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might have read all day； had I allowed it … and did his numbers； so I let him go。 Why are you in such a bother？ He promised to return by sunset； and he seems to set a great store by his promises。〃
Propping the ashandarei in its old corner； Mat told the other men to drop their burdens and go find Vanin and the remaining Redarms。 Then he left Riselle's spectacular bosom and ran all the way to the rooms Nynaeve and the other women shared。 They were all there； in the sitting room； and so was Lan； with his Warder's cloak already draped down his back and saddlebags on his shoulders。 His saddlebags and Nynaeve's； it seemed。 A good many bundles of dresses and not…so…small chests stood about the floor。 Mat wondered if they would make Lan carry those； too。
〃Of course you have to go find him； Mat Cauthon；〃 Nynaeve said。 〃Do you think we would just abandon the child？〃 To hear her； you would have thought that was exactly what he had intended。
Suddenly he was deluged with offers of help； not just Nynaeve and Elayne proposing to put off going to the farm； but Lan and Birgitte and Aviendha offering to join the search。 Lan was stone cold about it； grim as ever； but Birgitte and Aviendha。。。
〃My heart would break if anything happened to that boy；〃 Birgitte said； and Aviendha added； just as warmly； 〃I have always said you do not care for him properly。〃
Mat ground his teeth。 In the streets of the city； Olver might well elude eight men until he appeared back at the palace at sunset。 He did keep his promises； but small chance he would give up one moment of freedom he did not have to。 More eyes would mean a quicker search； especially if all of the Wise Women were brought into it。 For the space of three heartbeats he hesitated。 He had his own promises to keep； though he was wise enough not to put it that way。
〃The Bowl is too important；〃 he told them。 〃That gholam is still out there； and maybe Moghedien； and the Black Ajah for sure。〃 The dice thundered in his head。 Aviendha would not appreciate being lumped in with Nynaeve and Elayne； but he did not care right then。 He addressed Lan and Birgitte。 〃Keep them safe until I can reach you。 Keep all of them safe。〃
Startlingly； Aviendha said； 〃We will。 I promise。〃 She fingered the hilt of her knife。 Apparently she did not understand she was one of those to be kept safe。
Nynaeve and Elayne did。 Nynaeve's sudden glare tried to bore a hole through his skull； he expected her to yank on her braid； but strangely； her hand only fluttered toward it before being put firmly to her side。 Elayne contented herself with raising her chin； those big blue eyes frosty。 No dimple here。
Lan and Birgitte understood； too。
〃Nynaeve is my life；〃 Lan said simply； putting a hand on her shoulder。 The odd thing was； she suddenly looked very sad； and then just as suddenly； her jaw set as though she was preparing to walk through a stone wall and make a large hole。
Birgitte gave Elayne a fond look； but it was to Mat she spoke。 〃I will；〃 she said。 〃Honor's truth。〃
Mat tugged at his coat unfortably。 He still was not sure how much he had told her while drunk。 Light； but the woman could soak it up like dry sand。 Even so； he gave the proper response for a Barashandan lord； accepting her pledge。 〃The honor of blood； the truth of blood。〃 Birgitte nodded； and from the startled looks he received from Nynaeve and Elayne； she still kept his secrets close。 Light； if any Aes Sedai ever found out about those memories； they might as well know he had blown the Horn as well； foxhead or no foxhead； they would stretch him out till they dug out every last why and how。
As he was turning to go； Nynaeve caught his sleeve。 〃Remember the storm； Mat。 It's going to break soon； I know it。 You take care of yourself； Mat Cauthon。 Do you hear me？ Tylin has directions for the farm； when you get back with Olver。〃
Nodding； he made his escape； the dice in his head like echoes of his running boots。 Was it during the search that he was supposed to take care of himself； or while getting the directions from Tylin？ Nynaeve and her Listening to the Wind。 Did she think a little rain was going to melt him？ e to think； once they used the Bowl of the Winds； it would rain again。 It seemed years since rain last fell。 Something tugged at his thoughts； something about the weather； and Elayne； which made no sense； but he shrugged it off。 One thing at a time； and the one thing right now was Olver。
