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glances had twice gotten them rooms where the innkeeper had said there were none； lowered the bill at those and three more； and on two nights earned barns instead of bushes for sleeping。 They had also gotten the four of them chased off by one farmwife with a pitchfork； and a breakfast of cold porridge thrown at them by another； but Leane had thought the incidents funny； if no one else did。 The last few days； however； Logain had stopped reacting like every other man who saw her for more than two minutes。 He had stopped reacting to her or anything else。
Siuan pulled Bela back stiffly； elbows out and managing to look on the point of falling off any moment。 The heat was not touching her； either。 〃Have you viewed him today？〃 She hardly glanced at Logain。
〃It is still the same；〃 Min said patiently。 Siuan refused to understand or believe； however many times she told her； and so did Leane。 It would not have mattered if she had not seen the aura since her first viewing of it in Tar Valon。 Had Logain been lying in the road； rasping his death tattle； she would have wagered all she had and more on a miraculous recovery； somehow。 The appearance of an Aes Sedai to Heal him。 Something。 What she saw was always true。 It always happened。 She knew the same way that she had known the first time she saw Rand al'Thor that she would fall desperately； helplessly in love with him； the same way she had known she would have to share him with two other women。 Logain was destined for glory such as few men had dreamed of。
〃Don't you take that tone with me；〃 Siuan said； that blue…eyed gaze sharpening。 〃It is bad enough we have to spoon…feed this great hairy carp to make him eat； without you going sulky as a fisher…bird in winter。 I may have to put up with him； girl； but if you start giving me trouble too； you will regret it in short order。 Do 1 make myself clear？〃
〃Yes； Mara。〃 At least you could have put a touch of sarcasm in it； she thought scornfully。 You don't have to be meek as a goose。 You've told Leane off to her face。 The Domani woman had suggested that she practice what they had been discussing on a farrier in the last village。 A tall； handsome man； with strong…looking hands and a slow smile； but still。。。 〃I will try not to be sulky。〃 The worst part was that she realized she had tried to sound sincere。 Siuan had that effect。 Min could not even begin to imagine Siuan discussing how to smile at a man。 Siuan would look a man in the eye； tell him what to do； and expect to see it done promptly。 Just the way she did with everyone else。 If she did anything else； as she had with Logain； it would only be because the point did not matter enough to press。
〃It is not much farther； is it？〃 Leane said briskly。 She saved the other voice for men。 〃I do not like the look of him； and if we have to stop for another night。。。 Well； if he helps any less than he did this morning； I don't know that we will be able to get him into his saddle again。〃
〃Not much； if those last directions I had are right。〃 Siuan sounded irritated。 She had asked questions at that last village； two days ago … not letting Min hear； of course； Logain had showed no interest … and she did not like to be reminded of them。 Min could not understand why。 Siuan could hardly expect Elaida to be behind them。
She herself hoped it was not much farther。 It was hard to be sure how far south they had drifted since leaving the highway to Jehannah。 Most villagers had only vague notions of where their village actually was in relation to anything except the nearest towns； but when they crossed the Manetherendrelle into Altara； just before Siuan took them away from the well…traveled road； the grizzled old ferryman had been studying a tattered map for some reason； a map that stretched as far as the Mountains of Mist。 Unless her estimate was off； they were going to reach another wide river in not many miles。 Either the Boern； which meant they were already into Ghealdan； where the Prophet and his mobs were； or else the Eldar； with Amadicia and Whitecloaks on the far side。
She was betting on Ghealdan； Prophet or no Prophet； and even that was a surprise if they really were close。 Only a fool would think to find a gathering of Aes Sedai any nearer to Amadicia than they had to be； and Siuan was anything but that。 Whether they were in Ghealdan or Altara； Amadicia had to be not many miles distant。
〃Gentling would have to catch up to him now；〃 Siuan muttered。 〃If he can only hang on a few more days。。。〃 Min kept her mouth shut； if the woman would not listen； there was no use in speaking。
Shaking her head； Siuan heeled Bela back into the lead； gripping her reins as though expecting the stout mare to bolt； and Leane returned to silken…voiced cajoling of Logain。 Maybe she did have feelings for him； it would be no odder a choice than Min's own。
Forested hills slid on by with never a sign of change； all trees and tangles of weeds and brambles。 The ferns that marked the old road ran on； arrow…straight； Leane had said the soil was different where the road had been； as if Min should have known that。 Squirrels with tufted ears sometimes chattered at them from a branch； and occasionally birds called。 Which birds； Min could not begin to guess。 Baerlon might not be a city when pared to Caemlyn or Illian or Tear； but she thought of herself as a city woman； a bird was a bird。 And she did not care what kind of dirt a fern grew in。
Her doubts began to surface again。 They had oozed up more than once after Kore Springs； but back then it had been easier to push them down。 Since Lugard they had bubbled to the top more often； and she found herself considering Siuan in ways she would never have dared； once。 Not that she had the nerve to actually confront Siuan with any of them； of course； it galled her to admit that； even to herself。 But maybe Siuan did not know where she was going。 She could lie； since stilling broke her away from the Three Oaths。 Maybe she was still just hoping that if she continued searching she would find some trace of what she needed desperately to find。 In a small way； a peculiar way surely； Leane had begun making a life for herself apart from concerns of power and the Power and Rand。 Not that she had abandoned them entirely； but Min did not think there was anything else for Siuan。 The White Tower and the Dragon Reborn were the whole of her life； and she would hold to them even if she had to lie to herself。
Woodland gave way to a large village so quickly that Min stared。 Sweetgum and oak and scrubby pine … those were trees she could recognize … running to within fifty paces of thatch…roofed houses made of rounded river stones and clinging to low hills。 She was willing to wager that not so long ago the forest had grown right through。 A good many trees actually stood in narrow little thickets among some of the houses； crowding against the walls； and here and there unweathered stumps stood close by the front of a house。 The streets still had a look of new…turned earth； not the hard…packed surface that came from generations of feet。 Men in their shirtsleeves were up laying new thatch atop three large stone cubes that had to have be