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〃For me；〃 Juilin said； reversing a chair to straddle it； 〃I mean to look on tonight。 I found a roofman who says the woman he keeps pany with was another of Amathera's tirewomen。 According to him； Amathera discharged all of her tirewomen without warning the same evening she was invested Panarch。 He will take me to talk with her after he finishes some business of his own at a merchant's house。〃
Nynaeve moved to the end of the table； fists on hips。 〃You will not be going anywhere tonight； Juilin。 The three of you will be taking turns guarding our door。〃 The men protested volubly； of course； all together。
〃I do have my own trade to keep up； and if I must spend my days asking questions for you。。。〃
〃Mistress al'Meara； this woman is the first person I have found who's actually seen Amathera since she was raised。。。〃
〃Nynaeve； I'll hardly be able to find a rumor tomorrow； much less trace it； if I spend the night playing at。。。〃
She let them argue themselves out。 When they began to trail off； obviously thinking her convinced； she said； 〃Since we have nowhere else to keep the Seanchan woman； she will have to sleep with us。 Elayne； will you ask Rendra to have a pallet made Up？ On the floor will do nicely。〃 Egeanin glanced at her； but said nothing。
The men were neatly boxed； either they refused flatly； and openly broke their word to do as Nynaeve said； or else argued on； sounding as if they were whining。 They glowered and spluttered … and acquiesced。
Rendra was clearly surprised they requested only a pallet； but accepted the tale that Egeanin feared to risk the streets at night。 She did look miffed when Thom seated himself in the hall beside their door。 〃Those fellows； they did not get inside however hard they tried。 I told you the soup kitchen would take them away； yes？ Guests at the Three Plum Court have no need for the bodyguards on their rooms。〃
〃I am sure not；〃 Elayne told her； gently trying to push her out with the door。 〃It's just that Thom and the others do worry so。 You know how men are。〃 Thom shot her a hawkish stare beneath those thick white eyebrows； but Rendra sniffed； agreeing that she did indeed know； and let Elayne shut the door。
Nynaeve immediately turned to Egeanin； who Was spreading her pallet on the far side of the bed。 〃Take off your clothes； Seanchan。 I want to be sure you don't have another knife hidden away。〃
Egeanin calmly stood and undressed down to her linen shift。 Nynaeve searched through her dress thoroughly； then insisted on searching Egeanin as well； and none too gently。 Finding nothing did not seem to soothe her。
〃Hands behind your back； Seanchan。 Elayne； bind her。〃
〃Nynaeve； I don't think she …〃
〃Bind her with the Power； Elayne；〃 Nynaeve said roughly； 〃or I'll cut strips from her dress and bind her hands and heels。 You remember how she handled those fellows in the street。 Probably her own hirelings。 She could probably kill us in our sleep with her bare hands。〃
〃Really； Nynaeve； with Thom outside …〃
〃She's Seanchan！ Seanchan； Elayne！〃 She sounded as if she hated the dark…haired woman for a personal wrong； which made no sense。 Egwene had been in their hands； but not Nynaeve。 The set of her jaw said she meant to have her way； with the Power or with ropes if she could find them。
Egeanin had already placed her wrists together in the small of her back； pliant if not meek。 Elayne wove a flow of Air around them and tied it off； at least it would be more fortable than bindings cut out of her dress。 Egeanin flexed her arms slightly； testing the bonds she could not see； and shivered。 She could as easily have broken steel chains。 Shrugging； she laid herself down awkwardly on the pallet and turned her back to them。
Nynaeve began undoing her own dress。 〃Let me have the ring； Elayne。〃
〃Are you sure； Nynaeve？〃 She looked at Egeanin in a significant manner。 The woman seemed to be paying no attention to them。
〃She'll not go running to betray us tonight。〃 Pausing to pull the dress over her head； Nynaeve sat on the edge of the bed in her thin silk Taraboner shift to roll down her stockings。 〃Tonight is the agreed night。 Egwene will expect one of us； and it is my turn。 She will be worried if neither of us appears。〃
Elayne fished the leather cord around her neck out of the bosom of her dress。 The stone ring； all flecks and stripes in blue and brown and red； lay snuggled against the golden serpent eating its own tail。 Unknotting the string long enough to hand the ter'angreal to Nynaeve； she retied and replaced it。 Nynaeve strung the stone ter'angreal with her own Great Serpent ring and Lan's heavy gold ring； let them hang between her breasts。
