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hing； you and the Asha'man。 All the Asha'man； I mean。 It's something you have to learn； but I don't know what it is； except that none of you will like learning it from her。 You aren't going to like it at all。〃
Rand paused with a boot in hand； then stuffed his foot in。 What could Cadsuane； or any Aes Sedai； teach the Asha'man？ Women could not teach men； or men women； that was as hard a fact as the One Power itself。 〃We will see〃 was all he said。
Plainly that did not satisfy Min。 She knew it would happen； and so did he； she was never wrong。 But what could Cadsuane possibly teach him？ What would he let her teach him？ The woman made him unsure of himself； uneasy in a way he had not felt since before the Stone of Tear fell。
Stamping his foot to settle it in the second boot； he fetched his sword belt from the wardrobe； and a red coat worked in gold； the same he had worn to the Sea Folk。 〃What bargain did Merana make for me？〃 he asked； and she made an exasperated sound in her throat。
〃None； as of this morning；〃 she said impatiently。 〃She and Rafela haven't left the ship since we did； but they've sent half a dozen messages asking if you're well enough to return。 I don't think the bargaining has gone well for them without you。 I suppose it's too much to hope that's where you're going。〃
〃Not yet；〃 he told her。 Min said nothing； but she said it very loudly； fists on her hips and one eyebrow raised high。 Well； she would know most of it soon enough。
In the anteroom； all the Asha'man except Dashiva sprang out of their chairs when Rand appeared with Min。 Staring at nothing and talking to himself； Dashiva did not notice until Rand reached the Rising Sun set in the floor； and then he blinked several times before rising。
Rand addressed himself to Adley while fastening the Dragon…shaped buckle of his sword belt。 〃The army's reached the hillforts in Illian already？〃 He wanted to take one of the gilded armchairs； but would not let himself。 〃How？ It should have been several more days at the best。 At best。〃 Flinn and Narishma looked as startled as Dashiva； none of them had known where Adley and Hopwil had gone … or Morr。 Deciding who to trust was always the difficulty； and trust a razor's edge。
Adley drew himself up。 There was something about his eyes； beneath those thick eyebrows。 He had seen the wolf； as they said in Cairhien。 〃The High Lord Weiramon left the foot behind and pressed forward with the horse；〃 he said； reporting stiffly。 〃The Aiel kept up； of course。〃 He frowned。 〃We encountered Aiel yesterday。 Shaido； I don't know how they got there。 There were maybe nine or ten thousand； altogether； but they didn't seem to have any Wise Ones who could channel with them； and they didn't really slow us down。 We reached the hillforts at noon today。〃
Rand wanted to snarl。 Leaving the foot behind！ Did Weiramon think he was going to take palisaded forts on hilltops with horsemen？ Probably。 The man probably would have left the Aiel behind too； if he could have outrun them。 Fool nobles and their fool honor！ Still； it did not matter。 Except to the men who died because the High Lord Weiramon was contemptuous of anyone who did not fight from horseback。
〃Eben and I began destroying the first palisades soon as we arrived；〃 Adley went on。 〃Weiramon didn't much like that； I think he would have stopped us； but he was afraid to。 Anyway； we began setting fire to the logs and blowing holes in the walls； but before we more than started； Sammael came。 A man channeling saidin； at least； and a lot stronger than Eben or me。 As strong as you； my Lord Dragon； I'd say。〃
〃He was there right away？〃 Rand said incredulously； but then he understood。 He had been sure Sammael would stay safe in Illian behind defenses woven of the Power if he thought he had to face Rand； too many of the Forsaken had tried； and most were dead now。 In spite of himself； Rand laughed … and had to hug his side； laughing hurt。 All that elaborate deception to convince Sammael he would be anywhere but with the invading army； to bring the man out of Illian； and all made unnecessary by a knife in Padan Fain's hand。 Two days。 By this time； everybody who had eyes…and…ears in Cairhien … which certainly included the Forsaken … knew that the Dragon Reborn lay on the edge of death。 As well toss wet wood on the fire as think otherwise。 〃Men scheme and women plot； but the Wheel weaves as it will〃； that was how they said it in Tear。 〃Go on；〃 he said。 〃Morr was with you last night？〃
〃Yes； my Lord Dragon； Fedwin es every night； just like he's supposed to。 Last night； it was plain as Eben's nose we'd reach the forts today。〃
〃I don't understand any of this。〃 Dashiva sounded upset； a muscle in his cheek was twitching。 〃You've lured him out； but to what purpose？ As soon as he feels a man channel with anything near your strength； he'll flee back to Illian and whatever traps and alarms he has woven。 You won't get at him there； he will know as soon as a gateway opens within a mile of the city。〃
〃We can save the army；〃 Adley burst out； 〃that's what we can do。 Weiramon was still sending charges against that fort when I left； and Sammael cuts every one to rags despite anything Eben or I can do。〃 He shifted the arm with the singed sleeve。 〃We have to strike back and run immediately； and even so； he nearly burned us where we stood； more than once。 The Aiel are taking casualties too。 They're only fighting the Illianers who e out … the other hillforts must be emptying； so many were ing when I left … but any time Sammael sees fifty of us together； Aiel or anybody； he rips them apart。 If there were three of him； or even two； I'm not sure I'd find anybody alive when I go back。〃 Dashiva stared at him as if at a madman； and Adley shrugged suddenly； as though feeling the lightness of his bare black collar pared with the sword and Dragon on the older man's。 〃Forgive me； Asha'man；〃 he muttered； abashed； then added in a still lower voice； 〃But we can at least save them。〃
