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ockets。 The skeleton marked the room off from any other； there was no mistaking it for anything but itself。 Whatever it was。 If Eurian Romavni had known； he had not named it in these pages。
〃What is a panarch； anyway？〃 she asked； laying the book aside。 She had studied the picture a dozen times。 〃All of these writers seem to think you know already。〃
〃The Panarch of Tanchico is the equal of the king in authority；〃 Elayne recited。 〃She is responsible for collecting taxes； customs and duties； he for spending them properly。 She controls the Civil Watch and the courts； except for the High Court； which is the king's。 The army is his； of course； except for the Panarch's Legion。 She …〃
〃I didn't really want to know。〃 Egwene sighed。 It had only been something to say； another few moments to delay what she was going to do。 The candle was burning down； she was wasting precious minutes。 She knew how to step out of the dream when she wanted； how to wake herself； but time passed differently in the World of Dreams； and it was easy to lose track。 〃As soon as it reaches the mark；〃 she said； and Elayne and Nynaeve murmured reassurances。
Settling back on her feather pillows； at first she only stared at the ceiling； painted with blue sky and clouds and swooping swallows。 She did not see them。
Her dreams had been bad enough lately； most of them。 Rand was in them； of course。 Rand as tall as a mountain； walking through cities； crushing buildings beneath his feet； with screaming people like ants fleeing from him。 Rand in chains； and it was he who was screaming。 Rand building a wall with him on one side and her on the other； her and Elayne and others she could not make out。 〃It has to be done；〃 he was saying as he piled up stones。 〃I'll not let you stop me now。〃 These were not the only nightmares。 She had dreamed of Aiel fighting each other； killing each other； even throwing away their weapons and running as if they had gone mad。 Mat wrestling with a Seanchan woman who tied an invisible leash to him。 A wolf … she was sure it was Perrin； though … fighting a man whose face kept changing。 Galad wrapping himself in white as though putting on his own shroud； and Gawyn with his eyes full of pain and hatred。 Her mother weeping。 They were the sharp dreams； the ones she knew meant something。 They were hideous； and she did not know what any of them meant。 How could she presume to think she could find any meanings or clues in Tel'aran'rhiod！ But there was no other choice。 No other choice but ignorance； and she could not choose that。
Despite her anxiety； going to sleep was no problem； she was exhausted。 It was just a matter of closing her eyes and taking deep； regular breaths。 She fixed in her thoughts the room in the Panarch's Palace and the huge skeleton。 Deep； regular breaths。 She could remember how using the stone ring felt； the step into Tel'aran'rhiod。 Deep … regular … breaths。
Egwene stepped back with a gasp； one hand to her throat。 This close； the skeleton seemed even larger than she had thought； the bones bleached dull and dry。 She stood right in front of it； inside the rope。 A white rope； as thick as her wrist and apparently silk。 She had no doubt this was Tel'aran'rhiod。 The detail was as fine as reality； even for things half seen from the corner of her eye。 That she could even be aware of the differences between this and an ordinary dream told her where she was。 Besides； it felt。。。 right。
She opened herself to saidar。 A nick on the finger in the World of Dreams would still be there on waking； there would be no waking from a killing stroke with the Power； or even from a sword； or a club。 She did not intend to be vulnerable for an instant。
Instead of her shift； she wore something very much like Aviendha's Aiel garb； but in red brocaded silk； even her soft boots； laced to the knee； were supple red leather； suitable for gloves； with gold stitching and laces。 She laughed softly to herself。 Clothes in Tel'aran'rhiod were what you wanted them to be。 Apparently part of her mind wanted to be ready to move quickly； while another part wanted to be ready for a ball。 It would not do。 The red faded to grays and browns； the coat and breeches and boots became exact copies of the Maidens'。 No better； really； not in a city。 Abruptly she was in a copy of the dresses Faile always wore； dark； with narrow divided skirts； long sleeves and a high snug bodice。 Foolish to worry about it。 No one is going to see me except in their dreams； and few ordinary dreams reach here。 It would make no difference if I were naked。
