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Surprisingly； Rand only rubbed his cheek。 〃You were wrong； Cadsuane。 He's real。 I'm certain of it。 I know he is。〃 Even more surprisingly； he sounded as if he very much wanted her to believe。
Min's heart went out to him。 He had mentioned hearing voices； he must mean that。 She raised her right hand toward him； forgetting for the moment that it held a knife； and opened her mouth to say something forting。 Though she was not entirely sure she would ever be able to use that particular word innocuously again。 She opened her mouth … and Padan Fain seemed to leap out of the mists behind Rand； steel gleaming in his fist。
〃Behind you！〃 Min screamed； pointing with the knife in her outstretched right hand as she threw the one in her left。 Everything seemed to happen at once； half…seen in wintery fog。
Rand began to turn； twisting aside； and Fain also twisted； to lunge for him。 For that twist； her knife missed； but Fain's dagger scored along Rand's left side。 It hardly seemed to more than slice his coat； yet he screamed。 He screamed； a sound to make Min's heart clench； and clutching his side； he fell against Cadsuane； catching at her to hold himself up； pulling both of them down。
〃Move out of my way！〃 one of the other sisters shouted … Samitsu； Min thought … and suddenly； Min's feet jerked out from under her。 She landed heavily； grunting as she hit the slope together with Caraline； who snapped a breathless； 〃Blood and fire！〃
Everything at once。
〃Move！〃 Samitsu shouted again； as Darlin lunged for Fain with his sword。 The bony man moved with shocking speed； throwing himself down and rolling beyond Darlin's reach。 Strangely； he cackled with laughter as he scampered to his feet and ran off； swallowed in the murk almost immediately。
Min pushed herself up shaking。
Caraline was much more vigorous。 〃I will tell you now； Aes Sedai；〃 she said in a cold voice； brushing at her skirts violently； 〃I will not be treated so。 I am Caraline Damodred； High Seat of House。。。 〃
Min stopped listening。 Cadsuane was sitting on the slope above； holding Rand's head in her lap。 It had only been a cut。 Pain's dagger could not have more than touched。。。 With a cry； Min threw herself forward。 Aes Sedai or no； she pushed the woman away from Rand and cradled his head in her arms。 His eyes were closed； his breathing ragged。 His face felt hot。
〃Help him！〃 she screamed at Cadsuane； like an echo of the distant screams in the mist。 〃Help him！〃 A part of her said that did not make much sense after pushing her away； but his face seemed to burn her hands； to burn sense。
〃Samitsu； quickly；〃 Cadsuane said； standing and rearranging her shawl。 〃He's beyond my Talent for Healing。〃 She laid a hand on the top of Min's head。 〃Girl； I will hardly let the boy die when I haven't taught him manners； yet。 Stop crying； now。〃
It was very strange。 Min was fairly sure the woman had done nothing to her with the Power； yet she believed。 Teach him manners？ A fine tussle that would be。 Unfolding her arms from around his head； not without reluctance； Min backed away on her knees。 Very strange。 She had not even realized that she was crying； yet Cadsuane's reassurance was enough to stop the flow of tears。 Sniffing； she scrubbed at her cheeks with the heel of her hand as Samitsu knelt beside him； placing fingertips on his forehead。 Min wondered why she did not take his head in both hands； the way Moiraine did。
Abruptly Rand convulsed； gasping and thrashing so hard that a flailing arm knocked the Yellow over on her back。 As soon as her fingers left him； he subsided。 Min crawled nearer。 He breathed more easily； but his eyes were still closed。 She touched his cheek。 Cooler than it had been； but still too warm。 And pale。
〃Something is amiss；〃 Samitsu said peevishly as she sat up。 Pulling Rand's coat aside； she gripped the slice in his bloodstained shirt and ripped a wide gap in the linen。
The cut from Fain's dagger； no longer than her hand and not deep； ran right across the old round scar。 Even in the dim light； Min could see that the edges of the gash looked swollen and angry； as if the wound had gone untended for days。 It was no longer bleeding； but it should have been gone。 That was what Healing did： wounds knitted themselves up right before your eyes。
