly they thought； that somehow they might one day return to the White Tower； somehow yet bee Aes Sedai。 And then there were women like Garenia； almost as poor at keeping their wishes secret； though those wishes were ten times as forbidden。 They actually would have accepted wilders； and even gone out to find girls who could be taught！
Garenia was not done； she always skirted the edges of discipline； and frequently stepped over。 〃What of this Setalle Anan； then？ Those girls know about the Circle。 The Anan woman must have told them； though how she knows。。。 〃 She shuddered in a way that would have been entirely too ostentatious for most others； but she had never been able to conceal her emotions。 Even when she should。 〃Whoever betrayed us to her must be found； and her betrayal punished too。 She's an innkeeper； and she must be taught to guard her tongue！〃 Berowin gasped； wide…eyed with shock； and dropped into a chair so hard she nearly bounced。
〃Remember who she is； Garenia；〃 Reanne said sharply。 〃If Setalle had betrayed us； we would be crawling to Tar Valon； begging forgiveness the whole way。〃 When she first came to Ebou Dar； she had been told the story of a woman made to crawl to the White Tower； and nothing she had seen since of Aes Sedai made her question it in the least。 〃She has kept the few secrets she knows from gratitude； and I doubt that has faded。 She would have died in her first childbirth if the Kin had not helped her。 What she knows es from careless tongues； when it was thought she could not hear； and the owners of those tongues were punished more than twenty years ago。〃 Still； she wished there was some way she could bring herself to ask Setalle to be more circumspect。 She must have spoken carelessly in front of those girls。
The woman bowed her head again； but her mouth was set stubbornly。 At least part of this turn； Reanne decided； Garenia would spend at the retreat； and she would have special instructions to relay with her own stubborn mouth。 Alise seldom required more than a week to make a woman decide stubbornness did not pay。
Before she could inform Garenia； though； Derys was curtsying in the doorway； announcing Sarainya Vostovan。 As usual； Sarainya swept right in before Reanne could say to admit her。 In some ways； the strikingly handsome woman made Garenia appear supple； despite keeping the form of every rule exactly。 Reanne was sure she would have worn her hair in braids and bells given the choice； and never mind how that would have looked with her red belt。 But then； given the choice she would not have served even one turn with the belt。
Sarainya did curtsy at the door； of course； and kneel before her； head lowered； but fifty years had not made her forget that she would have been a woman of considerable power had she been able to make herself return home to Arafel。 Curtsy and the rest all were concessions。 When she spoke； in that husky； forceful voice； whether the woman would ever reconcile herself and the problem of Garenia left Reanne's mind！
〃Callie is dead； Eldest Sister。 Her throat was cut and she apparently had been robbed even of her stockings； but Sumeko says that it was the One Power killed her。〃
〃That is impossible！〃 Berowin burst out。 〃No Kinswoman would do such a thing！〃
〃An Aes Sedai？〃 Garenia said； hesitant for once。 〃But how？ The Three Oaths。 Sumeko must be wrong。〃
Reanne raised a hand for silence。 Sumeko was never wrong； not in this area。 She would have been Yellow Ajah had she not broken down pletely while testing for the shawl； and although it was forbidden； despite countless penances； she worked to learn more whenever she thought no one was watching。 No Aes Sedai could have done this； obviously； and no Kinswoman would have； but。。。 Those girls； so insistent； knowing what they should not。 The Circle had lasted too long； offered succor to too many women； to be destroyed now。
〃This is what must be done；〃 she told them。 That flutter of fear began again； but for once she hardly noticed。
Nynaeve stalked away from the small house in outrage。 It was incredible！ Those women did have a guild； she knew they did！ Whatever they said； she was sure they knew where the Bowl was； too。 She would have done whatever was necessary to bring them to tell her。 Pretending docility before them for a few hours would have been a deal easier than putting up with Mat Cauthon for the Light knew how many days。
I could have been as acquiescent as they wanted； she thought irritably。 They'd have thought I was a pliable old slipper！ I could have。。。 That was a lie； and it did not take a foul； remembered taste to convince her。 Given half a chance； she would have shaken every one of those women till they told her what she wanted to know。 She would have given them Aes Sedai till they squeaked！
She scowled sideways at Elayne。 The other woman seemed lost in thought。 Nynaeve wished she did not know what the woman was thinking about。 A wasted morning； and not far short of plete humiliation。 She did not like being in the wrong。 She was not yet used to admitting she was； really。 And now she was going to have to apologize to Elayne。 She truly hated apologizing。 Well； it would be bad enough back in their rooms。 With Birgitte and Aviendha still out； it was to be hoped。 She was not about to begin in the street； with who knew who streaming by。 The throng had thickened； though the sun hardly seemed much higher through the wheeling clouds of seabirds that cried overhead。
Finding their way was not easy； after all those twists and turns。 Nynaeve had to ask directions half a dozen times； while Elayne stared in another direction； pretending indifference。 She stalked along across bridges； ducked around wagons and carts； jumped out of the way of racing sedan chairs that wove through the crowds； wished Elayne would say something。 Nynaeve knew how to nurse a grudge； and the longer she herself kept silent； the worse it was when she spoke； so the longer Elayne walked without speaking； the darker became the image in her mind of how it was going to be back in their rooms。 That made her furious。 She had admitted she was wrong； if only to herself。 Elayne had no right to make her suffer this way