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layered； brightly colored rugs。 The gai'shain … her name was Chion … looked shocked when he asked for wash water； but he was tired of sweat baths。 He was willing to bet Moiraine and Egwene had not had to sit in a tent full of steam to get clean。 Chion brought the water； though； hot in a large brown pitcher meant for watering the garden； and a big white bowl for a washbasin。 He chased her out when she offered to wash him。 Strange people； all of them！
The room was windowless； lit by silver lamps hanging from brackets on the walls； but he knew it could not yet be full dark outside when he finished washing。 He did not care。 Only two blankets lay on the pallet； neither particularly thick。 No doubt a sign of Aiel hardiness。 Remembering the cold nights in the tents； he dressed again except for his coat and boots before blowing out the lamps and crawling beneath the blankets in pitch darkness。
Tired as he was； he could not stop tossing and thinking。 What did Melaine mean to lay？ Why did the Wise Ones not care that he knew Aviendha was their spy？ Aviendha。 A pretty woman； if surlier than a mule with four stone…bruised hooves。 His breathing slowed； his thoughts became misty。 A month。
Too long。 No choice。 Sooner。 Isendre smiling。 Kadere watching。 Trap。 Lay a trap。 Whose trap？ Which trap？ Traps。 If only he could trust Moiraine。 Perrin。 Home。 Perrin was probably swimming in。。。
Eyes closed； Rand stroked through the water。 Nicely cool。 And so wet。 It seemed that he had never before realized how good wet felt。 Lifting his head； he looked around at the willows lining one end of the pond； the big oak at the other； stretching thick； shading limbs over the water。 The Waterwood。 It was good to be home。 He had the feeling he had been away； where was not exactly clear； but not important； either。 Up to Watch Hill。 Yes。 He had never been farther than that。 Cool and wet。 And alone。
Suddenly two bodies hurtled through the air； knees clutched to chest； landing with great splashes that blinded him。 Shaking the water out of his eyes； he found Elayne and Min smiling at him from either side； just their heads showing above the pale green surface。 Two strokes would take him to either woman。 Away from the other。 He could not love both of them。 Love？ Why had that popped into his head？
〃You do not know who you love。〃
He spun about in a swirl of water。 Aviendha stood on the bank； in cadin'sor rather than skirt and blouse。 Not glaring； though； just looking。 〃e into the water；〃 he said。 〃I'll teach you how to swim。〃
Musical laughter pulled his head around to the opposite bank。 The woman who stood there； palely naked； was the most beautiful he had ever seen； with big； dark eyes that made his head whirl。 He thought he knew her。
〃Should I allow you to be unfaithful to me； even in your dreams？〃 she said。 Somehow he was aware without looking that Elayne and Min and Aviendha were not there anymore。； This was beginning to feel very odd。
For a long moment she considered him； pletely unconscious of her nudity。 Slowly she posed on toe tips； arms swept back； then dove cleanly into the pond。 When her head popped above the surface； her shining black hair was not wet。 That seemed surprising； for a moment。 Then she had reached him … had she swum； or was she just there？ … tangling arms and legs around him。 The water was cool； her flesh hot。
〃You cannot escape me；〃 she murmured。 Those dark eyes seemed far deeper than the pond。 〃I will make you enjoy this so you never forget； asleep or awake。〃
Asleep or。。。 ？ Everything shifted； blurred。 She wrapped herself around him tighter； and the blur went away。 Everything was as it had been。 Rushes filled one end of the pond； leatherleaf and pine grew almost to the water's edge at the other。
〃I know you；〃 he said slowly。 He thought he must； or why would he be letting her do this？ 〃But I don't。。。 This is not right。〃 He tried to pull her loose； but as fast as he pried an arm away； she had it back again。
〃I ought to mark you。〃 There was a fierce edge in her voice。 〃First that milk…hearted Ilyena and now。。。 How many women do you hold in your thoughts？〃 Suddenly her small white teeth burrowed at his neck。
Bellowing； he hurled her away and slapped a hand to his neck。 She had broken the skin； he was bleeding。
〃Is this how you amuse yourself when I wonder where you have gone？〃 a man's voice said contemptuously。 〃Why should I hold to anything when you risk our plan this way？〃
