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Rand sighed, settling back in the chair Bashere followed out of the gateway, boots hitting stone Min heard calls froh a larger gateway The Stone’s courtyards were alive with activity, Aes Sedai Healers running to care for the bloodied, sooty men

After Bashere came a lean Domani man in his middle years Rodel Ituralde He looked much the worse for wear, with dried blood on his filthy face, his clothing ripped, and bearing a clue on his arh he insisted on still wearing that aged brown cloak But Light, he looked tired

"Rand," Min said, kneeling down "Rand, are you all right?"

"I grew angry," Rand said softly "I had thought myself beyond that"

She felt a chill

"It was not a terrible anger, like before," Rand said "It was not the anger of destruction, though I did destroy In Maradon, I sahat had been done tothe Dark One no th of his shadow We will live, that defiance said We will love and ill hope

"And I saw hi so hard to destroy that He knows that if he could break thethe spirit of men…he thirsts for that He struck far harder than he otherould have because he wanted to break rew softer and he opened his eyes, looking down at her "And so I stood against hi beside Min with his arms folded "But did you let hiht to er, Bashere Don’t you see? Before, I tried to hold it all hidden within That rong I must feel I must hurt for the pains, the deaths, the losses of these people I have to cling to these things so I knohy I a There are tier any less a part ofmore confident with each word, and Min nodded

"Well, you saved the city," Bashere said

"Not soon enough," Rand said Min could feel his sorrow "And my actions today may still have been a mistake"

Min frowned "Why?"

"It came too close to a confrontation between us," Rand said "That ht tiht Nor can I afford to let the men assume that I will always be able to step in and save them"

"Perhaps," Bashere said "But what you did today…"

Rand shook his head "I aht this war, Bashere Today’s battle exhausted me beyond what I should have allowed If my enemies were to coht in one place at a tirander and more terrible than any one anize you, but I must leave you The ill be yours"

He fell silent, and Flinn stepped through the gateway, letting it slide closed

"I must rest now," Rand said softly "Tomorrow I meet with your niece and the other Borderlanders, Bashere I know not what they will require of me, but they must return to their posts If Saldaea was in such a state with one of the great captains leading the defense, I can only guess what the other Borderland nations are suffering"

Min helped him to his feet "Rand," she said softly "Cadsuane returned, and she had someone with her"

He hesitated "Take me to her"

Min winced "I shouldn’t have mentioned it You should rest"

"I will," he said "Don’t worry"