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A sudden scream made her turn； and she gaped at the sight of a shaggy gray wolf ripping Dosera's throat out。 Without thought she plunged her spear into its side。 Even as it twisted to snap at the spear haft； another waist…tall wolf bounded past her to hurl itself onto the back of one of the algai'd'siswai； then another wolf； and more； tearing into cadin'sor…clad figures wherever she looked。
Superstitious fear lanced through her as she pulled her spear free。 The Aes Sedai had called wolves to fight for them。 She could not take her gaze from the wolf she had killed。 The Aes Sedai had。。。 No。 No！ It could change nothing。 She would not let it。
Finally she managed to pull her eyes away； but before she could shout encouragement to the Wise Ones again； something else stilled her tongue and made her stare。 A knot of wetlander horsemen in red helmets and breastplates； laying about them with swords； thrusting with long lances； in the middle of the algai'd'siswai。 Where had they e from？
She did not realize she had spoken aloud until Rhiale answered her。 〃I tried to tell you； Sevanna； but you would not listen。〃 The flame…haired woman eyed her bloody spear distastefully； Wise Ones were not supposed to carry spears。 She ostentatiously laid the weapon in the crook of her elbow； the way she had seen chiefs do； as Rhiale went on。 〃Wetlanders have attacked from the south。 Wetlanders and siswai'aman。〃 She imbued the word with all the scorn proper for those who would name themselves Spears of the Dragon。 〃Maidens as well。 And。。。 And there are Wise Ones。〃
〃Fighting？〃 Sevanna said incredulously before realizing how it sounded。 If she could toss out decayed custom； surely those sun…blinded fools to the south who still called themselves Aiel could as well。 She had not expected it； though。 No doubt Sorilea had brought them； that old woman reminded Sevanna of a landslide plunging down a mountain； carrying all before it。 〃We must attack them at once。 They will not have Rand al'Thor。 Or ruin our vengeance for Desaine；〃 she added when Rhiale's eyes widened。
〃They are Wise Ones；〃 the other woman said in a flat tone； and Sevanna understood bitterly。 Joining the dance of spears was bad enough； but Wise One attacking Wise One was more than even Rhiale would countenance。 She had agreed that Desaine must die … how else could the other Wise Ones； not to mention the algai'd'siswai； be brought to attack Aes Sedai； which they must do to put Rand al'Thor in their hands； and with him all the Aiel？ … yet that was done in secret； surrounded by like…minded women。 This would be before everyone。 Fools and cowards； all of them！
〃Then fight those enemies you can bring yourself to fight； Rhiale。〃 She bit off every word with as much scorn as she could； but Rhiale merely nodded； adjusted her shawl with another glance at the spear on Sevanna's arm and returned to her place in the line。
Perhaps there was a way to make the other Wise Ones move first。 Better to attack by surprise； but better anything than that they should snatch Rand al'Thor from her very hands。 What she would not give for a woman who could channel and would do as she was told without balking。 What she would not give to be on a rise； where she could see how the battle went。
Keeping her spear ready and a wary eye out for wolves … those she could see were either killing men and women in cadin'sor or were dead themselves … she returned to shouting encouragement。 To the south more fire and lightning fell among the Shaido than before； but it made no difference that she could tell。 That battle； with its explosions of flame and earth and people； continued unabated。
〃Push spears！〃 she shouted； waving hers。 〃Push spears！〃 Among the churning algai'd'siswai she could not make out any of the fools who had tied a bit of red cloth around their temples and named themselves siswai'aman。 Perhaps they were too few to alter the course of events。 The knots of wetlanders certainly seemed few and far between。 Even as she watched； one was swarmed under； men and horses； by stabbing spears。 〃Push spears！ Push spears！〃 Exultation filled her voice。 If the Aes Sedai called ten thousand wolves； if Sorilea had brought a thousand Wise Ones and a hundred thousand spears； the Shaido would still emerge victorious today。 The Shaido； and herself。 Sevanna of the Jumai Shaido would be a name remembered forever。
