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d Nynaeve with her braid to her waist and Egwene with her big； dark eyes and ready smile； too。 Three pretty women as different from one another as they could be。 〃I see they are the ones you know；〃 she finished。 〃I am sorry； boy。〃
〃Why are you sorry？ I have been trying to find them for days！〃 Light； I walked right past this place the first night！ Right past them！ I wanted random。 What could be more random than where a ship docks on a rainy night； and where you happen to look in a bloody lightning flash？ Burn me！ Burn me！ 〃Tell me where they are； Mother Guenna。〃
The gray…haired woman stared wearily at the stove where her spouted kettle was steaming。 Her mouth worked； but she said nothing。
〃Where are they？〃 Mat demanded。 〃It is important！ They are in danger if I don't find them。〃
〃You do not understand；〃 she said softly。 〃You are an outlander。 The High Lords 。。。〃
〃I do not care about any …〃 Mat blinked； and looked at Thom。 The gleeman seemed to be frowning； but he was coughing so hard； Mat could not be sure。 〃What do the High Lords have to do with my friends？〃
〃You just do not …〃
〃Don't tell me I do not understand！ I will pay for the information！〃
Mother Guenna glared at him。 〃I do not take money for。。。！〃 She grimaced fiercely。 〃You ask me to tell you things I have been told not to speak of。 Do you know what will happen to me if I do and you breathe my name？ I will lose my tongue； to begin。 Then I will lose other parts before the High Lords have what is left of me hung up to scream its last hours as a reminder to others to obey。 And it will do those young women no good； not my telling or my dying！〃
〃I promise I will never mention your name to anyone。 I swear it。〃 And I'll keep that oath； old woman； if you only tell me where they bloody are！ 〃Please？ They are in danger。〃
She studied him for a long time； before she was done he had the feeling she knew every detail of him。 〃On that oath； I will tell you。 I。。。 liked them。 But you can do nothing。 You are too late； Matrim Cauthon。 Too late by nearly three hours。 They have been taken to the Stone。 The High Lord Samon sent for them。〃 She shook her head in worried puzzlement。 〃He sent。。。 women who。。。 could channel。 I hold nothing against Aes Sedai myself； but that is against the law。 The law the High Lords made。 If they break every other law； they would not break that one。 Why would a High Lord send Aes Sedai on his errands？ Why would he want those girls at all？〃
Mat almost burst out laughing。 〃Aes Sedai？ Mother Guenna； you had my heart in my throat； and maybe my liver； too。 If Aes Sedai came for them； there is nothing to worry about。 All three of them are going to be Aes Sedai themselves。 Not that I like it much； but that's what they …〃 His grin faded at the heavy way she shook her head。
〃Boy； those girls fought like lionfish in a net。 Whether they mean to be Aes Sedai or not； those who took them treated them like bilge pumpings。 Friends do not give bruises like that。〃
He felt his face twisting。 Aes Sedai hurt them？ What in the Light？ The bloody Stone。 It makes the Palace in Caemlyn look like walking into a barnyard！ Burn me！ I stood right out there in the rain and stared at this house！ Burn me for a bloody Light…blinded fool！
〃If you break your hand；〃 Mother Guenna said； 〃I will splint and poultice it； but if you damage my wall； I will strip your hide like a redfish！〃
He blinked； then looked at his fist； at scraped knuckles。 He did not even remember punching the wall。
The broad woman took his hand in a strong grip； but the fingers she used to probe were surprisingly gentle。 〃Nothing broken；〃 she grunted after a while。 Her eyes were just as gentle as she studied his face。 〃It seems you care for them。 One of them； at least； I suppose it is。 I am sorry； Mat Cauthon。〃
〃Don't be；〃 he told her。 〃At least I know where they are； now。 All I have to do is get them out。〃 He fished out his last two Andoran gold crowns and pressed them into her hand。 〃For Thom's medicines； and for letting me know about the girls。〃 On impulse； he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and a grin。 〃And that's for me。〃
Startled； she touched her cheek； not seeming to know whether to look at the coins or at him。 〃Get them out； you say。 Just like that。 Out of the Stone。〃 Abruptly she stabbed him in the ribs with a finger as hard as a tree stub。 〃You remind me of my husband； Mat Cauthon。 He was a headstrong fool who would sail into the teeth of a gale and laugh； too。 I could almost think you'll manage it。〃 Suddenly she saw his muddy boots； apparently for the first time。 〃It took me six months to teach him not to track mud into my house。 If you do get those girls out； whichever of them you have your eye on will have a hard time training you to make you fit to be let inside。〃
〃You are the only woman who could do that；〃 he said with a grin that broadened at her glare。 Get them out。 That's all I have to do。 Bring them right out of the Stone of bloody Tear。 Thom coughed again。 He isn't going into the Stone like that。 Only； how do I stop him？ 〃Mother Guenna； can I leave my friend here？ I think he is too sick to go back to the inn。〃
〃What？〃 Thom barked。 He tried to push himself out of the chair； coughing so he could hardly speak。 〃I am no。。。 such thing； boy！ You think。。。 walking into the Stone。。。 will be like。。。 walking into your mother's kitchen？ You think you。。。 would make it。。。 as far as the gates。。。 without me？〃 He hung on the back of the chair； his wheezing and hacking keeping him from rising more than halfway to his feet。
Mother Guenna put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down as easily as a child。 The gleeman gave her a startled look。 〃I will take care of him； Mat Cauthon；〃 she said。
〃No！〃 Thom shouted。 〃You cannot。。。 do this to me！ You can't。。。 leave me。。。 with this old。。。〃 Only her hand on his shoulder kept him from doubling over。
Mat grinned at the white…haired man。 〃I have enjoyed knowing you； Thom。〃
As he hurried out into the street； he found himself wondering why he had said that。 He isn't going to bloody die。 That woman will keep him alive if she has to drag him kicking and screaming out of his grave by his mustaches。 Yes； but who is going to keep me alive？
Ahead of him； the Stone of Tear loomed over the city； impregnable； a fortress besieged a hundred times； a stone on which a hundred armies had broken their teeth。 And he had to get inside； somehow。 And bring out three women。 Somehow。
With a laugh that made even the sullen folk in the street look at him； he headed back for The White Crescent； uncaring of mud or the damp heat。 He could feel the dice tumbling inside his head。
Chapter 53
（Wolf）
A Flow of the Spirit
Perrin shrugged into his coat as he walked back toward the Star through the evening shadows。 A good tiredness soaked through his arms and shoulders； along with more mon work； Master Ajala had had him make a large piece of ornamental work； all elaborate curves and scrolls； to go on some country lord's new gate。 He had enjoyed making something so pretty。
〃I thought his eyes would e o