〃We will；〃 Rand assured him。 Just not the way Adley expected。 〃You're all going to help me kill Sammael today。〃 Only Dashiva looked startled； the other men just nodded。 Not even the Forsaken frightened them anymore。
Rand expected argument out of Min； maybe a demand to e along； but she surprised him。 〃I expect you would as soon no one found out you're gone before they have to； sheepherder。〃 He nodded and she sighed。 Perhaps the Forsaken had to depend on pigeons and eyes…and…ears just like anyone else； but being too sure could be fatal。
〃The Maidens will want to e if they know； Min。〃 They would want to； and he would be hard…pressed to refuse。 If he could refuse。 Yet the disappearance even of Nandera and whoever she had on guard might be too much。
Min sighed again。 〃I suppose I could go talk to Nandera。 I might be able to keep them out in the hallway for an hour； but they won't be pleased with me when they find out。〃 He almost laughed again before he remembered his side； they definitely would not be pleased with her； or with him。 〃More to the point； farmboy； Amys won't be pleased。 Or Sorilea。 The things I let you get me into。〃
He opened his mouth to tell her he had not asked her to do anything； yet before he could utter a word； she moved very close。 Looking up at him through long lashes； she put a hand on his chest； tapping her fingers。 She smiled warmly and kept her voice soft； but the fingers were a giveaway。 〃If you let anything happen to you； Rand al'Thor； I'll give Cadsuane a hand whether she needs one or not。〃 Her smile brightened for a moment； almost cheerily； before she turned for the doors。 He watched her go； she might make his head spin sometimes … nearly every woman he had ever met had done that at least a time or two … but she did have a way of walking that made him want to watch。
Abruptly he realized Dashiva was watching as well。 And licking his lips。 Rand cleared his throat loudly enough to be heard over the sound of the door closing behind her。 For some reason； the plain…faced man raised his hands defensively。 It was not as though Rand glared at him； he could not go around glaring at men just because Min wore tight breeches。 Surrounding himself with the emptiness of the Void； he seized saidin and forced frozen fire and molten filth into the weaves for a gateway。 Dashiva leaped back as it opened。 Maybe having a hand sliced off would teach the man not to lick his lips like a goat。 Something crooked and red spiderwebbed across the outside of the Void。
He stepped through onto bare dirt； with Dashiva and the others right behind； releasing the Source as soon as the last stepped clear。 A sense of loss rushed in as saidin left； as awareness of Alanna dwindled。 The loss had not seemed so great while Lews Therin was there； not so huge。
Overhead； the golden sun was more than halfway down to the horizon。 A gust of wind swept dust from under his boots without leaving any coolness behind。 The gateway had opened in a cleared area； marked off by a rope strung between four wooden posts。 At each corner stood a pair of guards in short coats and baggy trousers stuffed into their boots； swords that appeared slightly serpentine hanging at their sides。 Some had heavy mustaches that hung to their chins or thick beards； and all had bold noses and dark eyes that seemed tilted。 As soon as Rand appeared； one of them went running。
〃What are we doing here？〃 Dashiva said； looking about incredulously。
Around them stretched hundreds of sharp…peaked tents； gray and dusty white； tents and picket lines of already saddled horses。 Caemlyn lay not many miles away； hidden behind the trees； and the Black Tower not much farther； but Taim would not know of this unless he had a spy watching。 One of Fedwin Morr's tasks had been to listen … to feel … for anyone trying to spy。 In a ripple of murmurs spreading outward from the ropes； men with bold noses and serpentine swords rose from their heels and turned to stare expectantly toward Rand。 Here and there women stood as well； Saldaean women often rode to the wars with their husbands； at least among the nobles and officers。 There would be none of that today； though。
Ducking under the rope； Rand strode directly to a tent no different from any other except for the banner on the staff in front； three simple red blossoms on a field of blue。 The kingspenny did not die back even in Saldaean winters； and when fires blackened the forests； those red flowers were always the first to reappear。 A blossom nothing could kill： the sign of House Bashere。
Inside the tent； Bashere himself was already booted and spurred； and his sword on his hip。 Ominously； Deira was with him； in a riding dress the same shade as her husband's gray coat； and if she wore no sword； the long dagger at her belt of heavy silver roundels would do to go on with。 The leather gauntlets tucked behind that belt spoke of someone meaning to ride hard。
〃I hadn't expected this for days yet；〃 Bashere said； rising from a folding camp chair。 〃Weeks； I hoped； in truth。 I had hoped to have most of Taim's leavings armed the way young Mat and I planned … I've gathered every maker of crossbows I could find into a manufactory； and they're starting to produce them like a sow dropping piglets … but as it is； no more than fifteen thousand have crossbows and know what to do with them。〃 With a questioning look； he lifted a silver pitcher from atop the maps spread out on his folding table。 〃Do we have time for punch？〃
〃No punch；〃 Rand said impatiently。 Bashere had spoken before about the men Taim found who could not learn to channel； but he had scarcely listened。 If Bashere thought he had trained them well enough； that was all that mattered。 〃Dashiva and three more Asha'man are waiting outside； as soon as Morr joins them； we'll be ready。〃 He eyed Deira ni Ghaline t'Bashere； towering over her diminutive husband with her hawk's beak of a nose and her eyes that made a hawk's look mild。 〃No punch； Lord Bashere。 And no wives。 Not today。〃
Deira opened her mouth； her dark eyes all but glowing suddenly。
〃No wives；〃 Bashere said； knuckling his heavy gray…streaked mustaches。 〃I will pass the order。〃 Turning to Deira； he held out his hand。 〃Wife；〃 he said