Suddenly a hollow boom sounded amid the roar of battle。 It seemed to e from the direction of the Aes Sedai wagons； but nothing told her whether they had caused it； or the Wise Ones。 She disliked things she did not understand； yet she was not about to ask Rhiale or the others and flaunt her ignorance。 And her lack of the ability all here had； save her。 It counted for nothing among themselves； but another thing she did not like was for others to have power she did not。
A flicker of light among the algai'd'siswai； a sense of something turning； caught the corner of her eye； but when she turned to look； there was nothing。 Again the same thing happened； a flash of light seen on the edge of vision； and again when she looked there was nothing to see。 Too many things she did not understand。
Shouting encouragement； she eyed the line of Shaido Wise Ones。 Some appeared bedraggled； head scarves gone and long hair hanging loose； skirts and blouses covered with dirt or even singed。 At least a dozen lay stretched out in a row； groaning； and seven more were still； shawls laid over their faces。 It was those on their feet that interested her。 Rhiale； and Alarys with her rare black hair all awry； Someryn； who had taken to wearing her blouse unlaced to show even more generous cleavage than Sevanna herself； and Meira； with her long face yet more grim than usual。 Stout Tion； and skinny Belinde； and Modarra； as tall as most men。
One of them should have told her if they did something new。 The secret of Desaine bound them to her； even for a Wise One； revelation of that would lead to a lifetime of pain … and worse； shame … trying to meet toh； if the one revealed was not simply driven naked into the wilderness to live or die as she could； likely to be killed like a beast by any who found her。 Even so； Sevanna was sure they took as much delight as the rest in concealing things from her； the things that Wise Ones learned during their apprenticeships； and in the journeys to Rhuidean。 Something would have to be done about that； but later。 She would not display weakness by asking what they did now。
Turning back to the battle； she found the balance changing； and in her favor it appeared。 To the south fireballs and lightning bolts plummeted as heavily as ever； but not in front of her； and it seemed not to the west or north either。 What struck toward the wagons still failed to reach the ground more often than not； yet there was a definite slackening of the Aes Sedai's efforts。 They had been forced onto the defensive。 She was winning！
Even as the thought flushed through her like pure heat； the Aes Sedai went silent。 Only to the south did fire and lightning still fall among the algai'd'siswai。 She opened her mouth to shout victory； and another realization silenced her。 Fire and lightning stormed down toward the wagons； stormed down and crashed against some unseen obstruction。 Smoke from burning wagons was beginning to outline the shape of a dome as it streamed up and finally billowed from a hole in the top of the invisible enclosure。
Sevanna whirled to confront the line of Wise Ones； her face such that several flinched back from her； and maybe from the spear in her hand。 She knew she looked ready to use it； she was ready。 〃Why have you let them do this？〃 she raged。 〃Why？ You were to obstruct whatever they did； not allow them to make more walls！〃
Tion looked ready to empty her stomach； but she planted her fists on broad hips and faced Sevanna directly。 〃It was not the Aes Sedai。〃
〃Not the Aes Sedai？〃 Sevanna spat。 〃Then who？ The other Wise Ones？ I told you we must attack them！〃
〃It was not women；〃 Rhiale said； her voice faltering。 〃It was not …〃 Face pale； she swallowed。
Sevanna turned slowly to stare at the dome； only then remembering to breathe again。 Something had risen through the hole where the smoke gushed out。 One of the wetlander banners。 The smoke was not enough to obscure it pletely。 Crimson； with a disc half white and half black； the colors divided by a sinuous line； just like the piece of cloth the siswai'aman wore。 Rand al'Thor's banner。 Could he possibly be strong enough to have broken free； overwhelmed all the Aes Sedai and raised that？ It had to be。
The storm still battered at the dome； but Sevanna heard murmurs behind her。 The other women were thinking of retreat。 Not her。 She had always known that the easiest path to power lay through conquering men who already possessed it； and even as a child she was sure she had been born with the weapons to conquer them。 Suladric； clan chief of the Shaido； fell to her at sixteen； and when he died； she chose out those most likely to succeed。 Muradin and Couladin each believed he alone had captured her interest； and when Muradin failed to return from Rhuidean； as so many men did； one smile co