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esses fit； anyway … but it surely seemed they were。
Their shifts would have been almost as decent。 Cheeks heating； she tried to stop thinking of how the silk molded itself to her。 Stop that！ It is perfectly decent。 It is！
〃Didn't this Amys tell you anything that might help us？〃
〃I told you what she said。〃 Elayne sighed。 Nynaeve had kept her up until the small hours talking about the Aiel Wise One who had been with Egwene in Tel'aran'rhiod last night； and then started in again before they sat down to breakfast。 Egwene； with her hair in two braids for some reason and shooting sullen frowns at the Wise One； had said almost nothing beyond that Rand was well and Aviendha was looking after him。 White…haired Amys had done all the talking； a stern lecture on the dangers of the World of Dreams that had nearly made Elayne feel as if she were ten again； and Lini； her old nurse； had caught her sneaking out of bed to steal candies； followed by cautions about concentration and controlling what she thought if she must enter Tel'aran'rhiod。 How could you control what you thought？ 〃I truly did think Perrin was with Rand and Mat。〃 That had been the biggest surprise； after Amys's appearance。 Egwene apparently had thought he was with Nynaeve and her。
〃He and that girl have probably gone somewhere he can be a blacksmith in peace；〃 Nynaeve said； but Elayne shook her head。
〃I do not think so。〃 She had strong suspicions about Faile； and if they were even half right； Faile would not settle for being a blacksmith's wife。 She spat out the veil once more。 Idiotic thing。
〃Well； wherever he is；〃 Nynaeve said； fumbling with her braids again； 〃I hope he is safe and well； but he is not here； and he cannot help us。 Did you even ask Amys if she knew any way to use Tel'aran'rhiod to…？〃
A bulky； balding man in a worn brown coat shoved through the crowd and tried to throw thick arms around her。 She whipped the barrel stave from her shoulder and gave him a crack across his broad face that sent him staggering back； clutching a nose that had surely been broken for at least the second time。
Elayne was still gathering breath for a startled scream when a second man； just as big and with a thick mustache； pushed her aside to reach for Nynaeve。 She forgot about being afraid。 Her jaw tightened furiously； and just as his hands touched the other woman； she brought her own stave down on 。top of his head with every bit of strength she could muster。 The fellow's legs folded； and he toppled on his face in a most satisfactory fashion。
The crowd scattered back； no one wanting to be caught up in someone else's trouble。 Certainly no one offered to help。 And they needed it； Elayne realized。 The man Nynaeve had hit was still on his feet； mouth twisted in a snarl； licking away the blood that ran down from his nose； flexing thick hands as if he wanted to squeeze a throat。 Worse； he was not alone。 Seven more men were fanning out with him to cut off any escape； all but one as large as he； with scarred faces and hands that looked as if they had been hammered on stone for years。 A scrawny； narrow…cheeked fellow； grinning like a nervous fox； kept panting； 〃Don't let her get away。 She's gold； I tell you。 Gold！〃
They knew who she was。 This was no try for a purse； they meant to dispose of Nynaeve and abduct the Daughter…Heir of Andor。 She felt Nynaeve embracing saidar … if this had not made her angry enough to channel； nothing ever would … and opened herself to the True Source as well。 The One Power rushed into her； a sweet flood filling her from toes to hair。 A few woven flows of Air from either of them could deal with these ruffians。
But she did not channel； and neither did Nynaeve。 Together they could drub these fellows as their mothers should have。 Yet they did not dare； unless there was no other choice。
If one of the Black Ajah was close enough to see； they had already betrayed themselves with the glow of saidar。 Channeling enough for those few flows of Air could betray them to a Black sister on another street a hundred paces or more away； depending on her strength and sensitivity。 That was most of what they themselves had been doing the last five days； walking through the city trying to sense a woman channeling； hoping the feeling would draw them to Liandrin and the others。
The crowd itself had to be considered； too。 A few people still went by to either side； brushing tight against the walls。 The rest milled about； beginning to find other ways to go。 Only a handful acknowledged the two women in danger with as much as shamefully averted eyes。 But if they saw big men flung about by nothing visible。。。？