〃This；〃 Samitsu said in a lecturing tone； lightly touching the scar； 〃seems like a cyst； but full of evil instead of pus。 And this。。。 〃 She drew the finger down the gash。 〃。。。 seems full of a different evil。〃 Suddenly she frowned at the Green standing over her； and her voice became sullen and defensive。 〃If I had the words； Cadsuane； I would use them。 I have never seen the like。 Never。 But I will tell you this。 I think if I had been one moment slower； perhaps if you had not tried first； he would be dead now。 As it is。。。 〃 With a sigh； the Yellow sister seemed to deflate； her face sagging。 〃As it is； I believe he will die。〃
Min shook her head； trying to say no； but she could not seem to make her tongue move。 She heard Caraline murmuring a prayer。 The woman stood gripping one of Darlin's coatsleeves with both hands。 Darlin himself frowned down at Rand as though trying to make sense of what he saw。
Cadsuane bent to pat Samitsu's shoulder。 〃You are the best living； perhaps the best ever；〃 she said quietly。 〃No one has the Healing to pare with you。〃 With a nod； Samitsu stood； and before she was on her feet； she was all Aes Sedai serenity once more。 Cadsuane； scowling down at Rand with her hands on her hips； was not。 〃Phaw！ I will not allow you to die on me； boy；〃 she growled； sounding as though it were his fault。 This time； instead of touching the top of Min's head； she rapped it with a knuckle。 〃Get to your feet； girl。 You're no milksop … any fool can see that … so stop pretending。 Darlin； you will carry him。 Bandages must wait。 This fog is not leaving us； so we had better leave it。〃
Darlin hesitated。 Maybe it was Cadsuane's peremptory frown； and maybe the hand Caraline half…raised to his face； but abruptly he sheathed his sword； muttering under his breath； and hoisted Rand across his shoulders with arms and legs dangling。
Min took up the heron…mark blade and carefully slid it into the scabbard hanging from Rand's waist。 〃He will need it；〃 she told Darlin； and after a moment； he nodded。 A lucky thing for him he did； she had bundled all her confidence into the Green sister； and she was not about to let anyone think differently。
〃Now be careful； Darlin；〃 Caraline said in that throaty voice once Cadsuane made their marching order clear。 〃Be sure to stay behind me； and I will protect you。〃
Darlin laughed till he wheezed； and was still chuckling when they began climbing through the cold fog and the distant shrieks once more； with him carrying Rand in the center and the women in a circle around him。
Min knew she was only another pair of eyes； just like Caraline on the other side of Cadsuane； and she knew the knife she carried unsheathed was no use against the mist…shapes； but Padan Fain might still be alive out there。 She would not miss again。 Caraline carried her dagger too； and by the looks she cast over her shoulder at Darlin staggering uphill under Rand's weight； maybe she also intended to protect the Dragon Reborn。 And then again； maybe it was not him。 A woman could forgive any amount of nose for that laugh。
Shapes still formed in the mist and died by fire； and once a huge something tore a shrieking horse in two off to their right before any Aes Sedai could slay it。 Min was quite noisily sick after that； and not a bit ashamed； people were dying； but at least the people had e here by their own choice。 The meanest soldier could have run away yesterday had he chosen； but not that horse。 Shapes formed and died； and people died； screaming always in the distance； it seemed； though they still stumbled past torn carrion that had been human an hour gone。 Min began to wonder whether they would ever see daylight again。
With shocking suddenness and no warning； she stumbled into it； one moment surrounded by gray； the next with the sun burning golden high overhead in a blue sky； all so bright she had to shade her eyes。 And there； perhaps five miles across all but treeless hills； Cairhien rose solid and square on its own prominences。 Somehow； it did not look quite real anymore。
Staring back at the edge of the fog； she shivered。 It was an edge； a billowing wall； stretching though the trees on this hilltop； and far too straight； with no eddies or thinning。 Just clear air here； and there； thick gray。 A little more of a tree right in front of her became visible； and she realized the mist was creeping back； perhaps being burned off by the sun。 But far too slowly to make the retreat natural。 The others stared at it just as hard as she； even the Aes Sedai。
Twenty paces off to their left； a man suddenly scrambled into the clear air on all fours。 The front of his head was shaved； and by the battered black breastplate he wore； he was a mon soldier。 Staring about wildly； he did not appear to see them； and went scrambling on down the hillside； still on hands and knees。 Farther to the right； two men and a woman a