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g to surface inside the Void； trying to tell him how to defeat her。 If he listened； it might be Lews Therin Telamon who walked away； with Rand al'Thor a voice sometimes floating in his head if that。
〃I'll make both of those trulls watch you beg；〃 Lanfear said。 〃But should I make them watch you die first； or you them？〃 When had she climbed into the open wagon…bed？ He had to watch her； watch for any hint that she was tiring； her concentration slipping。 It was a vain hope。 Standing beside the twisted doorframe ter'angreal； she looked down at him； a queen about to pass sentence； yet she could spare time for chill smiles at a dark ivory bracelet that she turned over and over in her fingers。 〃Which will hurt you most； Lews Therin？ I want you to hurt。 I want you to know pain such as no man has ever known！〃
The thicker the flow to him from the Source； the harder it would be to cut。 His hand tightened on his coat pocket； the fat little stone man with his sword hard against the heron branded into his palm。 He drew on saidin as deeply as he could； till the taint floated in the emptiness with him like misting rain。
〃Pain； Lews Therin。〃
And there was pain； the world swallowed in agony。 Not heart or head this time； but everywhere； every part of him； hot needles stabbing into the Void。 He almost thought he could hear a quenching hiss at each thrust； and each came deeper than the last。 Her attempts to shield him did not slow； they came faster； stronger。 He could not believe she was so strong。 Clinging to the Void； to searing； freezing saidin； he defended himself wildly。 He could end it； finish her。 He could call down lightning； or wrap her in the fire she herself had used to kill。
Images darted through the pain； A woman in a dark merchant's dress； toppling from her horse； the fire…red sword light in his hands； she had e to kill him； with a fistful of other Darkfriends。 Mat's bleak eyes； I killed her。 A golden…haired woman lying in a ruined hallway where； it seemed； the very walls had melted and flowed。 Ilyena； forgive me！ It was a despairing cry。
He could end it。 Only； he could not。 He was going to die； perhaps the world would die； but he could not make himself kill another woman。 Somehow it seemed the richest joke the world had ever seen。
Wiping the blood from her mouth； Moiraine crawled out from beneath the tail of the wagon and rose unsteadily to her feet； the sound of a man's laughter in her ears。 In spite of herself； her eyes darted； searching for Lan； found him lying almost against the foggy gray wall of the dome that stretched overhead。 He twitched； perhaps trying to find strength to rise； perhaps dying。 She forced him out of her mind。 He had saved her life so many times that by rights it should have belonged to him； but she had long since done what she could to see that he survived his lone war with the Shadow。 Now he must live or die without her。
It was Rand laughing； on his knees on the stones of the quay。 Laughing； with tears streaming down a face twisted like a man being put to the question。 Moiraine felt a chill。 If the madness had him； it was beyond her。 She could only do what she could do。 What she must do。
The sight of Lanfear hit her like a blow。 Not surprise； but the shock of seeing what had been in her dreams so often since Rhuidean。 Lanfear standing on the wagon…bed； blazing bright as the sun with saidar； framed by the twisted redstone ter'angreal as she stared down at Rand； a pitiless smile on her lips。 She was turning a bracelet in her hands。 An angreal； unless Rand had his own angreal； she should be able to crush him with that。 Either he did； or Lanfear was toying with him。 It did not matter。 Moiraine did not like that circle of carved age…dark ivory。 At first glance it seemed to be an acrobat bending backwards to grip his ankles。 Only a closer look would show that his wrists and ankles were bound together。 She did not like it； but she had brought it out of Rhuidean。 Yesterday she had taken the bracelet from a sack of odds…and…ends and left it lying there at the foot of the doorframe。
Moiraine was slight； a small woman。 Her weight did not disturb the wagon at all as she pulled herself up。 She winced as her dress caught on a splinter and tore； but Lanfear did not look around。 The woman had dealt with every threat except Rand； he was the only corner of the world she acknowledged in the least right then。
Suppressing a small bubble of hope … she could not allow herself that luxury … Moiraine balanced upright a moment on the wagon…tail； then embraced the True Source and leaped at Lanfear。 The Forsaken had an instant's warning； enough to turn before Moiraine struck her； clawing the bracelet away。 Face to face； they toppled through the doorframe ter'angreal。 White light swallowed everything。
Chapter 53
（Flame of Tar Valon）
Fading Words
In the depths of a shrinking Void； Rand saw Moiraine hurtle seemingly out of nowhere to grapple with Lanfear。 The attacks on him ceased as the two women plunged through the doorframe ter'angreal in a flash of white light that did not end； it filled the subtly twisted redstone rectangle as though trying to flood through and striking some invisible barrier。 Lightnings arched silver and blue around the ter'angreal； more and more violently； rasping buzzes crackled through the air。
Rand staggered to his feet。 The pain was not gone really； but the pressure was； bringing promise that the pain would go。 His eyes could not leave the ter'angreal。 Moiraine。 Her name hung in his head； sliding across the Void。
Lan lurched by him； fixed on the wagon； leaning as if only by moving forward could he stop from falling。
More than standing was beyond Rand for the moment。 He channeled； caught the Warder in flows of Air。 〃You。。。 You can't do anything； Lan。 You can't go after her。〃
〃I know；〃 Lan said hopelessly。 Held in mid…step； he did not struggle； only stared at the ter'angreal that had swallowed Moiraine。 〃The Light send me peace； I know。〃
The wagon itself had caught fire now。 Rand tried to suppress the flames； but as soon as he drew the heat from one blaze the lightnings ignited another。 The doorframe itself was beginning to smoke； though it was stone； a white； acrid smoke that gathered thickly under the gray dome。 Even a whiff burned Rand's nostrils and made him cough； his skin prickled and stung where the smoke brushed。 Hastily he untied the weave of the dome； dispelled it rather than wait for it to dissipate； and wove around the wagon a tall chimney of Air that gleamed like glass to carry the fumes high and away。 Only then did he release Lan。 He would not have put it past the man to follow Moiraine anyway if he could have reached the wagon。 It was all in flames now； the redstone doorway as well； melting as if it were wax； but for a Warder that might not matter。
〃She is gone。 I cannot feel her presence。〃 The words sounded ripped out of Lan's chest。 He turned and began walking down the line of wagons without a backward glance。
Following the Warder with his eyes； Rand saw Aviendha on her knees； holding Egwene。 Releasing saidin；