按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
t fight it。 That is the reason we were bound to the Wheel。〃
〃When the Horn calls us； we will fight。 When the Wheel weaves us； we will fight。 Not until then！〃 He glowered at her。 〃Have you forgotten what Moghedien promised you when we followed Lews Therin？ I saw her； Birgitte。 She will know you here。〃
Birgitte turned to Nynaeve。 〃I will aid you as I can； but do not expect too much。 Tel'aran'rhiod is the whole of my world； and I can do less here than you。〃
Nynaeve blinked； the dark； heavy man had not moved that she had seen； but he suddenly stood two paces away； drawing a honing stone along one of his swords with a soft； silky rasp。 Plainly； as far as he was concerned； Birgitte was speaking to the air。
〃What can you tell of Moghedien； Birgitte？ I must know what I can； to face her。〃
Leaning on her bow； Birgitte frowned thoughtfully。 〃Facing Moghedien is difficult； and not only because she is Forsaken。 She hides and takes no risks。 She attacks only where she sees weakness； and moves only in shadows。 If she fears defeat； she will run； she is not one to fight to the last； even when doing so has the chance of victory。 A chance is not enough for Moghedien。 But do not take her lightly。 She is a serpent coiled in high grass； waiting her own moment to strike； with less passion than the snake。 Especially here do not take her lightly。 Lanfear always claimed Tel'aran'rhiod for her own； but Moghedien could do things here far beyond Lanfear； though she has not Lanfear's strength in the world of flesh。 I think she would not take the risk of confronting Lanfear。〃
Nynaeve shivered； fear warring with the anger that let her contain the Power。 Moghedien。 Lanfear。 This woman spoke so casually of the Forsaken。 〃Birgitte； what did Moghedien promise you？〃
〃She knew what I was； even though I did not。 How； I do not know。〃 Birgitte glanced at Cain； he appeared absorbed in his sword； but she lowered her voice anyway。 〃She promised to make me weep alone for as long as the Wheel turns。 She said it as a fact that simply had not happened yet。〃
〃And yet you are willing to help。〃
〃As I can； Nynaeve。 Remember that I told you not to expect too much。〃 Once more she looked at the man sharpening his sword。 〃We will meet again； Nynaeve。 If you are careful； and survive。〃 Hefting her silver bow； she went to put an arm around Cain's shoulders and murmur in his ear。 Whatever she said； Cain was laughing as they vanished。
Nynaeve shook her head。 Careful。 Everybody was telling her to be careful。 A legendary hero who said she would help； only there was not much she could do。 And one of the Forsaken in Tanchico。
The thought of Moghedien； of what the woman had done to her； strengthened her anger until the One Power pulsed in her like the sun。 Abruptly she was back in the great hall where she had been standing before； almost hoping the woman had returned。 But the hall was empty of life except for herself。 Fury and the Power roared through her till she thought her skin would crisp and blacken。 Moghedien； or any of the Black sisters； could sense her far more easily holding the Power than without； but she held it anyway。 She almost wanted them to find her； so she could strike at them。 Temaile was very likely still in Tel'aran'rhiod。 If she went back up to that bedchamber； she could settle Temaile once and for all。 She could settle Temaile … and warn the rest。 It was enough to make her growl。
What had Moghedien been smiling at？ Striding out to the case； a wide glass box atop a carved table； she peered in。 Six mismatched figurines stood in a circle beneath the glass。 A foot…tall nude woman balanced on the toes of one foot； dancing； all flowing lines； and a shepherd less than half as large； playing the pipes with his crook on his shoulder and a sheep at his feet； were as similar as any two。 She had no doubt what had attracted the Forsaken's smile； though。
In the center of the circle a red…lacquered wooden stand held a disc as big as a man's hand； divided into halves by a sinuous line； one side gleaming whiter than snow； the other blacker than pitch。 It was made of cuendillar； she knew； she had seen its like； and only seven had ever been made。 One of the seals on the Dark One's prison； a focus for one of the locks that held him away from the world in Shayol Ghul。 This was perhaps as important a discovery as whatever it was that threatened Rand。 This had to be gotten away from the Black Ajah。
