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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。 She began wearing such a face that even people who did not notice their rings gave them a clear path。 People who did notice usually seemed to find an urgent need to be a street away。 Even some sedan…chair bearers skirted around her。
〃How old did Reanne look to you？〃 Elayne asked suddenly。 Nynaeve nearly jumped。 They were almost back to Mol Hara。
〃Fifty years。 Maybe sixty。 I don't see it matters。〃 She ran her eyes over the crowd to see if anyone was close enough to hear。 A passing hawker； her tray displaying a bitter little yellow fruit called a lemon； tried to swallow her cry in mid…shout when Nynaeve's gaze rested on her for a moment； with the result that she doubled over her tray coughing and choking。 Nynaeve sniffed。 The woman probably had been eavesdropping； if not planning to cut a purse。 〃They are a guild； Elayne； and they do know where the Bowl is。 I just know they do。〃 That was not what she had intended to say at all。 If she apologized for dragging Elayne into this now； maybe it would not be so bad。
〃I suppose they are；〃 Elayne said absently。 〃I suppose they might。 How is it that she can have aged so？〃
Nynaeve stopped dead in the middle street。 After all that arguing； after getting them thrown out； she supposed？ 〃Well； I suppose she aged the same way as the rest of us； a day at a time。 Elayne； if you believed； why did you announce who you were like Rhiannon at the Tower？〃 She rather liked that； according to the story； what Queen Rhiannon got was far from what she had wanted。
The question did not seem to register with Elayne； for all her education。 She pulled Nynaeve to one side as a curtained green carriage rumbled past … the street was not very wide there … over to the front of a seamstress's shop with a wide doorway showing several dressmaker's forms clothed in half…done dresses。
〃They were not going to tell us anything； Nynaeve； not if you got down on your knees and begged。〃 Nynaeve opened her mouth indignantly； then snapped it shut。 She had never said anything about begging。 Anyway； why should she have been the only one？ Better any woman at all than Mat Cauthon。 Elayne had a fly up her nose； though； and was not to be distracted。 〃Nynaeve； she must have slowed like everyone else。 How old is she； to look fifty or sixty？〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 Without thinking Nynaeve noted the location in a corner of her mind； the seamstress's work looked quite good； worth closer examination。 〃She probably doesn't channel any more than she can help； afraid as she is of being mistaken for a sister。 She wouldn't have wanted her face too smooth； after all。〃
〃You never listened in class； did you？〃 Elayne murmured。 She saw the plump seamstress beaming in the doorway； and drew Nynaeve toward the corner of the building。 Considering the amount of lace the seamstress wore on her own dress； the bodice buried in it and paces of it drooping over her exposed petticoats； she would bear close watching if Nynaeve did order anything。 〃Forget clothes for one moment； Nynaeve。 W