The men were all waiting in the Redarms' long room near the stables； everyone on their feet except Vanin； who lay sprawled on one of the beds with his fingers laced over his belly。 Vanin said a man had to take rest when he could。 He swung his boots over and sat up when Mat entered； though。 He cared about Olver as much as any of the others； Mat was just afraid the man was going to start teaching him how to steal horses and poach pheasants。 Seven sets of eyes focused on Mat intently。
〃Riselle said Olver's wearing his red coat；〃 he told them。 〃He gives them away； sometimes； but any urchin you see in a good red coat probably knows where Olver last was。 Everybody goes in a different direction。 Make loops out from the Mol Hara； and try to be back after about an hour。 Wait till everybody is back before you go out again。 That way； if somebody finds him； the rest of us won't still be looking tomorrow。 Does everybody understand？〃 They nodded。
Sometimes it amazed him。 Lanky Thom with his white hair and mustaches； who had been a Queen's lover once； and more willingly than himself； not to mention more than a lover； if you believed half he said。 Square…jawed Harnan with that tattoo on his cheek and more elsewhere； who had been a soldier all his life。 Juilin with his bamboo staff and his sword…breaker on his hip； who thought himself as good as any lord even if the idea of carrying a sword himself still made him uneasy； and fat Vanin； who made Juilin look a bootlicker by parison。 Skinny Fergin； and Gorderan； nearly as wide in the shoulders as Perrin； and Metwyn； whose pale Cairhienin face still looked like a boy's despite being years older than Mat。 Some of them followed Mat Cauthon because they thought he was lucky； because his luck might keep them alive when the swords were out； and some for reasons he was not really sure of； but they followed。 Not even Thom had ever more than protested an order of his。 Maybe Renaile had been more than luck。 Maybe his being ta'veren did more than dump him in the…middle of trouble。 Suddenly he felt。。。 responsible。。。 for these men。 It was an unfortable feeling。 Mat Cauthon and responsibility did not go together。 It was unnatural。
〃Take care of yourselves； and look sharp；〃 he said。 〃You know what's out there。 There's a storm ing。〃 Now why had he said that？ 〃Move。 We're wasting light。〃
The wind still blew strongly； sweeping dust across the Mol Hara Square with its statue of a long…dead queen posing above the fountain； but there was no other sign of a storm。 Nariene had been noted for her honesty； but not enough to have been depicted pletely bare…chested。 The afternoon sun burned high in a sky without a cloud； but people rushed through the square as quickly as they had in the morning cool。 That was gone； wind or no； down here on the ground。 The paving stones seemed a griddle under his boots。
Glaring across the square at The Wandering Woman； Mat headed toward the river。 Olver had not gone off with the street urchins half as often while they were staying at the inn； he had been too content ogling the serving girls and Setalle Anan's daughters。 So much for the dice telling him he had to move into the palace。 Anything he had done since leaving … anything he wanted to do； he amended； thinking of Tylin and her eyes； and her hands … any of it could have been done just as well from there。 Those dice spun now； and he wished they would just go away。
He tried to move quickly； dodging impatiently around trundling carts and wagons； cursing at lacquered sedan chairs and coaches that nearly ran him down； eyes darting in search of a red coat close to the ground； but the bustle in the streets slowed him to a meander。 Which was just as well； in truth。 No point dashing by the boy without seeing him。 Wishing he had brought Pips out of the palace stables； he frowned at the people streaming past； a man on horseback could have moved no faster in the throng； but up in the saddle； he could have seen farther。 Then again； asking questions from a saddle would have been awkward； not many folk actually rode inside the city； and some people had a tendency to shy away from anyone on a horse。
Always the same question。 The first time he asked was at a bridge just below the Mol Hara； of a fellow selling honey…baked apples from a tray hanging from a strap around his neck。 〃Have you seen a boy； about so high； in a red coat？〃 Olver liked sweets。
〃Boy； my Lord？〃 the fellow said； sucking his few remaining teeth。 〃Seen a thousand boys。 Don't remember no coat； though。 Would my Lord like one apple； or two？〃 He scooped up two with bony fingers and pushed them at Mat； the way they gave under his fingers； they were softer than any baking could account for。 〃Did my Lord hear about