Abruptly the woman was on the bank； clothed in white； narrow waist belted in wide woven silver； silver stars and crescents in her midnight hair。 The land rose slightly behind her to an ash grove on a mound。 He did not remember seeing ash before。 She was facing … a blur。 A thick； gray； man…sized fuzzing of the air。 This was all。。。 wrong； somehow。
〃Risk；〃 she sneered。 〃You fear risk as much as Moghedien； don't you？ You would creep about like the Spider herself。 Had I not hauled you out of your hole； you'd still be hiding； and waiting to snatch a few scraps。〃
〃If you cannot control your。。。 appetites；〃 the blur said in the man's voice； 〃why should I associate with you at all？ If I must take risks； I want a greater reward than pulling strings on a puppet。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 she said dangerously。
The blur shimmered； somehow Rand knew it for hesitation； uncertainty over having said too much。 And then suddenly the blur was gone。 The woman looked at him； still neck…deep in the pond； her mouth tightened with irritation； and she vanished。
He started awake and lay still； peering up into blackness。 A dream。 But an ordinary dream； or something else？ Fumbling a hand from under the blankets； he felt the side of his neck； felt the tooth marks and the thin trickle of blood。 Whatever kind of dream； she had been in it。 Lanfear。 He had not dreamed her。 And that other； a man。 A cold smile crept onto his face。 Traps all around。 Traps for unwary feet。 Have to watch where I step； now。 So many traps。 Everybody was laying them。
Laughing softly； he twisted around to go back to sleep … and froze； holding his breath。 He was not alone in the room。 Lanfear。
Frantically he reached for the True Source。 For an instant he feared fear itself might defeat him。 Then he floated in the cold calm of the Void； filled with a raging river of the Power。 He sprang to his feet； lashing out。 The lamps burst alight。
Aviendha sat cross…legged by the door； mouth hanging open and green eyes bulging by turns at the lamps and the bonds； invisible to her； that wrapped her pletely。 Not even her head could move； he had expected someone standing； and the weave extended well above her。 He released the flows of Air immediately。
She scrambled to her feet； nearly losing her shawl in her haste。 〃I。。。 I do not believe I will ever bee used to。。。。〃 She gestured at the lamps。 〃From a man。〃
〃You have seen me wield the Power before。〃 Anger oozed across the surface of the Void surrounding him。 Sneaking into his room in the dark。 Frightening him half to death。 She was lucky he had not hurt her； killed her by accident。 〃You had best grow used to it。 I am He Who es With the Dawn whether you want to admit it or not。〃
〃That is not part …〃
〃Why are you here？〃 he demanded coldly。
〃The Wise Ones are taking turns watching over you from outside。 They meant to continue watching from。。。〃 She trailed off； her face reddening。
〃From where？〃 She only stared at him； her face growing more and more crimson。 〃Aviendha； from wh …？〃 Dreamwalkers。 Why had it never occurred to him？ 〃From inside my dreams；〃 he said harshly。 〃How long have they been spying inside my head？〃
She let out a long； heavy breath。 〃I was not supposed to let you know。 If Bair finds out … Seana said it was too dangerous tonight。 I do not understand it： I cannot enter the dream without one of them to help me。 Something dangerous tonight is all I know。 That is why they are taking turns at the door to this roof。 They are all worried。〃
〃You still haven't answered my question。〃
〃I do not know why I am here；〃 she muttered。 〃If you need protection。。。〃 She glanced at her short belt knife； touched the hilt。 The ivory bracelet seemed to irritate her； she folded her arms so it was tucked into her armpit。 〃I could not protect you very well with a knife this small； and Bair says if I pick up a spear again without someone actually attacking me； she will have my hide for a waterskin。 I do not know why I should give up sleep to protect you at all。 Because of you； I was beating rugs until less than a hour ago。 By moonlight！〃
〃That wasn't the question。 How long …？〃 He cut off suddenly。 There was a feel in the air； a sense of wrongness。 Of evil。 It could be imagination； residue from his dream。 It could be。
Aviendha gasped as the flame…red sword appeared in his hands； its slightly curved blade marked with the heron。 Lanfear had accused him of using only the tenth part of what he was capable of； yet most of that tenth came by guess and fumbling。 He did not know even the tenth part of what he could do。 But he knew the sword。
〃Stay behind