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set your breeches on fire。 I can manage that much。 You keep on as you are and see if I cannot。〃 Suddenly； for just a moment； the torch nearest them on the wall flared up with a roar。 She gave a squeak and stared at it； startled。
Twisting around； he grabbed her arm； pulled her off his back； and sat her against the wall。 When he sat up himself； she was sitting there across from him； rubbing her arm furiously。 〃You really would have； wouldn't you？〃 he said angrily。 〃You're fooling with things you don't understand。 You could have burned both of us to charcoal！〃
〃Men！ When you cannot win an argument； you either run away or resort to force。〃
〃Hold on there！ Who tripped who？ Who sat on who？ And you threatened … tried！ … to … 〃 He raised both hands。 〃No； you don't。 You do this to me all the time。 Whenever you realize the argument isn't going the way you want； suddenly we are arguing about something else pletely。 Not this time。〃
〃I am not arguing；〃 she said calmly； 〃and I am not changing the subject； either。 What is hiding except running away？ And after you hide； you'll run away for true。 And what about hurting Mat； and Perrin； and Loial？ And me？ I know why。 You're afraid you will hurt somebody even worse if you let them stay near you。 If you don't do what you shouldn't； then you do not have to worry about hurting anybody。 All this running around and striking out； and you don't even know if there's a reason。 Why should the Amyrlin； or any Aes Sedai but Moiraine； even know you exist？〃
For a moment he stared at her。 The longer she spent with Moiraine and Nynaeve； the more she took on their manner； at least when she wanted to。 They were much alike at times； the Aes Sedai and the Wisdom； distant and knowing。 It was disconcerting ing from Egwene。 Finally he told her what Lan had said。 〃What else could he mean？〃
Her hand froze on her arm； and she frowned with concentration。 〃Moiraine knows about you； and she hasn't done anything； so why should she now？ But if Lan。。。〃 Still frowning； she met his eyes。 〃The storerooms are the first place they will look。 If they do look。 Until we find out if they are looking； we need to put you somewhere they would never think of searching。 I know。 The dungeon。〃
He scrambled to his feet。 〃The dungeon！〃
〃Not in a cell； silly。 I go there some evenings to visit Padan Fain。 Nynaeve does； too。 No one will think it odd if I go early today。 In truth； with everybody looking to the Amyrlin； no one will even notice us。〃
〃But； Moiraine 。。。〃
〃She doesn't go the dungeons to question Master Fain。 She has him brought to her。 And she has not done that very much for weeks。 Believe me； you will be safe there。〃
Still； he hesitated。 Padan Fain。 〃Why do you visit the peddler； anyway？ He's a Darkfriend； admitted out of his own mouth； and a bad one。 Burn me； Egwene； he brought the Trollocs to Emond's Field！ The Dark One's hound； he called himself； and he has been sniffing on my trail since Winternight。〃
〃Well； he is safe behind iron bars now； Rand。〃 It was her turn to hesitate； and she looked at him almost pleading。 〃Rand； he has brought his wagon into the Two Rivers every spring since before I was born。 He knows all the people I know； all
the places。 It's strange； but the longer he has been locked up； the easier in himself he has bee。 It's almost as if he is breaking free of the Dark One。 He laughs again； and tells funny stories； about Emond's Field folk； and sometimes about places I never heard of before。 Sometimes he is almost like his old self。 I just like to talk to somebody about home。〃
Since I've been avoiding you； he thought； and since Perrin's been avoiding everybody； and Mat's been spending all his time gambling and carousing。 〃I shouldn't have kept to myself so much；〃 he muttered； then sighed。 〃Well； if Moiraine thinks it's safe enough for you； I suppose it is safe enough for me。 But there's no need for you to be mixed in it。〃
Egwene got to her feet and concentrated on brushing off her dress； avoiding his eye。
〃Moiraine has said it's safe？ Egwene？〃
〃Moiraine Sedai has never told me I could not visit Master Fain；〃 she said carefully。
He stared at her； then burst out； 〃You never asked her。 She doesn't know。 Egwene； that's stupid。 Padan Fain's a Darkfriend； and as bad as ever a Darkfriend was。〃
〃He is locked in a cage；〃 she said stiffly； 〃and I do not have to ask Moiraine's permission for everything I do。 It is a little late for you to start worrying about doing what an Aes Sedai thinks； isn't it？ Now； are you ing？〃
