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He seemed to be stepping through a sheet of brilliant white light； infinitely bright； infinitely thick。 For a moment that lasted forever； he was blind； a roaring filled his ears； all the sounds of the world gathered together at once。 For just the length of one measureless step。
Stumbling another pace； he stared around in amazement。 The ter'angreal was still there； but this was certainly not where he had started。 The twisted stone doorframe stood in the center of a round hall with a ceiling so high it was lost in shadows； surrounded by strange spiraled yellow columns snaking up into the gloom； like huge vines twining 'round poles that had been taken away。 A soft light came from glowing spheres atop coiled stands of some white metal。 Not silver； the shine was too dull for that。 And no hint of what made the glow； it did not look like flame； the spheres simply shone。 The floor tiles spiraled out in white and yellow stripes from the ter'angreal。 There was a heavy scent in the air； sharp and dry and not particularly pleasant。 He almost turned around and went back on the spot。
〃A long time。〃
He jumped； a knife conning into his hand； and peered among the columns for the source of the breathy voice that pronounced those words so harshly。
〃A long time； yet the seekers e again for answers。 The questioners e once more。〃 A shape moved； back among the columns； a man； Mat thought。 〃Good。 You have brought no lamps； no torches； as the agreement was； and is； and ever will be。 You have no iron？ No instruments of music？〃
The figure stepped out； tall； barefoot； arms and legs and body wound about in layers of yellow cloth； and Mat was suddenly not so sure if it was a man。 Or human。 It looked human； at first glance； though perhaps too graceful； but it seemed far too thin for its height； with a narrow； elongated face。 Its skin； and even its straight black hair； caught the pale light in a way that reminded him of a snake's scales。 And those eyes； the pupils just black； vertical slits。 No； not human。
〃Iron。 Instruments of music。 You have none？〃
Mat wondered what it thought the knife was； it certainly did not seem concerned over it。 Well； the blade was good steel； not iron。 〃No。 No iron； and no instruments of … Why …？〃 He cut off sharply。 Three questions； Egwene had said。 He was not about to waste one on 〃iron〃 or 〃instruments of music。〃 Why should he care if I have a dozen musicians in my pocket and a smithy on my back？ 〃I have e here for true answers。 If you are not the one to give them； take me to who can。〃
The man … it was male at least； Mat decided … smiled slightly。 He did not show any teeth。 〃According to the agreement。 e。〃 He beckoned with one long…fingered hand。 〃Follow。〃
Mat made the knife disappear up his sleeve。 〃Lead； and I will follow。〃 Just you keep ahead of me and in plain sight。 This place makes my skin crawl。
There was not a straight line to be seen anywhere except for the floor itself； as he trailed the strange man。 Even the ceiling was always arched； and the walls bowed out。 The halls were continuously curved； the doorways rounded； the windows perfect circles。 Tilework made spirals and sinuous lines； and what seemed to be bronze metalwork set in the ceiling at intervals was all plicated scrolls。 There were no pictures of anything； no wall hangings or paintings。 Only patterns； and always curves。
He saw no one except his silent guide； he could have believed the place empty except for the two of them。 From somewhere he had a dim memory of walking halls that had not known a human foot in hundreds of years； and this felt the same。 Yet sometimes he caught a flicker of motion out of the corner of his eye。 Only； however quickly he turned； there was never anyone there。 He pretended to rub his forearms； checking the knives up his coatsleeves for reassurance。
What he saw through those round windows was even worse。 Tall wispy trees with only a drooping umbrella of branches at the top； and others like huge fans of lacy leaves； a tangle of growth equal to the heart of any briar…choked thicket； all under a dim； overcast light； though there did not seem to be a cloud in the sky。 There were always windows； always along just one side of the curving corridor； but sometimes the side changed； and what surely should have been looking into courtyard or rooms instead gave out into that forest。 He never caught as much as a glimpse of any other part of this palace； or whatever it was； through those windows； or any other building； except。。。
