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at first they were just the ordinary sort of nightmare。 By the night they reached Medo； the dreams had changed； though。
〃Pardon； Aes Sedai；〃 Egwene asked diffidently； 〃but have you seen Moiraine Sedai？〃 The slender Aes Sedai waved her away and hurried on down the crowded； torch…lit village street； calling for someone to be careful with her horse。 The woman was of the Yellow Ajah； though not wearing her shawl now； Egwene knew no more of her than that； not even her name。
Medo was a small village…though Egwene was shocked to realize that what she now thought of as a 〃small village〃 was as big as Emond's Field…and it was overwhelmed now with many more outsiders than there were inhabitants。 Horses and people filled the narrow streets； jostling to the docks past villagers who knelt whenever an unseeing Aes Sedai sped by。 Harsh torchlight lit everything。 The two docks jutted out into the River Mora like stone fingers； and each hosted a pair of small； two…masted ships。 There； horses were being hoisted on board by booms and cables and canvas cradles under their bellies。 More of the ships … high…sided and stout； with lanterns topping their masts … crowded the moon…streaked river； already loaded or waiting their turn。 Rowboats ferried out archers and pikemen； the raised pikes making the boats look like gigantic pricklebacks swimming on the surface。
On the left…hand dock Egwene found Anaiya； watching the loading and chivying those who were not moving fast enough。 Though she had never said more than two words to Egwene； Anaiya seemed different from the others； more like a woman from home。 Egwene could picture her baking in her kitchen； she could not see any of the others so。 〃Anaiya Sedai； have you seen Moiraine Sedai？ I need to talk to her。〃
The Aes Sedai looked around with an absent frown。 〃What？ Oh； it's you； child。 Moiraine is gone。 And your friend； Nynaeve； is already out on the River Queen。 I had to bundle her onto a boat myself； shouting that she would not go without you。 Light； what a scramble！ You should be aboard； yourself。 Find a boat going out to the River Queen。 You two will be traveling with the Amyrlin Seat； so mind yourself once you're on board。 No scenes or tantrums。〃
〃Which ship is Moiraine Sedai's？〃
〃Moiraine isn't on a ship； girl。 She's gone； two days gone； and the Amyrlin is in a taking over it。〃 Anaiya grimaced and shook her head； though most of her attention was still on the workers。 〃First Moiraine vanishes with Lan； then Liandrin right on Moiraine's heels； and then Verin； none of them with so much as a word for anyone。 Verin did not even take her Warder； Tomas is chewing nails with worry over her。〃 The Aes Sedai glanced at the sky。 The waxing moon shone without the hindrance of clouds。 〃We will have to call the wind again； and the Amyrlin will not be pleased with that； either。 She says she wants us on our way to Tar Valon within an hour； and she will brook no delays。 I would not want to be Moiraine； or Liandrin； or Verin； when she sees them next。 They'll wish they were novices again。 Why； child； what's the matter？〃
Egwene drew a deep breath。 Moiraine gone？ She can't be！ I have to tell somebody； somebody who won't laugh at me。 She imagined Anaiya back in Emond's Field； listening to her daughter's problems； the woman fit the picture。 〃Anaiya Sedai； Rand is in trouble。〃
Anaiya gave her a considering look。 〃That tall boy from your village？ Missing him already； are you？ Well； I shouldn't be surprised if he it in trouble。 Young men his age usually are。 Though it was the other one … Mat？ … who had the look of trouble。 Very well； child。 I don't mean to mock you or make light。 What kind of trouble； and how do you know？ He and Lord Ingtar must have the Horn and be back in Fal Dara by now。 Or else they've had to follow it into the Blight； and there's nothing to do about that。〃
〃I … I don't think they're in the Blight； or back in Fal Dara。 I had a dream。〃 She said it half defiantly。 It sounded silly when she said it； but it had seemed so real。 A nightmare for true； but real。 First there had been a man with a mask over his face； and fire in place of his eyes。 Despite the mask； she had thought he was surprised to see her。 His look had frightened her till she thought her bones would break from shivering； but suddenly he vanished； and she saw Rand sleeping on the ground； wrapped in a cloak。 A woman had been standing over him； looking down。 Her face was in shadow； but her eyes seemed to shine like the moon； and Egwene had known she was evil。 Then there was a flash of light； and they were gone。 Both of them。 And behind it all； almost like another thing altogether； was the feel of danger； as if a trap was just beginning to snap shut on an unsuspecting lamb； a trap with many jaws。 As though time had slowed； and she could watch the iron jaws creep closer together。 The dream had not faded with waking； the way dreams did。 And the danger felt so strong she still wanted to look over her shoulder … only somehow she knew that it was aimed at Rand； not at her。