Suddenly she became aware of her reflection。 The top of the case was the finest glass； without bubbles； and gave an image as clear as a mirror； if fainter。 Dark green folds of silk draped her body so they showed every curve of breast and hip and thigh。 Long honey braids full of jade beads framed a face with big brown eyes and a pouting mouth。 The glow of saidar did not show； of course。 Disguised so she did not even know herself； she walked about carrying a painted sign that screamed Aes Sedai。
〃I can be careful；〃 she muttered。 Yet she held on a moment longer。 The Power filling her was like life bubbling along her limbs； all the pleasures she had ever known seeping through her flesh。 In the end； feeling foolish took enough edge from her anger to allow her to let go。 Or maybe it dulled her anger to where she could no longer hold on。
Whatever the reason； it did not help her search。 What she was after had to be somewhere in this huge hall among all these displays。 Pulling her eyes away from what looked like the bones of a toothy lizard ten paces long； she closed them。 Need。 Danger to the Dragon Reborn； to Rand。 Need。
Shift。
She was standing inside the white silk rope along the walls； the edge of a white stone pedestal touching her dress。 What lay on top did not look very dangerous at first glance … a necklace and two bracelets of jointed black metal … but she could e no closer to anything than this。 Not without sitting on it； she thought wryly。
She stretched her hand out to touch it … Pain。 Sorrow。 Suffering … and jerked it back； gasping； the raw emotions still echoing in her head。 Even her faint doubts vanished。 This was what the Black Ajah was hunting。 And if it still sat on this pedestal in Tel'aran'rhiod； it sat there in the waking world； too。 She had beaten them。 This white stone pedestal。
Whirling around； she stared toward the glass case that held the cuendillar seal； located the place she had been standing where she first saw Moghedien。 The woman had been looking at this pedestal； at the bracelets and collar。 Moghedien had to know。 But。。。
Everything around her spun and blurred； fading。
〃Wake up； Nynaeve；〃 Elayne muttered； suppressing a yawn as she shook the sleeping woman's shoulders。 〃It has to be an hour by now。 I want some sleep； too。 Wake up； or I'll see how you like your head in a bucket of water。〃
Nynaeve's eyes popped open； staring up at her。 〃If she knows what it is； why hasn't she given it to them？ If they know who she is； why does she have to look at it in Tel'aran'rhiod！ Is she hiding from them； too？〃
〃What are you talking about？〃
Braids tossing about as she wriggled up to sit with her back against the head of the bed； Nynaeve jerked her silk shift down。 〃I will tell you what I am talking about。〃
Elayne's mouth fell open as Nynaeve unfolded the tale of what her meeting with Egwene had bee。 Searching with need。 Moghedien。 Birgitte and Gaidal Cain。 The black metal necklace and bracelets。 Asmodean in the Waste。 One of the seals on the Dark One's prison in the Panarch's Palace。 Elayne sank down weakly onto the side of the mattress long before Nynaeve came to Temaile and the Panarch； thrown in almost as an afterthought。 And changing her appearance； masquerading as Rendra。 If Nynaeve's face had not been grimly serious； Elayne could have thought it one of Thom's wilder stories。
Egeanin； sitting up cross…legged in her linen shift； hands on knees； looked close to disbelieving。 Elayne hoped Nynaeve did not start a row because she had loosed the woman's wrists。
Moghedien。 That was the most horrifying part。 One of the Forsaken in Tanchico。 One of the Forsaken weaving the Power around the two of them； making them tell her everything。 Elayne could not remember a bit of it。 The thought was enough to press both her hands to a suddenly queasy stomach。 〃I don't know whether Moghedien〃 … Light； could she really have just walked in and made us。。。 ？ … 〃is hiding from Liandrin and the others； Nynaeve。 It sounds like what Birgitte〃 … Light； Birgitte giving her advice！ … 〃said of her。〃
〃Whatever Moghedien is up to；〃 Nynaeve said in a tight voice； 〃I mean to pick a bone clean with her。〃 She slumped back against the flower…carved headboard。 〃In any case； we have to get the seal away from them as well as this necklace and bracelets。〃
Elayne shook her head。 〃How can jewelry be dangerous to Rand？ Are you sure？ Are they a ter'angreal of some sort？ What did they look like exactly？〃
〃They looked like a necklace and bracelets；〃 Nynaeve snapped in exasperation。 〃Two jointed bracelets made of some black metal； and a wide necklace like a black collar。。。〃 Her eyes darted to Egeanin； bu