〃Give me an hour after you are certain I'm asleep；〃 she said； stretching out atop the blue coverlet。 〃It should take no longer than that。 And keep an eye on her。〃
〃What can she do bound； Nynaeve？〃 Elayne hesitated before adding； 〃I don't think she would try to harm us if she were loose。〃
〃Don't you dare！〃 Nynaeve raised her head to glare at Egeanin's back； then lay back on the pillows again。 〃An hour； Elayne。〃 Closing her eyes； she wriggled to make herself more fortable。 〃That should be more than enough；〃 she murmured。
Hiding a yawn behind her hand； Elayne brought the low stool to the foot of the bed； where she could watch Nynaeve； and Egeanin； too； though that hardly seemed necessary。 The woman lay huddled on her pallet with her knees up； hands securely fastened。 It had been a strangely tiring day considering that they had never left the inn。 Nynaeve was already muttering softly in her sleep。 With her elbows jutting out。
Egeanin lifted her head and looked over her shoulder。 〃She hates me； I think。〃
〃Go to sleep。〃 Elayne stifled another yawn。
〃You do not。〃
〃Don't be too sure of yourself；〃 she said firmly。 〃You are taking this very calmly。 How can you be so calm？〃
〃Calm？〃 The other woman's hands moved involuntarily； twisting at her Air…woven bonds。 〃I am so terrified I could weep。〃 She did not sound it。 Yet it sounded the simple truth。
〃We won't harm you； Egeanin。〃 Whatever Nynaeve wanted； she would see to that。 〃Go to sleep。〃 After a moment Egeanin's head lowered。
An hour。 It was right not to worry Egwene needlessly； but she wished that hour could be spent on their problem instead of wandering uselessly in Tel'aran'rhiod。 If they could not find out whether Amathera was prisoner or captive。。。 Set that aside； I won't puzzle it out here。 Once they did find out； how could they get inside the palace with all those soldiers about； and the Civil Watch； not to mention Liandrin and the others？
Nynaeve had started snoring softly； a habit she denied even more heatedly than she did flinging her elbows about。 Egeanin appeared to be taking the long； slow breaths of deep sleep。 Yawning into the back of her hand； Elayne shifted on the hard wooden seat and began planning how to sneak into the Panarch's Palace。
Chapter 52
（Dream Ring）
Need
For a moment Nynaeve stood in the Heart of the Stone not seeing it； not thinking of Tel'aran'rhiod at all。 Egeanin was Seanchan。 One of those vile people who had put a collar on Egwene's neck and tried to put one on hers。 Knowing it still made her feel hollow。 Seanchan； and she had snaked her way into Nynaeve's affections。 True friends had seemed so few and far between since leaving Emond's Field。 To find a new one； then lose her in this way。。。
〃I hate her for that worst of all；〃 she growled； folding her arms tightly。 〃She made me like her； and I cannot stop； and I hate her for it！〃 Said aloud； it made no sense at all。 〃I do not have to make sense。〃 She laughed quietly； with a rueful shake of her head。 〃I am supposed to be Aes Sedai。〃 But not to be wool…gathering like a fool girl。
Callandor sparkled； the crystal sword rising out of the floor…stones beneath the great dome； and the massive redstone columns ran off in shadowed rows through that odd； dim light that came from everywhere。 Easy to remember the feel of being watched； to imagine it again。 If it had been imagination before。 If it was now。 Anything might be hiding back in there。 A good stout stick appeared in her hands as she peered among the columns。 Where was Egwene？ Just like the girl to keep her waiting。 All that murkiness。 For all she knew； something could be about to jump out at…〃That is an odd dress； Nynaeve。〃
Just stifling a yelp； she spun around heavily； rattling metallically； heart thumping in her throat。 Egwene stood on the other side of Callandor with two women in bulky skirts and dark shawls over white blouses； snowy hair held by folded scarves falling to their waists。 Nynaeve swallowed； hoping none of them noticed； tried to make herself breathe normally again。 Sneaking up on her that way！
One of the Aiel women she knew from Elayne's description； Amys's face was much too young for such hair； but apparently it had been almost silver even as a child。 The other； thin and bony； had pale blue eyes in a leathery； wrinkled face。 That must be Bair。 The tougher of the two； in Nynaeve's opinion now that she saw them； not th