She wondered if the woman had been Moiraine； and upbraided herself for the thought。 Liandrin fit that part better。 Or perhaps Alanna； she had been interested in Rand； too。
She could not bring herself to tell Anaiya。 Formally； she said； 〃Anaiya Sedai； I know it sounds foolish； but he is in danger。 Great danger。 I know it。 I could feel it。 I still can。〃
Anaiya wore a thoughtful look。 〃Well； now；〃 she said softly； 〃that's a possibility I'll wager no one has considered。 You may be a Dreamer。 It is a small chance； child； but 。。。 We haven't had one of those in … oh … four or five hundred years。 And Dreaming is close linked to Foretelling。 If you really can Dream； it may be that you can Foretell； as well。 That would be a finger in the Reds' eye。 Of course； it could be just an ordinary nightmare； brought on by a late night； and cold food； and us traveling so hard since we left Fal Dara。 And you missing your young man。 Much more likely。 Yes； yes； child； I know。 You are worried about him。 Did your dream indicate what kind of danger？〃
Egwene shook her head。 〃He just vanished； and I felt danger。 And evil。 I felt it even before he vanished。〃 She shivered and rubbed her hands together。 〃I can still feel it。〃
〃Well； we will talk about it more on the River Queen。 If you are a Dreamer； I will see you have the training Moiraine should be here to 。。。 You there！〃 the Aes Sedai barked suddenly； and Egwene jumped。 A tall man； who had just sat down on a cask of wine； jumped； too。 Several others quickened their step。 〃That's for loading aboard； not resting on！ We will talk on the boat； child。 No； you fool！ You can't carry it by yourself！ Do you want to hurt yourself？〃 Anaiya went striding off down the dock； giving the unfortunate villagers a rougher side of her tongue than Egwene would have suspected she had。
Egwene peered into the dark； toward the south。 He was out there； somewhere。 Not in Fal Dara； not in the Blight。 She was sure of it。 Hold on； you wool…headed idiot。 If you get yourself killed before I can get you out of this； I will skin you alive。 It did not occur to her to ask how she was going to get him out of anything； going to Tar Valon as she was。
Snugging her cloak around her； she set out to find a boat to the River Queen。
Chapter 13
（Portal Stone）
From Stone to Stone
The light of the rising sun woke Rand； and he wondered if he were dreaming。 He sat up slowly； staring。 Everything had changed； or almost everything。 The sun and the sky were as he expected to see； if pallid and all but cloudless。 Loial and Hurin still lay on either side of him； wrapped in their cloaks asleep； and their horses still stood hobbled a pace away； but everyone else was gone。
Soldiers； horses； his friends； everyone and everything gone。
The hollow itself had changed； too； and they were in the middle of it now； no longer on the edge。 At Rand's head rose a gray stone cylinder； every bit of three spans high and a full pace thick； covered with hundreds； perhaps thousands； of deeply incised diagrams and markings in some language he did not recognize。 White stone paved the bottom of the hollow； as level as a floor； polished so smooth it almost glistened。 Broad； high steps rose to the rim in concentric rings of different colored stone。 And about the rim； the trees stood blackened and twisted as if a firestorm had roared through them。 Everything seemed paler than it should be； just like the sun； more subdued； as if seen through mist。 Only there was no mist。 Just the three of them and the horses appeared truly solid。 But when he touched the stone under him； it felt solid enough。
He reached out and shook Loial and Hurin。 〃Wake up！ Wake up and tell me I'm dreaming。 Please wake up！〃
〃Is it morning already？〃 Loial began； sitting up； then his mouth fell open； and his big； round eyes grew wider and wider。
Hurin woke with a start； then leaped to his feet； jumping like a flea on a hot rock to look this way； then that。 〃Where are we？ What's happened？ Where is everybody？ Where are we； Lord Rand？〃 He sank to his knees； wringing his hands； but his eyes still darted。 〃Wh