〃I can find the dungeon without you。 They are looking for me； or will be； and it won't do you any good to be found with me。〃
〃Without me；〃 she said dryly； 〃you'll likely trip over your own feet and fall in the Amyrlin Seat's lap； then confess everything while trying to talk your way out of it。〃
〃Blood and ashes； you ought to be in the Women's Circle back home。 If men were all as fumble…footed and helpless as you seem to think； we'd never … 〃
〃Are you going to stand here talking until they do find you？ Pick up your things； Rand； and e with me。〃 Not waiting for an answer； she spun around and started off down the hall。 Muttering under his breath； he reluctantly obeyed。
There were few people … servants； mainly … in the back ways they took； but Rand had the feeling that they all took special notice of him。 Not notice of a man burdened for a journey； but of him； Rand al'Thor in particular。 He knew it was his imagination … he hoped it was … but even so； he felt no relief when they stopped in a passageway deep beneath the keep； before a tall door with a small iron grill set in it； as thickly strapped with iron as any in the outer wall。 A clapper hung below the grill。
Through the grill Rand could see bare walls； and two top…knotted soldiers sitting bareheaded at a table with a lamp on it。 One of the men was sharpening a dagger with long； slow strokes of a stone。 His strokes never faltered when Egwene rapped with the clapper； a sharp clang of iron on iron。 The other man； his face flat and sullen； looked at the door as if considering before he finally rose and came over。 He was squat and stocky； barely tall enough to look through the cross…hatched bars。
〃What do you want？ Oh； it's you again； girl。 e to see your Darkfriend？ Who's that？〃 He made no move to open the door。
〃He's a friend of mine； Changu。 He wants to see Master Fain； too。〃
The man studied Rand； his upper lip quivering back to bare teeth。 Rand did not think it was supposed to be a smile。 〃Well；〃 Changu said finally。 〃Well。 Tall； aren't you？ Tall。 And fancy dressed for your kind。 Somebody catch you young in the Eastern Marches and tame you？〃 He slammed back the bolts and yanked open the door。 〃Well； e in if you're ing。〃 He took on a mocking tone。 〃Take care not to bump your head； my Lord。〃
There was no danger of that； the door was tall enough for Loial。 Rand followed Egwene in； frowning and wondering if this Changu meant to make some sort of trouble。 He was the first rude Shienaran Rand had met； even Masema was only cold； not really rude。 But the fellow just banged the door shut and rammed the heavy bolts home； then went to some shelves beyond the end of the table and took one of the lamps there。 The other man never ceased stropping his knife； never even looked up from it。 The room was bare except for the table and benches and shelves； with straw on the floor and another iron…bound door leading deeper in。
〃You'll want some light； won't you；〃 Changu said； 〃in there in the dark with your Darkfriend friend。〃 He laughed； coarse and humorless； and lit the lamp。 〃He's waiting for you。〃 He thrust the lamp at Egwene； and undid the inner door almost eagerly。 〃Waiting for you。 In there； in the dark。〃
Rand paused uneasily at the blackness beyond； and Changu grinning behind； but Egwene caught his sleeve and pulled him in。 The door slammed； almost catching his heel； the latch bars clanged shut。 There was only the light of the lamp； a small pool around them in the darkness。
〃Are you sure he'll let us out？〃 he asked。 The man had never even looked at his sword or bow； he realized； never asked what was in his bundles。 〃They aren't very good guards。 We could be here to break Fain free for all he knows。〃
〃They know me better than that；〃 she said； but she sounded troubled； and she added； 〃They seem worse every time I e。 All the guards do。 Meaner； and more sullen。 Changu told jokes the first time I came； and Nidao never even speaks anymore。 But I suppose working in a place like this can't give a man a light heart。 Maybe it is just me。 This place does not do my heart any good； either。〃 Despite her words； she drew him confidently into the black。 He kept his free hand on his sword。
The pale lamplight showed a wide hall with flat iron grills to either side； fronting stone…walled cells。 Only two of the cells they passed held prisoners。 The occupants sat up on their narrow cots as the light struck them； shielding their eyes with their hands； glaring between their fingers。 Even with their faces hidden； Rand was sure they were glaring。 Their e