Through one circular window he saw three tall silvery spires； curving in toward each other so their points all aimed at the same spot。 They were not visible from the next window； three paces away； but a few minutes later； after he and his guide had rounded enough curves that he had to be looking in another direction； he saw them again。 He tried telling himself these were three different spires； but between them and him was one of those fan…shaped trees with a dangling broken branch； a tree that had been in the same spot the first time。 After his third sight of the spires and the strange tree with the broken branch； this time ten paces farther on but on the other side of the hallway； he tried to stop looking at what lay outside at all。
The walk seemed interminable。
〃When …？ Are …？〃 Mat ground his teeth。 Three questions。 It was hard to learn anything without asking questions。 〃I hope you are taking me to those who can answer my questions。 Burn my bones； I do。 For my sake and yours； the Light know it true。〃
〃Here；〃 the peculiar； yellow…wrapped fellow said； gesturing with one of those thin hands to a rounded doorway twice as large as any Mat had seen before。 His strange eyes studied Mat intently。 His mouth gaped open； and he inhaled； long and slow。 Mat frowned at him； and the stranger gave a writhing hitch of his shoulders。 〃Here your answers may be found。 Enter。 Enter and ask。〃
Mat drew a deep breath of his own； then grimaced and scrubbed at his nose。 That sharp； heavy smell was a rank nuisance。 He took a hesitant step toward the tall doorway； and looked around for his guide again。 The fellow was gone。 Light！ I don't know why anything in this place surprises me now。 Well； I will be burned if I'll turn back now。 Trying not to think of whether he could find the ter'angreal again on his own； he went in。
It was another round room； with spiraling floor tiles in red and white under a domed ceiling。 It had no columns； or furnishings of any kind； except for three thick； coiled pedestals around the heart of the floor's spirals。 Mat could see no way to reach the top of them except by climbing the twists； yet a man like his guide sat cross…legged atop each； only wrapped in layers of red。 Not all men； he decided at a second look； two of those long faces with the odd eyes had a definite feminine cast。 They stared at him； intense penetrating stares； and breathed deeply； almost panting。 He wondered if he made them nervous in some way。 Not much bloody chance of that。 But they're certainly getting under my coat。
〃It has been long；〃 the woman on the right said。
〃Very long；〃 the woman on the left added。
The man nodded。 〃Yet they e again。〃
All three had the breathy voice of the guide … almost indistinguishable from it； in fact … and the harsh way of pronouncing words。 They spoke in unison； and the words might as well have e from one mouth。 〃Enter and ask； according to the agreement of old。〃
If Mat had thought his skin crawled before； now he was sure it was writhing。 He made himself go closer。 Carefully … careful to say nothing that even sounded like a question … he laid the situation before them。 The Whitecloaks； certainly in his home village； surely hunting friends of his； maybe hunting him。 One of his friends going to face the Whitecloaks； another not。 His family； not likely in danger； but with the bloody Children of the bloody Light around。。。 A ta'veren pulling at him so he could hardly move。 He saw no reason to give names； or mention that Rand was the Dragon Reborn。 His first question … and the other two； for that matter … he had worked out before going down to the Great Hold。 〃Should I go home to help my people？〃 he asked finally。
Three sets of slitted eyes lifted from him … reluctantly； it seemed… and studied the air above his head。 Finally the woman on the left said； 〃You must go to Rhuidean。〃
As soon as she spoke their eyes all dropped to him again； and they leaned forward； breathing deeply again； but at that moment a bell tolled； a sonorous brazen sound that rolled through the room。 They swayed upright； staring at one another； then at the air over Mat's head again。
〃He is another；〃 the woman on the left whispered。 〃The strain。 The strain。〃
〃The savor；〃 the man said。 〃It has been long。〃
〃There is yet time；〃 the other woman told them。 She sounded calm … they all did … but there was a sharpness to her voice when she turned back to Mat。 〃Ask。 Ask。〃
Mat glared up at them furiously。 Rhuidean？ Light！ That was somewhere out in the Waste； the Light and the Aiel knew where。 That was about as much as he knew。 In the Waste！ An