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Turning slowly； he frowned at the pedestals。 Surely someone should be up on them； whoever was supposed to answer his questions。 He was being cheated。 If he could e here； he should be able to get answers。
Suddenly he spun in a circle； searching not the pedestals but the smooth gray walls。 The doorway was gone； there was no way out。
Yet before he pleted a second turn there was someone standing on each pedestal； people like his guide； but dressed differently。 Four were men； the others women； their stiff hair rising in a crest before spilling down their backs。 All wore long white skirts that hid their feet。 The women had on white blouses that fell below their hips； with high lace necks and pale ruffles at their wrists。 The men wore even more straps than the guide； wider and studded with gold。 Each harness supported a pair of bare bladed knives on the wearer's chest。 Bronze blades； Mat judged from the color； but he would have given all the gold in his possession for just one of them。
〃Speak；〃 one of the women said in that growling voice。 〃By the ancient treaty； here is agreement made。 What is your need？ Speak。〃
Mat hesitated。 That was not what the snaky people had said。 They were all staring at him like foxes staring at dinner。 〃Who is the Daughter of the Nine Moons and why do I have to marry her？〃 He hoped they would count that as one question。
No one answered。 None of them spoke。 They just continued to stare at him with those big pale eyes。
〃You are supposed to answer；〃 he said。 Silence。 〃Burn your bones to ash； answer me！ Who is the Daughter of the Nine Moons and why do I have to marry her？ How will I die and live again？ What does it mean that I have to give up half the light of the world？ Those are my three questions。 Say something！〃
Dead silence。 He could hear himself breathing； hear the blood throbbing in his ears。
〃I have no intention of marrying。 And I have no intention of dying； either； whether I am supposed to live again or not。 I walk around with holes in my memory； holes in my life； and you stare at me like idiots。 If I had my way； I would want those holes filled； but at least answers to my questions might fill some in my future。 You have to answer…！〃
〃Done；〃 one of the men growled； and Mat blinked。
Done？ What was done？ What did he mean？ 〃Burn your eyes；〃 he muttered。 〃Burn your souls！ You are as bad as Aes Sedai。 Well； I want a way to be free of Aes Sedai and the Power； and I want to be away from you and back to Rhuidean； if you will not answer me。 Open up a door； and let me …〃
〃Done；〃 another man said； and one of the women echoed； 〃Done。〃
Mat scanned the walls； then glared； turning to take them all in； standing up there on their pedestals staring down at him。 〃Done？ What is done？ I see no door。 You lying goat…fathered …〃
〃Fool；〃 a woman said in a whispered growl； and others repeated it。 Fool。 Fool。 Fool。
〃Wise to ask leavetaking； when you set no price； no terms。〃
〃Yet fool not to first agree on price。〃
〃We will set the price。〃
They spoke so quickly he could not tell which said what。
〃What was asked will be given。〃
〃The price will be paid。〃
〃Burn you；〃 he shouted； 〃what are you talking！？〃
Utter darkness closed around him。 There was something around his throat。 He could not breathe。 Air。 He could not。。。。
Chapter 25
（Serpent and Wheel）
The Road to the Spear
Not hesitating at the first row of columns； Rand made himself walk in among them。 There could be no turning back now； no looking back。 Light； what is supposed to happen in here？ What does it really do？
Clear as the finest glass； perhaps a foot thick and standing three paces or more apart； the columns were a forest of dazzling light filled with cascading ripples and glares and odd rainbows。 The air was cooler here； enough to make him wish he had a coat； but the same gritty dust covered the smooth white stone under his boots。 Not a breeze stirred； yet something made each hair on his body shift； even under his shirt。
Ahead and to the right he could just see another man； in the grays and browns of Aiel； stiff and statue…still in the changing lights。 That must be Muradin； Couladin's brother。 Stiff and still； something was happening。 Strangely； considering the brilliance； Rand could make out the Aiel's face clearly。 Eyes wide and staring； face tight； mouth quivering on the brink of a snarl。 Whatever he was seeing； he did not like it。 But Muradin had survived that far； at least。 If he could do it； Rand could。 The man was six or seven paces ahead of him at best。 Wondering why he and Mat had not seen Muradin go in； he took another step。
