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lted out of his dark study。 Once again； Dashiva's response was to laugh； mirthlessly this time。
Nodding； Rand took up the Dragon Scepter。 After all； he carried it for remembrance。 The Seanchan danced to their own tune； not the song he wished for。
If Rand received the announcement in silence； Torval did not。 Finding his sneer； he raised a contemptuous eyebrow。 〃Did they tell you all that； now？〃 he said mockingly。 〃Or have you learned to read minds？ Let me tell you something； boy。 I have fought； against Amadicians and Domani both； and no army takes a city then packs itself up to march a thousand miles！ More than a thousand miles！ Or do you think they can Travel？〃
Morr met Torval's derision calmly。 Or if it unsettled him at all； the only sign he gave was running a thumb down his long sword hilt。 〃I did talk to some of them。 Most were Taraboners； and more landing by ship every day； or near enough。〃 Shouldering past Torval to the table； he favored the Taraboner with a level look。 〃All stepping right quick whenever anybody with a slurring way of speech opened a mouth。〃 The older man opened his； angrily； but the younger pressed on hurriedly； to Rand。 〃They're putting soldiers all along the Venir Mountains。 Five hundred； sometimes a thousand together。 All the way to Arran Head already。 And they're buying or taking every wagon and cart within twenty leagues of Ebou Dar； and the animals to draw them。〃
〃Carts！〃 Torval exclaimed。 〃Wagons！ Is it that they mean to hold a market fair； do you think？ And what fool would march an army through mountains when there are perfectly good roads？〃 He noticed Rand watching him； and cut off with a small frown； suddenly uncertain。
〃I told you to stay low； Morr。〃 Rand let anger touch his voice。 The young Asha'man had to step back as he jumped down from the table。 〃Not to go asking the Seanchan their plans。 To look and stay low。〃
〃I was careful； I didn't wear my pins。〃 Morr's eyes did not change for Rand； still hunter and hunted in one。 He seemed to be boiling inside。 Had Rand not known better； he would have thought Morr held the Power； struggling to survive saidin even as it gave him life ten times over。 His face seemed to want to sweat。 〃If any of the men I talked to knew where they're going next； they didn't say； and I didn't ask； but they were willing to plain over a mug of ale about marching all the time and never standing still。 In Ebou Dar； they were soaking up all the ale in the city as fast as they could； because they say they have to march again。 And they're gathering wagons； just like I said。〃 That all came out in a rush； and he clamped his teeth at the end as though to trap more words that wanted to fly from his tongue。
Smiling suddenly； Rand clapped him on the shoulder。 〃You did well。 The wagons would have been enough； but you did well。 Wagons are important；〃 he added； turning to Torval。 〃If an army feeds off the country； it eats what it finds。 Or not； if it doesn't。〃 Torval had not flickered an eyelid at hearing of Seanchan in Ebou Dar。 If that tale had reached the Black Tower； why had Taim not mentioned it？ Rand hoped his smile did not look a snarl。 〃It's harder to arrange supply trains； but when you have one you know there's fodder for the animals and beans for the men。 The Seanchan organize everything。〃
Sorting through the maps； he found the one he wanted and spread it out； weighted at one side with his sword and at the other with the Dragon Scepter。 The coast between Illian and Ebou Dar stared up at him； rimmed for most of its length by hills and mountains； dotted with fishing villages and small towns。 The Seanchan did organize。 Ebou Dar had been theirs barely more than a week； but the merchants' eyes…and…ears wrote of repairs well under way on the damage done to the city in its taking； of clean sickhouses set up for the ill； of food and work arranged for the poor and those driven from their homes by troubles inland。 The streets and the surrounding countryside were patrolled so that no one need fear footpads or bandits； day or night； and while merchants were wele； smuggling had been cut to a trickle if not less。 Those honest Illianer merchants had been surprisingly glum about the smuggling。 What were the Seanchan organizing now？
The others gathered around the table as Rand perused the map。 There were roads hard along the coast； but poor straggling things； marked as little more than cart paths。 The broad trade roads lay inland； avoiding the worst of the terrain and the worst of what the Sea of Storms had to offer。 〃Men raiding out of those mountains could make passage difficult for anyone trying to use the inland roads；〃 he said finally。 〃By controlling the mountains； they make the roads safe as a city street。 You're right； Morr。 They are ing to Illian。〃
Leaning on his fists； Torval glared at Morr； who had been right when he was wrong。 A grievous sin； perhaps； in Torval's book。 〃Even so； it will be months before they can trouble you here；〃 he said sullenly。 〃A hundred Asha'man； fifty； placed in Illian； could destroy any army in the world before one man crosses the causeways。〃
〃I doubt an army with damane is destroyed as easily as one kills Aiel mitted to an attack and caught by surprise；〃 Rand said quietly； and Torval stiffened。 〃Besides； I have to defend all of Illian； not just the city。〃
Ignoring the man； Rand traced lines across the map with a finger。 Between Arran Head and the city of Illian lay a hundred leagues of open water； across the mouth of Kabal Deep； where； ship captains in Illian said； their longest sounding lines could find no bottom just a mile or so from the shore。 The waves there could overturn ships as they surged north to pound the coast with breakers fifteen paces high。 In this weather； it would be worse。 Marching around the Deep was a route of two hundred leagues to reach the city； even keeping to the shortest ways； but if the Seanchan pressed on from Arran Head； they could reach the border in two weeks despite the rainstorms。 Maybe less。 Better to fight where he chose； not where they did。 His finger slid along the south coast of Altara； along the Venir range； until the mountains dwindled to hills short of Ebou Dar。 Five hundred here； a thousand there。 A tantalizing string of beads dropped along the mountains。 A sharp rap might roll them back to Ebou Dar； might even pen them there while they tried to figure out what he was up to。 Or。。。
