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robe； sword belt wound around the dark boarhide scabbard。 He touched the long hilt； then took his hand away。
Barefoot； he turned back to the others while still tying the laces of his shut。 Min still sat cross…legged on the bed in her snug green silk breeches； by her expression unable to decide between approval and frustration。 〃I need to talk with Dashiva and the other Asha'man；〃 he said。 〃Alone。〃
Min scrambled off the bed and ran to hug him。 Not tightly； she was very careful of his bandaged side。 〃I've waited too long to see you awake again；〃 she said； sliding an arm around his waist。 〃I need to be with you。〃 She emphasized that just a tad； she must have had a viewing。 Or maybe she just wanted to help steady his legs； that arm seemed to offer support。 Either way； he nodded； he was not all that steady。 Laying a hand on her shoulder； he suddenly realized that he did not want the Asha'man to know how weak he was any more than Cadsuane or Amys。
Bera and Kiruna made reluctant curtsies and started for the door； then hesitated when Amys did not move right away。 〃So long as you do not intend to leave these rooms；〃 the Wise One said； not in the slightest as though speaking to her Car'a'carn。
Rand raised a naked foot。 〃Do I look as though I'm going anywhere？〃 Amys sniffed； but with a glance at Adley； she gathered up Bera and Kiruna and departed。
Cadsuane and the other two were only a moment more in going。 The gray…haired Green glanced at Adley； too。 It could not be much of secret that he had been gone from Cairhien for days。 At the door； she paused。 〃Don't do anything foolish； boy。〃 She sounded like a stern aunt cautioning a shiftless nephew； without much expectation he would listen。 Samitsu and Corele followed her out； dividing their frowns between him and the Asha'man。 As they vanished； Dashiva laughed； a sharp wheeze； shaking his head； he actually sounded amused。
Rand stepped away from Min to fetch his boots from beside the wardrobe and take a rolled pair of stockings from inside。 〃I'll join you in the anteroom as soon as I'm booted； Dashiva。〃
The plain…faced Asha'man gave a start。 He had been frowning at Adley。 〃As you mand； my Lord Dragon；〃 he said； pressing fist to heart。
Waiting until the four men were gone； Rand sat down in a chair with a feeling of relief and began pulling on his stockings。 He was sure his legs felt stronger just for being up and moving。 Stronger； but they still did not want to support him very well。
〃Are you sure this is wise？〃 Min said； kneeling beside his chair； and he gave her a startled look。 If he had talked in his sleep during those two days； the Aes Sedai would have known。 Amys would have had Enaila and Somara and fifty more Maidens waiting when he woke。
He tugged the stocking the rest of the way up。 〃Do you have a viewing？〃
Min sat back on her heels； folded her arms beneath her breasts and gave him a firm look。 After a moment； she decided it was not working and sighed。 〃It's Cadsuane。 She is going to teach you something； 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。 No