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and poured down his face； down his neck； but he did not notice。 The gleeman kept looking over his shoulder； searching the street beyond Mat。
〃Are you asleep； boy？ You did not look asleep back there。 e on； boy。 The Defenders will arrest any outlander within two streets； no matter what description that innkeeper gives。〃
〃It's the luck；〃 Mat mumbled。 〃I've figured it out。 The dice。 My luck works best when things are。。。 random。 Like dice。 Not much good for cards。 No good at stones。 Too much pattern。 It has to be random。 Even finding ar。 I'd stopped visiting every inn。 I walked into that one by chance。 Thom； if I am going to find Egwene and the others in time； I have to look without any pattern。〃
〃What are you talking about？ The man is dead。 If he already killed them。。。 Well； you've avenged them。 If he hasn't； you saved them。 Now will you bloody walk faster？ The Defenders won't be long ing； and they are not so gentle as the Queen's Guards。〃
Mat shook his arm free and picked up his pace unsteadily； dragging the quarterstaff。 〃He let it slip that he hadn't located them； yet。 But he said he was not the only one。 Thom； I believe him。 I was looking him in the eye； and he was telling the truth。 I still have to find them； Thom。 And now I don't even know who is after them。 I have to find them。〃
Stifling a huge yawn with his fist； Thom pulled Mat's hood up against the rain。 〃Not tonight； boy。 I need sleep； and so do you。〃
Wet。 My hair's dripping in my face。 His head seemed fuzzy。 With a need for sleep； he realized after a moment。 And he realized how tired he was； if he had to think just to know it。 〃All right； Thom。 But I am going to look again as soon as it's light。〃 Thom nodded and coughed； and they made their way back to The White Crescent through the rain。
Dawn was not long in ing； but Mat rousted himself out of bed； and he and Thom set off trying to search every inn inside the walls of Tear。 Mat let himself wander wherever the mood and the next turning took him； not looking for inns at all； and tossing a coin to decide whether to go in。 For three days and nights he did this； and for three days and nights it rained without stopping； sometimes thundering； sometimes quiet； but always pouring down。
Thom's cough grew worse； so he had to stop playing the flute and telling stories； and he would not carry his harp out in that weather； he insisted on going along； however； and men still talked to a gleeman。 Mat's luck with the dice seemed even better since he had begun this random wander； though he never stayed in one inn or tavern long enough to win more than a few coins。 Neither of them heard anything useful。 Rumors of war with Illian。 Rumors of invading Mayene。 Rumors of invasion from Andor； of the Sea Folk shutting off trade； of Artur Hawkwing's armies returning from the dead。 Rumors the Dragon was ing。 The men Mat gambled with were as gloomy about one rumor as the next； they seemed to him to hunt for the darkest rumors they could find and half believe them all。 But he heard not a whisper that might lead him to Egwene and the others。 Not one innkeeper had seen women matching their descriptions。
He began to have bad dreams； no doubt from all his worrying。 Egwene and Nynaeve and Elayne； and some fellow with close…cropped white hair； wearing a coat with puffy； striped sleeves like ar's； laughing and weaving a net around them。 Only sometimes it was Moiraine he was weaving the net for； and sometimes he held a crystal sword instead； a sword that blazed like the sun as soon as he touched it。 Sometimes it was Rand who held the sword。 For some reason； he dreamed of Rand a good deal。
Mat was sure it was all because he was not getting enough sleep； not eating except when he happened to remember； but he would not stop。 He had a wager to win； he told himself； and he meant to win this one if it killed him。
Chapter 50
（Serpent and Wheel）
The Hammer
The afternoon sun was hot as the ferry docked in Tear； puddles stood on the steaming stones of the dock； and the air seemed almost as damp to Perrin as Illian's had。 The air smelled of pitch and wood and rope… he could see shipyards further south along the river … of spices and iron and barley； of perfumes and wines and a hundred different aromas he could not single out from the melange； most ing from the warehouses behind the docks。 When the wind swirled momentarily out of the north； he caught the scents of fish； too； but those faded as the wind swung back。 No smells of anything to hunt。 His mind reached out to feel for wolves before he realized what he was doing and snapped his guards shut。 He had done that too often of late。 There had been no wolves； of course。 Not in a city like this。 He wished it did not feel so … alone。
As soon as the ramp at the end of the barge was lowered； he led Stepper up to the dock after Moiraine and Lan。 The huge shape of the Stone of Tear lay off to their left； shadowed so that it looked like a mountain despite the great banner at its highest point。 He did not want to look at the Stone； but it seemed impossible to look at the city without seeing it。 Is he here yet？ Light； if he has already tried to get into that； he could he dead already。 And then it would all be for nothing。
〃What are we meant to find here？〃 Zarine asked behind him。 She had not stopped asking questions； she just did not ask them of the Aes Sedai or the Warder。 〃Illian showed us Gray Men and the Wild Hunt。 What does Tear hold that … that someone wants to keep you from so badly？〃
Perrin glanced around； none of the dockmen shuttling cargo about seemed to have heard。 He was sure he would have smelled fear if they had。 He bit back the sharp remark that hung on the end of his tongue。 She had a quicker tongue； and a sharper。
〃I wish you did not sound so eager；〃 Loial rumbled。 〃You seem to think it will all be as easy as Illian； Faile。〃
〃Easy？〃 Zarine muttered。 〃Easy！ Loial； we were nearly killed twice in one night。 Illian was enough for a Hunter's song in itself。 What makes you call it easy？〃
Perrin grimaced。 He wished Loial had not decided to call Zarine by that name she had chosen； it was a constant reminder that Moiraine thought she was Min's falcon。 And it did nothing to stop Perrin wondering if she was the beautiful woman Min had warned him against； too。 At least I've not run up against the hawk。 Or a Tuatha'an with a sword！ Now that would be the strangest of all； or I am a wool merchant！
〃Stop asking questions； Zarine；〃 he said as he swung up into Stepper's saddle。 〃You will find out why we are here when Moiraine decides to tell you。〃 He tried not to look at the Stone。
She turned those dark； tilted eyes on him。 〃I do not think you know why； blacksmith。 I think that is why you will not tell me； because you cannot。 Admit it； farmboy。〃
With a small sigh； he rode off the docks after Moiraine and Lan。 Zarine did not dig at Loial in that cutting way when the Ogier refused to answer her questions。 He thought she must be trying to browbeat him into using that name。 He would not。
Moiraine had tied the oiled cloak behind her saddle； atop the innocu