Aes Sedai and the One Power itself were not in particularly good odor in Tanchico at the moment； not with old rumors from Falme still floating about and newer tales claiming that the White Tower supported the Dragonsworn in the countryside。 Those people might run if they saw the Power wielded。 Or they might turn into a mob。 Even if she and Nynaeve managed to avoid being torn limb from limb where they stood … which she was not certain they could … there was no way to cover it up after。 The Black Ajah would hear of Aes Sedai in Tanchico before the sun set。
Setting herself back…to…back with Nynaeve； Elayne gripped her stave tightly。 She felt like laughing hysterically。 If Nynaeve even mentioned going out alone again … walking … she would see who liked having her head dunked in a bucket of water。 At least none of these louts looked eager to be the first to have his head cracked like the fellow lying still on the paving stones。
〃Go on；〃 the narrow…faced man urged； waving his hands forward。 〃Go on！ It's only two women！〃 He made no move to rush in himself； though。 〃Go on； I say。 We just need the one。 She's gold； I tell you。〃
Suddenly there was a loud thunk； and one of the ruffians staggered to his knees； clutching groggily at a split scalp； and a dark…haired； stern…faced woman in a blue riding dress flung herself past him； twisted sharply to backhand another fellow in the mouth with her fist； knocked his legs out from under him with a staff； then kicked him in the head as he fell。
That there was help at all was startling； much less the source； but Elayne was of no mind to pick and choose。 Nynaeve left her back with a wordless roar； and she dashed out shouting； 〃Forward the White Lion！〃 to belabor the nearest lout as hard and fast as she could。 Flinging his arms up to defend himself； he looked shocked out of his wits。 〃Forward the White Lion！〃 she shouted again； the battle cry of Andor； and he turned tail and ran。
Laughing in spite of herself； she whirled about seeking another to drub。 Only two had not yet fled or fallen。 That first broken…nosed fellow turned to run； and Nynaeve gave him a final full…armed thwack across the backside。 The stern…faced woman somehow tangled the other's arm and shoulder with her staff； pulling him close and up on his toes at the same time； he would have overtopped her by a head flat…footed and he weighed twice what she did； but she coolly slammed the heel of her free hand up into his chin three times in rapid succession。 His eyes rolled up in his head； but as he sagged； Elayne saw the narrow…faced man picking himself up off the street； his nose dripped blood and his eyes looked half…glazed； yet he pulled a knife from his belt and lunged at the woman's back。
Without thinking； Elayne channeled。 A fist of Air hurled the man and his knife into a backflip。 The stern…faced woman spun； but he was already scrambling away on all fours until he could get his feet under him and burrow into the crowd farther up the street。 People had stopped to watch the odd battle； though none had raised a hand to help except the dark…haired woman。 She herself was staring from Elayne to Nynaeve uncertainly。 Elayne wondered whether she had noticed the scrawny fellow being knocked down apparently by nothing。
〃I give you my thanks；〃 Nynaeve said a touch breathlessly as she approached the woman； straightening her veil。 〃I think we should leave here。 I know the Civil Watch doesn't e out in the streets much； but I'd not like to explain this if they do happen by。 Our inn is not far。 Will you join us？ A cup of tea is the least we can offer someone who actually lifts a hand to help someone in this Light…forsaken city。 My name is Nynaeve al'Meara and this is Elayne Trakand。〃
The woman hesitated visibly。 She had noticed。 〃I。。。 I would。。。 like that。 Yes。 I would。〃 She had a slurred way of speaking； difficult to understand； but somehow vaguely familiar。 She was quite a lovely woman； really； seeming even fairer than she was because of her dark hair； worn almost to the shoulder。 A bit too hard to be called a beauty。 Her blue eyes had a strong look； as if she were used to giving orders。 A merchant； perhaps； in that dress。 〃I am called Egeanin。〃
Egeanin showed no hesitation in leaving with them down the nearest side street。 The crowds were already gathering around the fallen men。 Elayne expected those fellows would wake to find themselves stripped of anything of value； even clothes and boots。 She wished she knew how they had discovered her identit