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I'm sure Elaida has some nasty surprise hidden behind her skirts； but we don't。〃 She would see to that； if anyone had different notions。 Somehow； she would。 〃Promise me？〃
They passed unreadable looks back and forth。 They could not like the idea of letting a sister near Rand； certainly not unhindered。 Doubtless one of them would contrive to be present whenever Merana was； but she could live with that so long as they did not hinder too much。
〃I promise； Egwene al'Vere；〃 Amys said finally； in a voice flat as worked stone。
Probably she was offended that Egwene had required a pledge； but Egwene felt as though a weight had lifted。 Two weights。 Rand and Merana were not at each other's throats； and Merana would have a chance to do what she had been sent to do。 〃I knew I'd have the unvarnished truth from you； Amys。 I can't tell you how glad I am to hear it。 If anything were wrong between Rand and Merana。。。 Thank you。〃
Startled； she blinked。 For an instant； Amys wore cadin'sor。 She made some sort of small gesture； too。 Maiden handtalk； perhaps。 Neither Bair nor Melaine； sipping their tea； gave any sign that they had noticed。 Amys must have been wishing she were somewhere else； away from the tangle Rand had made of everybody's life。 It would be embarrassing； shaming； for a Wise One dream…walker to lose control of herself in Tel'aran'rhiod even for an instant。 To the Aiel； shame hurt far worse than pain； but it had to be witnessed to be shame。 If it was not seen； or those who saw refused to admit it； then it might as well never have happened。 A strange people； but she certainly did not want to shame Amys。 posing her face； she went on as if nothing had happened。
〃I must ask a favor。 An important favor。 Don't tell Rand … or anybody … about me。 About this； I mean to say。〃 She lifted an end of her stole。 Their faces made an Aes Sedai's best calm look maniacal。 Stone was not in it。 〃I don't mean lie；〃 she added hastily。 Under ji'e'toh； asking someone to lie was little better than telling one yourself。 〃Just don't bring it up。 He's already sent somebody to 'rescue' me。〃 And won't he be furious when he finds out I shuffled Mat off to Ebou Dar with Nynaeve and Elayne； she thought。 She had had to do it； though。 〃I don't need rescuing； and I don't want it； but he thinks he knows better than everybody。 I'm afraid he might e hunting for me himself。〃 Which frightened her more … that he might appear in the camp alone； raging； with three hundred or so Aes Sedai around him？ Or that he might e with some of the Asha'man？ Either way； a disaster。
〃That would be。。。 unfortunate；〃 Melaine murmured； though she was seldom one for understatement； and Bair muttered； 〃The Car'a'carn is headstrong。 As bad as any man I have ever known。 And a few women； for that matter。〃
〃We will hold your confidence close； Egwene al'Vere；〃 Amys said gravely。
Egwene blinked at the quick agreement。 But perhaps it was not so surprising。 To them； the Car'a'carn was only another chief； just more so； and Wise Ones had certainly been known to keep things from a chief they thought he should not know。
After that there was not much to say； though they talked a while longer over more cups of tea。 She longed for a lesson in walking the dream； but could not ask with Amys there。 Amys would go； and she wanted her pany more than learning。 The closest the Wise Ones came to telling her anything Rand was actually doing was when Melaine grumbled that he should finish the Shaido and Sevanna now； and both Bair and Amys frowned at her so； she turned bright red。 After all； Sevanna was a Wise One； as Egwene knew quite bitterly。 Not even the Car'a'carn would be allowed to interfere with even a Shaido Wise One。 And she could not give them details of her own circumstances。 That they had leaped right to the most shaming part did nothing to lessen the shame she would feel talking about it … it was very hard not to drop back into behaving； even thinking； as the Aiel did when she was around them； for that matter； she thought it might have shamed her had she never met an Aiel … and the only sort of advice they had about dealing with Aes Sedai lately was of a nature that Elaida herself would not try to follow。 An Aes Sedai riot； unlikely as it sounded； might result。 Worse； they already thought badly enough of Aes Sedai without her adding wood to the fire。 Some day she wanted to forge a link between the Wise Ones and the White Tower； but that would never happen unless she managed to dampen that fire down。 Another thing she had no idea how to do； as yet。