For a moment she was naked。 Her face colored with embarrassment； there was no one there to see her bare as in her bath； before she hastily brought the dark dress back； but she should have remembered how stray thoughts could affect things here； especially when you had embraced the Power。 Elayne and Nynaeve thought she was so knowledgeable。 She knew a few of the rules of the Unseen World； and knew there were a hundred； a thousand more of which she was ignorant。 Somehow； she had to learn them； if she was to be the Tower's first Dreamer since Corianin。
She took a closer look at the huge skull。 She had grown up in a country village； and she knew what animal bones looked like。 Not four eye sockets after all。 Two seemed to be for tusks of some kind instead； on either side of where its nose had been。 Some sort of monstrous boar； perhaps； though it looked like no pig skull she had ever seen。 It had a feel of age； though； great age。
With the Power in her； she could sense things like that； here。 The usual enhancement of senses was with her； of course。 She could feel tiny cracks in the gilded plaster bosses covering the ceiling fifty feet up； and the smooth polish of the white stone floor。 Infinitesimal cracks； invisible to the eye； spread across the floor stones as well。
The chamber was huge； perhaps two hundred paces long and nearly half as wide； with rows of thin white columns； and that white rope running 。all the way around except where there were doorways； with double pointed arches。 More ropes encircled polished wooden stands and cabinets holding other exhibits out in the floor。 Up under the ceiling； an elaborate pattern of tiny carvings pierced the walls； letting in plenty of light。 Apparently she had dreamed herself into a Tanchico where it was day。
〃A grand display of artifacts of Ages long past； of the Age of Legends and Ages before； open to all； even the mon folk； three days in the month and on feastdays；〃 Eurian Romavni had written。 He had spoken in glowing terms of the priceless display of cuendillar figures； six of them； in a glass sided case in the center of the hall； always watched by four of the Panarch's personal guards when people were allowed in； and had gone on for two pages about the bones of fabulous beasts 〃never seen alive by the eyes of man。〃 Egwene could see some of those。 On one side of the room was the skeleton of something that looked a little like a bear； if a bear had two front teeth as long as her forearm； and opposite it on the other side were the bones of some slender； four footed beast with a neck so long the skull was half as high as the ceiling。 There were more； spaced down the chamber's walls； just as fantastic。 All of them felt old enough to make the Stone of Tear seem new built。 Ducking under the rope barrier； she walked down the chamber slowly； staring。
A weathered stone figurine of a woman； seemingly unclothed but wrapped in hair that fell to her ankles； was outwardly no different from the others sharing its case； each not much bigger than her hand。 But it gave an impression of soft warmth that she recognized。 It was an angreal； she was sure； she wondered why the Tower had not managed to get it away from the Panarch。 A finely jointed collar and two bracelets of dull black metal； on a stand by themselves； made her shiver； she felt darkness and pain associated with them … old； old pain； and sharp。 A silvery thing in another cabinet； like a three pointed star inside a circle； was made of no substance she knew； it was softer than metal； scratched and gouged； yet even older than any of the ancient bones。 From ten paces she could sense pride and vanity。
One thing actually seemed familiar； though she could not say why。 Tucked into a corner of one of the cabinets； as if whoever put it there had been uncertain that it was worthy of display； lay the upper half of a broken figure carved from some shiny white stone； a woman holding a crystal sphere in one upraised hand； her face calm and dignified and full of wise authority。 Whole； she would have been perhaps a foot tall。 But why did she appear so familiar？ She almost seemed to call to Egwene to pick her up。
Not until Egwene's fingers closed on the broken statuette did she realize she had climbed over the rope。 Foolish； when I don't know what it is； she thought； but it was already too late。
As her hand grasped it； the Power surged within her； into the half figure then back into her； into the figure and back； in and back。 The crystal sphere flickered in fitful； lurid flashes； and needles stabbed her brain with each flash。 With a sob of agony； she loosed her ho