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h； she fixed an urgent blue gaze on Egwene。 〃Anything I say violates confidences I promised to hold。 Even that。 Please； Egwene。 You must trust me。 And you must not tell anyone what you。。。 think you saw。
Egwene forced the stern frown from her face。 〃I will trust you。〃 At least she knew now for a fact that she had not been seeing things。 Birgitte？ Light！ 〃I hope that one day you will trust me enough to tell me。〃
〃I do trust you； but。。。〃 Shaking her head； Elayne sat down on the edge of the neatly made bed。 〃We keep secrets too often； Egwene； but sometimes there is a reason。〃
After a moment Egwene nodded and sat next to her。 〃When you can；〃 was all she said； but her friend gave her a relieved hug。
〃I told myself I was not going to ask this； Egwene。 Just once I was not going to have my head full of him。〃 The gray riding dress became a shimmering green gown； Elayne could not possibly have been aware of how deeply the neckline swooped。 〃But。。。 is Rand well？〃
〃He is alive and unharmed； if that is what you mean。 I thought he was hard in Tear； but today I heard him threaten to hang men if they go against his mands。 Not that they are bad orders … he won't let anyone take food without paying； or murder people … but still。 They were the first to hail him as He Who es With the Dawn； they followed him out of the Waste without hesitation。 And he threatened them； as hard as cold steel。〃
〃Not a threat； Egwene。 He is a king； whatever you or he or anyone else says； and a king or queen must dispense justice without fear of enemies or favor for friends。 Anyone who does that has to be hard。 Mother can make the city walls seem soft； sometimes。〃
〃He doesn't have to be so arrogant about it；〃 Egwene said levelly。 〃Nynaeve said I should remind him he's only a man； but I've not figured out how yet。〃
〃He does have to remember he is only a man。 But he has a right to expect to be obeyed。〃 There was something of a haughty tone to Elayne's voice； until she glanced down at herself。 Then her face went crimson； and the green gown suddenly had a lace neck under her chin。 〃Are you sure you are not mistaking that for arrogance？〃 she finished in a strangled voice。
〃He's as overweening as a pig in a pea field。〃 Egwene shifted herself on the bed； she remembered it as hard； but the thin mattress felt softer than what she slept on in the tent。 She did not want to talk about Rand。 〃Are you certain this fight will not cause more trouble？〃 A feud with this Latelle could not make their traveling easier。
〃I do not think so。 Latelle's grievance against Nynaeve was that all the unattached men were no longer hers to pick and choose from。 Some women do think that way； I suppose。 Aludra keeps to herself； and Cerandin wouldn't have said boo to a goose until I started teaching her to stand up for herself； and Clarine is married to Petra。 But Nynaeve has made it clear that she'll box the ears of any man who even thinks he can flirt with her； and she apologized to Latelle； so I hope that may settle it。〃
〃She apologized？〃
The other woman nodded； her face as bemused as Egwene knew her own must be。 〃I thought she would thump Luca when he told her she must … he doesn't seem to think her injunction holds to him； by the way … but she did it； after grumping about for an hour。 Muttering about you； actually。〃 She hesitated； giving Egwene a sidelong look。 〃Did you say something to her at your last meeting？ She has been。。。 different since then； and sometimes she talks to herself。 Argues； really。 About you； from the little I've heard。〃
〃I said nothing that did not have to be said。〃 So it was holding； whatever it was that had happened between them。 Either that； or Nynaeve was storing up her anger for the next time they met。 She was not going to put up with the woman's temper anymore； not now that she knew she did not have to。 〃You tell her from me that she is too old to be rolling about on the ground fighting。 If she gets into another； I'll have worse to say to her。 You tell her that exactly。 It will be worse。〃 Let Nynaeve chew on that until next time。 Either she would be mild as a lamb。。。 Or else Egwene would just have to carry through on her threat。 Nynaeve might be stronger in the Power； when she could channel； but here； Egwene was。 One way or another； she was finished with Nynaeve's tantrums。〃I will tell her；〃 Elayne said。 〃You have changed； too。 There seems to be something of Rand's attitude about you。〃
It took Egwene a moment to realize what she meant； helped by that amused little smile。 〃Don't be silly。〃
Elayne laughed aloud and gave her another hug。 〃Oh； Egwene； you will be Amyrlin Seat one day； when I am Queen of Andor。〃
〃If there is a Tower then；〃 Egwene said soberly； and Elayne's laughter faded。
〃Elaida cannot destroy the White Tower； Egwene。 Whatever she does； the Tower will remain。 Perhaps she will not stay Amyrlin。 Once Nynaeve remembers the name of that town； I will wager that we find a Tower in exile； with every Ajah but the Red。〃
〃I hope so。〃 Egwene knew she sounded sad。 She wanted Aes Sedai to support Rand and oppose Elaida； but that meant the White Tower broken for sure； maybe never to be made whole again。
〃I must get back；〃 Elayne said。 〃Nynaeve insists that whichever of us does not enter Tel'aran'rhiod remain awake； and with her headache； she needs to drink one of her herb teas and sleep。 I do not know why she is so insistent。 Whoever is watching can do nothing to help； and we both know enough to be perfectly safe here； now。〃 Her green dress flickered to Birgitte's white coat and voluminous yellow trousers for an instant； then snapped back。 〃She said I wasn't to tell you this； but she thinks that Moghedien is trying to find us。 Her and me。〃
Egwene did not ask the obvious question。 Clearly it was something that Birgitte had told them。 Why did Elayne persist in trying to keep that secret？ Because she promised to。 Elayne never broke a promise in her life。 〃You tell her to be careful。〃 Small chance that Nynaeve was sitting and waiting； if she thought one of the Forsaken was after her。 She would be remembering that she had defeated the woman once； and she had always had more courage than sense。 〃The Forsaken are nothing to take lightly。 And neither are Seanchan； even if they are supposedly just animal trainers。 You tell her that。〃
〃I do not suppose you would listen if I told you to be careful； too。〃
She gave Elayne a startled look。 〃I am always careful。 You know that。〃
〃Of course。〃 The last thing Egwene saw as the other woman faded away was a very amused smile。
Egwene herself did not go。 If Nynaeve could not remember where that gathering of Blues was； perhaps she could discover it here。 It was hardly a new idea： this was not her first trip to the Tower since her last meeting with Nynaeve。 She put on a copy of Enaila's face； with flame…colored hair to her shoulders； and an Accepted's dress with its banded hem； then formed the image of Elaida's ornately furnished study。
It was as it had been before； though on every visit fewer of the vine…carved stools stood in that arc in front of the wide