Page 156 (1/1)

"Close, Vinchova?" Logain said wryly "If the M’Hael had his way, I’d be hoeing turnips with the new boys Or buried under the field," he added in a mutter she did not think he meant to be heard

However hed with incredulous disbelief Toveine barely heard hiain The false Dragon But he was dead! Stilled and dead! And holding her before his saddle with a casual hand Why was she not screa at him? Even her belt knife would do, this near Yet she had no desire at all to reach for the ivory haft She could, she realized That band around her one She could at least slip down off the horse and try to -- She had no desire to do that, either

"What did you do to ed to hold on to that!

Turning his horse to ride back to the road, Logain told her what he had done, and she put her head against that wide chest, not caring at all how big he was, and wept She was going to ain ever let her, she would That last was an especially bitter thought

Chapter 27

(Rising Sun)

The Bargain

Seated crosslegged in a heavily gilded, highbacked chair, Min tried to lose herself in the leatherbound copy of Herid Fel’s Reason and Unreason lying open on her knees It was not easy Oh, the book itself was s always swept her into worlds of thought she had not drearetted the sweet old man’s death She hoped to find a clue in his books to why he had been killed Her dark ringlets swung as she shook her head and tried to apply herself

The book was fascinating, but the room was oppressive Rand’s silt fro those Rand had smashed, from the ts of chairs like the one she sat in to the dais at the head of the rows and the Dragon Throne atop the dais That was a ined by Cairhienin craftsons with twothe back, all with large sunstones for eyes, the whole glittering with gilt and red ena Sun set in the polished stone floor only added to the sense of heaviness At least the fires blazing in two great fireplaces, tall enough for her to walk into, gave a pleasing war down outside And these were Rand’s roohed any aht This was Rand’s rooht Being in love with aad in a vain attempt to make the hard chair co to the tall doors, each cli Suns She hoped to see Rand walk in; she feared to see Sorilea, or Cadsuane Unconsciously, she adjusted her pale blue coat, fingering the tiny snoers embroidered on the lapels More twined around the sleeves, and the legs of breeches le herself into Not that great a change from what she had alorn Not really So far, she had avoided dresses, however much embroidery she wore, but she very much feared that Sorilea meant to stuff her into a dress if the Wise One had to peel her out of what she earing with her own hands

The woman knew all about her and Rand All about She felt her cheeks heating Sorilea see to decide whether Min Farshaas a suitable lover for Rand al’Thor That word irl! That word uiltily for the aunts who had raised her No, she thought wryly, you’re not fluffbrained Fluff has its wits about it compared to you!

Or maybe Sorilea wanted to knohether Rand was suitable for Min; it seemed that way, at times The Wise Ones accepted Min as one of the her out like a laundress’s le The leatherfaced, whitehaired Wise One wanted to know every scrap about Min, and every shred about Rand She wanted the dust fro at the incessant interrogation, and twice Sorilea had produced a switch! That terrible old woman simply bundled her over the side of the nearest table, and afterward told her that maybe that would loosen another scrap in her head None of the other Wise Ones gave the slightest cos you had to put up with for a man! And she could not have him for herself alone, at that!

Cadsuane was a different proposition altogether The irayhaired as Sorilea hite, did not sees for Min or Rand either one, but she spent a great deal of ti her entirely was impossible; she seemed to wander wherever she wanted And when Cadsuane looked at Min, however briefly, Min could not help seeing a wo She kept expecting the woman to point at her and announce that it was time Min Farshaw learned to balance a ball on her nose Sooner or later, Rand had to face Cadsuane again, and the thought tied Min’s stomach in knots

Sheopen, and Rand strolled in with the Dragon Scepter nestled in the crook his arolden crown, a broad circlet of laurel leaves -- thatabout -- snug breeches that showed his legs to advantage, and a goldworked green silk coat that fit hi her place with the note Master Fel had written saying she was "too pretty," she carefully closed the book and carefully set it on the floor beside her chair Then she folded her ar, she would have tapped her foot, but she would not have theup just because he finally appeared

For ahis earlobe for so! -- then abruptly he swung round to frown at the doors "The Maidens out there didn’t tell ht, they looked ready to veil at the sight of me"

"Maybe they are upset," she said calmly "Maybe they wondered where you were The way I did Maybe they wondered whether you were hurt, or sick, or cold" The way I did, she thought bitterly