He rode behind a set of eyes； feeling but not controlling a body。 The owner of those eyes crouched easily among boulders on a barren mountainside； beneath a sun blasted sky； peering down at strange half…made stone structures … No！ Less than half…made。 That's Rhuidean； but without any fog； and only just begun … peering down contemptuously。 He was Mandein； young for a sept chief at forty。 Separateness faded； acceptance came。 He was Mandein。
〃You must agree；〃 Sealdre said； but for the moment he ignored her。
The Jenn had made things to draw up water and spill it into great stone basins。 He had fought battles over less water than one of those tanks held； with people walking by as though water was of no consequence。 A strange forest of glass rose in the center of all their activity； glittering in the sun； and near it the tallest tree he had ever seen； at least three spans high。 Their stone structures looked as if each was meant to contain an entire hold； an entire sept； when done。 Madness。 This Rhuidean could not be defended。 Not that anyone would attack the Jenn； of course。 Most avoided the Jenn as they avoided the accursed Lost Ones； who wandered searching for the songs they claimed would bring back lost days。
A procession snaked out of Rhuidean toward the mountain； a few dozen Jenn and two palanquins； each carried by eight men。 There was enough wood in each of those palanquins for a dozen chief's chairs。 He had heard there were still Aes Sedai among the Jenn。
〃You must agree to whatever they ask； husband；〃 Sealdre said。
He looked at her then； wanting for a moment to run his hands through her long golden hair； seeing the laughing girl who had laid the bridal wreath at his feet and asked him to marry her。 She was serious now； though； intent and worried。 〃Will the others e？〃 he asked。
〃Some。 Most。 I have talked to my sisters in the dream； and we have all dreamed the same dream。 The chiefs who do not e； and those who do not agree。。。 Their septs will die； Mandein。 Within three generations they will be dust； and their holds and cattle belong to other septs。 Their names will be lost。〃
He did not like her talking to the Wise Ones of other septs； even in dreams。 But the Wise Ones dreamed true。 When they knew； it was true。 〃Stay here；〃 he told her。 〃If I do not return； help our sons and daughters to hold the sept together。〃
She touched his cheek。 〃I will； shade of my life。 But remember。 You must agree。〃
Mandein motioned； and a hundred veiled shapes followed him down the slope； ghosting from boulder to boulder； bows and spears ready； grays and browns blending with the barren land； vanishing even to his eyes。 They were all men； he had left all the women of the sept who carried the spear with the men around Sealdre。 If anything went wrong and she decided on something senseless to save him； the men would probably follow her in it； the women would see her back to the hold whatever she wanted； to protect the hold and the sept。 He hoped they would。 Sometimes they could be fiercer than any man； and more foolish。
The procession from Rhuidean had stopped on the cracked clay flat by the time he reached the lower slope。 He motioned his men to ground and went on alone； lowering his veil。 He was aware of other men moving out from the mountain to his right and left； ing across the baked ground from other directions。 How many？ Fifty？ Maybe a hundred？ Some faces he had expected to see were missing。 Sealdre was right as usual； some had not listened to their Wise Ones' dream。 There were faces he had never seen before； and faces of men he had tried to kill； men who had tried to kill him。 At least none were veiled。 Killing in front of a Jenn was almost as bad as killing a Jenn。 He hoped the others remembered that。 Treachery from one； and the veils would be donned； the warriors each chief had brought would e down from the mountains； and this dry clay would be muddied with blood。 He half…expected to feel a spear through his ribs any moment。
Even trying to watch a hundred possible sources of death； it was hard not to stare at the Aes Sedai as the bearers lowered their ornately carved chairs to the ground。 Women with hair so white it almost seemed transparent。 Ageless faces with skin that looked as if the wind might tear it。 He had heard the years did not touch Aes Sedai。 How old must these two be？ What had they seen？ Could they remember when his greatfather ran first found Ogier stedding in the