〃There was something else；〃 Morr said abruptly； rushing again。 〃There was talk about some sort of Aes Sedai weapon。 I found where it was used； a few miles from the city。 The ground was all burned over； seared clean in the middle； a good three hundred paces wide or more； and ruined orchards further。 The sand was melted to sheets of glass。 Saidin was worst； there。〃
Torval waved a hand at him dismissively。 〃There could have been Aes Sedai near when the city fell； yes？ Or maybe the Seanchan themselves did it。 One sister with an angreal could … 〃
Rand cut in。 〃What do you mean； saidin was worst there？〃 Dashiva moved； eyeing Morr oddly； reaching as though to seize the young man。 Rand fended him off roughly。 〃What do you mean； Morr？〃
Morr stared； mouth shut tight； running his thumb up and down the length of his sword hilt。 The heat inside of him seemed ready to burst out。 There really was sweat beading on his face now。 〃Saidin was。。。 strange；〃 he said hoarsely。 His words came in rapid bursts。 〃Worst there … I could。。。 feel it。。。 in the air all around me … but strange everywhere around Ebou Dar。 And even a hundred miles away。 I had to fight it； not like always； different。 Like it was alive。 Sometimes。。。 Sometimes； it didn't do what I wanted。 Sometimes； it。。。 did something else。 It did。 I'm not mad！ It did！〃 The wind gusted； howling for a moment； shivering and snapping the tent walls； and Morr fell silent。 Narishma's bells chimed at a jerk of his head； then were still。
〃That isn't possible；〃 Dashiva muttered into the silence； but nearly under his breath。 〃It is not possible。〃
〃Who knows what's possible？〃 Rand said。 〃I don't！ Do you？〃 Dashiva's head came up in surprise； but Rand turned to Morr； moderating his tone。 〃Don't worry； man。〃 Not a mild tone … he could not manage that … yet heartening； he hoped。 His making； his responsibility。 〃You'll be with me to the Last Battle。 I promise it。〃
The young man nodded； and scrubbed at his face with his hand as though surprised to find it damp； but he glanced at Torval； who had gone as still as stone。 Did Morr know about the wine？ It was a mercy； given the alternatives。 A small and bitter mercy。
Rand picked up Taim's missive； folded the page； and thrust it into his coat pocket。 One in fifty mad already； and more to e。 Was Morr next？ Dashiva was surely close。 Hopwil's stares took on a new meaning； and even Narishma's habitual quiet。 Madness did not always mean screaming about spiders。 He had asked once； warily； where he knew the answers would be true； how to cleanse the taint from saidin。 And got a riddle for answer。 Herid Fel had claimed the riddle stated 〃sound principles； in both high philosophy and natural philosophy；〃 but he had not seen any way to apply it to the problem at hand。 Had Fel been killed because he might have puzzled out the riddle？ Rand had a hint at the answer； or thought he might； a guess that could be disastrously wrong。 Hints and riddles were not answers； yet he had to do something。 If the taint was not cleansed somehow； Tarmon Gai'don might find a world already ruined by madmen。 What had to be done； had to be done。
〃That would be wondrous；〃 Torval said in a near whisper； 〃but how could anyone short of the Creator or。。。？〃 He trailed off uneasily。
Rand had not realized he had spoken any of his thoughts aloud。 Narishma's eyes； and Morr's； and Hopwil's； belonged in one face； shining with sudden hope。 Dashiva looked poleaxed。 Rand hoped he had not said too much。 Some secrets had to be kept。 Including what he would do next。
In short order； Hopwil was running for his horse to ride to the ridge with orders for the nobles； Morr and Dashiva to find Flinn and the other Asha'man； and Torval was striding off to Travel back to the Black Tower with mands for Taim。 Narishma was last； and thinking of Aes Sedai and Seanchan and weapons； Rand sent him away as well； with careful instructions that made the young man's mouth tighten。
〃Speak to no one；〃 Rand finished softly； gripping Narishma's arm hard。 〃And don't fail me。 Not by a hair。〃
〃I won't fail；〃 Narishma said； unblinking。 With a quick salute； he was gone； too。
Dangerous； a voice whispered in Rand's head。 Oh； yes； very dangerous； maybe too dangerous。 But it might work； it might。 In any event； you must kill Torval now。 You must。
Weiramon entered the council tent； shouldering aside Gregorin and Tolmeran； trying to shoulder aside Rosana and Semaradrid； the lot of them eager to tell Rand that the men in the trees had decided wisely after all。 They found him laughing till tears rolled down his face。 Lews Therin had e back。 Or else he really was mad already。 Either way； it was reason to laugh。
Chapter 15
（Bull）
Stronger than Written Law
In the dim； cold dark of deep night； Egwene woke groggily from restless sleep and troubling dreams； the more troubling because she could not remember them。 Her dreams were always open to her； as clear as printed words on a page； yet these had been murky and fearful。 She had had too many of those； lately。 They left her wanting to run； to escape； never able to recall what from； but always queasy and uncertain； even trembling。 At least her head was not hurting。 At least she could recall the dreams she knew must be significant； though not how to interpret them。 Rand； wearing different masks； until suddenly one of those false faces was no longer a mask； but him。 Perrin and a Tinker； frenziedly hacking their way through brambles with axe and sword； unaware of the cliff that lay just ahead。 And the brambles screamed with human voices they did not hear。 Mat； weighing two Aes Sedai on a huge set of balance scales； and on his decision depended。。。 She could not say what； something vast； the world； perhap