〃I must go；〃 she said at last； standing。 Her body lay asleep in her tent； but there was never quite enough rest in sleep while you were in Tel'aran'rhiod。 The others rose with her。 〃I hope you will all be very careful。 Moghedien hates me； and she would certainly try to hurt anyone who's my friend。 She knows a great deal about the World of Dreams。 At least as much as Lanfear did。〃 That was as close as she could e to warning them without saying right out that Moghedien might know more than they。 Aiel pride could be prickly。 They took her meaning； though； and without offense。
〃If the Shadowsouled meant to threaten us〃 Melaine said； 〃I think they would have by now。 Perhaps they believe we are no threat to them。〃
〃We have glimpsed those who must be dreamwalkers； including men。〃 Bair shook her head incredulously； no matter what she knew about the Forsaken； she considered male dreamwalkers about as mon as legs on snakes。 〃They avoid us。 All of them。〃
〃I think we are as strong as they；〃 Amys added。 In the One Power； she and Melaine were no stronger than Theodrin and Faolain … far from weak； indeed stronger than most Aes Sedai； but far from a Forsaken's strength； too … yet in the World of Dreams； knowledge of Tel'aran'rhiod was often as powerful as saidar； more at times。 Here； Bair was the equal of any sister。 〃But we will take care。 It is the enemy you underestimate who kills you。〃
Egwene took Amys' hand and Melaine's； and would have Bair's had there been a way。 Instead； she included her with a smile。 〃I'll never be able to tell you what your friendship means to me； what you mean to me。〃 Despite everything； that was simple truth。 〃The whole world seems to be changing every time I blink。 You three are one of the few firm spots in it。〃
〃The world does change；〃 Amys said； sadly。 〃Even mountains are worn away by the wind； and no one can climb the same hill twice。 I hope we will always be friends in your eyes； Egwene al'Vere。 May you always find water and shade。〃 And with that； they were gone； back to their own bodies。
For a time she stood frowning at Callandor but not seeing it； until suddenly she gave herself an exasperated shake。 She had been thinking about that endless field of stars。 If she waited there long； Gawyn's dream would find her again； swallow her the way his arms would shortly thereafter。 A pleasant way to spend the rest of the night。 And a childish waste of time。
Firmly she made herself step back to her sleeping body； but not to ordinary sleep。 She never did that anymore。 That one corner of her brain remained fully aware； cataloging her dreams； filing away those that foretold the future； or at any rate gave glimpses of the possible course it might take。 At least she could tell that much now； though the only one she had been able to interpret so far was the dream that told of Gawyn being her Warder。 Aes Sedai called this Dreaming； and the women who could do it Dreamers； all long dead but her； yet it had no more to do with the One Power than dreamwalking did。
Perhaps it was inevitable she should dream first of Gawyn； because she had been thinking of him。
She stood in a vast； dim chamber where everything was indistinct。 Everything except Gawyn； slowly ing toward her。 A tall； beautiful man … had she ever thought his half…brother Galad was more beautiful？ … with golden hair and eyes of the most wonderful deep blue。 He had some distance to cover yet； but he could see her； his gaze was fixed on her like an archer's on the target。 A faint sound of crunching and grating hung in the air。 She looked down。 And felt a scream building in her。 On bare feet； Gawyn walked across a floor of broken glass； shards breaking at every slow step。 Even in that faint light she could see the trail of blood left by his slashed feet。 She flung out a hand； tried to shout for him to stop； tried to run to him； but just that quickly she was elsewhere。
In the way of dreams she floated above a long； straight road across a grassy plain； looking down upon a man riding a black stallion。 Gawyn。 Then she was standing in the road in front of him； and he reined in。 Not because he saw her； this time； but the road that had been straight now forked right where she stood； running over tall hills so no one could see what lay beyond。 She knew； though。 Down one fork was his violent death； down the other； a long life and a death in bed。 On one path； he would marry her； on the other； not。 She knew what lay ahead； but not which way led to which。 Suddenly he did see her； or seemed to； and smiled； and turned his horse along one of the forks。。。 And she was in another dream。 And another。 Another。