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"I understand,it makes my skin crawl"

At last another silvery blue slash appeared, widening into an opening that showed a clearing ae, widely spaced trees and a low stone outcrop Leaning low on Stepper’s neck, Perrin rode through The gateinked out behind hie clearing where the cae of Brytan, a collection of flea-riddled hovels that the ht could not tes, of course They recognized hiht then Well, Faile, certainly, but lacking her, he wanted to be alone in the dark Likely, he would fail to find sleep again, but he would spend the night as he had so often before, thinking of her, re her

Short of the ten-pace wide thicket of sharpened stakes that surrounded the cah, he reined in A raken was crouched just outside the stakes, its long gray neck lowered so a woman in a hooded brown coat could scratch its leathery snout Her hood hung down her back, revealing short-cropped hair and a hard, narrow face She looked at Perrin as if she recognized hi The saddle on the creature’s back had places for two riders A er had coled lanes through the stakes that had been left to allow horses through Just not quickly

Most everybody had turned in already He sensed movement on the horselines, in the heart of the carooms or farriers, but the patched canvas tents and s since brown, lay dark and quiet Nothingthe low Aiel tents, and only a few sentries walking up and down in the nearest Mayener section of the camp The Mayeners and Ghealdanin put little trust in the Two Rivers ht, however, and the shadows of a number of people shifted on the tent walls When he climbed down in front of the tent, Athan Chandin appeared to take the reins and knuckle his forehead while he hunched a sort of bow Athan was a good bowshot or he would not have been here, but he had a trucklinghis cloak

"There you are," Berelain said brightly Sheblack hair looked as though it had had just a lick and a pro dress appeared neat and fresh Her serving wo unless it was freshly ironed She held out a silver winecup for Breane to refill fro-necked wine pitcher, which the Cairhienin worimace Faile’s maid disliked Berelain with a passion Berelain see in your tent, but the Banner-General wanted to see you, and I thought I’d keep her co us about so unobtrusively in a corner--the bird-like little man could be as unnoticeable as a lizard on a branch when he wished to be--but his scent sharpened at thea coat like that of the flier,one eye on Annoura She sees at any h none showed on her dark face "My Lord, I have two pieces of news I felt I had to bring you i the forkroot into the toater?"

"I have," he said worriedly, tossing his cloak down atop one of the brass-banded chests Tylee sighed "I told you I would I’d have done it two days ago if that fool woed her heels so What’s happened?"

"Forgive me" Lini announced, "but I was roused from my blankets, and I would like to return to theht?" There were no curtsies or ‘ wo Unlike with Berelain, her brown dress looked hastily donned, unusual for her Her scent was crisp and sharp with disapproval She was one of those who believed the ridiculous tale that Perrin had slept with Berelain on the very night after Faile had been captured She aze swept around the tent’s interior

"I’ll have so out his cup Griard in a red-striped coat, his eyes hollow, he was atte caainst the gilt-edged back ih" Lini said sharply, and Breane turned away Lini had a firm hand with Faile’s servants

Ara his cup down on the flowered carpet that served as a floor "Iat lare before stalking out of the tent Doubtless on his way to Masema’s camp He had pleaded to be one of the party sent into Maiden, but his hot head could not be trusted with that

"You can go, Lini" Berelain said "Breane can look after us well enough" A snort was the acknowledgave--she made it sound almost delicate--before she stalked out, stiff-backed and reeking of disapproval And still not looking at Perrin

"Forgive me, my Lord," Tylee drawled in careful tones, "but you seem to run your household morelooselythan I’m accustomed to"

"It’s our way, Banner-General," Perrin said, picking up Aram’s cup No need to dirty another "Nobody around here is property" If that sounded sharp, so be it He had come to like Tylee after a fashion, but these Seanchan had ways that wouldHe took the pitcher from Breane--she actually tried to hold onto it for aat him as if she would deny hi it back She snatched the pitcher out of his hand "Nohat happened? What about these Whitecloaks?"

"I sent raken out scouting as far as they could go just before dawn, and again just after sunset One of the fliers tonight turned back sooner than expected She saw seven thousand Children of the Light on the move not fifty miles from my camp"

"On the move toward you?" Perrin frowned at his wine instead of drinking "Seven thousand seems a very exact count t