按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the table。 〃A big favor。 I know you're all going to be Aes Sedai〃 … he stumbled a little on that … 〃and you will be a queen one day； Elayne； but if you ever need help； if there is ever anything I can do； I will e。 You can count on it。 Did I say something funny？〃
Elayne had a hand over her mouth； and Egwene was struggling openly with a laugh。 〃No； Mat；〃 Nynaeve said smoothly； but her lips twitched。 〃Just something I have observed about men。〃
〃You would have to be a woman to understand；〃 Elayne said。
〃Journey well and safely； Mat；〃 Egwene said。 〃And remember； if a woman does need a hero； she needs him today； not tomorrow。〃 The laughter bubbled out of her。
He stared at the door closing behind them。 Women； he decided for at least the hundredth time； were odd。
Then his eye fell on Elayne's letter； and the folded paper lying atop it。 The Amyrlin's blessed； not…to…be…understood； but wele…as…a…fire…in…winter paper。 He danced a little caper in the middle of the flowered carpet。 Caemlyn to see； and a queen to meet。 Your own words will free me of you； Amyrlin。 And get me away from Selene； too。
〃You'll never catch me；〃 he laughed； and meant it for both of them。 〃You'll never catch Mat Cauthon。〃
Chapter 29
（Flame of Tar Valon）
A Trap To Spring
In a corner the spit dog was lying at its ease。 Glaring at it； Nynaeve mopped sweat from her forehead with her hand and leaned her back into doing the work he should have done。 I'd not have put it part them to shove me in his wicker wheel instead of letting me turn this Light…forsaken handle！ Aes Sedai！ Burn them all！ It was a measure of her upset that she used such language； and another that she did not even notice she had done it。 She did not think the fire in the long； gray stone fireplace would seem any hotter if she crawled into it。 She was sure the brindle dog was grinning at her。
Elayne was skimming grease out of the dripping pan under the roasts with a long…handled wooden spoon； while Egwene used its twin to baste the meat。 The great kitchen went on about its midday routine around them。 Even the novices had grown so used to seeing Accepted there that they hardly even glanced at the three women。 Not that the cooks allowed the novices to dawdle for gawking。 Work built character； so the Aes Sedai said； and the cooks saw to it that the novices built strong character。 And the three Accepted； too。
Laras； the Mistress of the Kitchens … she was really the chief cook； but so many had used the other for so long that it might as well have been her title … came over to examine the roasts。 And the women sweating over them。 She was more than merely stout； with layers of chins； and a spotless white apron that could have made three novice dresses。 She carried her own long…handled wooden spoon like a scepter。 It was not for stirring； that spoon。 It was for directing those under her； and smacking those who were not building character quickly enough to suit her。 She studied the roasts； sniffed disparagingly； and turned her frown on the three Accepted。
Nynaeve met Laras' look with a level look of her own and kept turning the spit。 The massive woman's face never altered。 Nynaeve had tried smiling； but that did nothing to change Laras' expression。 Stopping work to speak to her； quite civilly； had been a disaster。 It was bad enough being bullied and chivied by Aes Sedai。 She had to put up with that； however much it rankled and burned； if she was to learn how to use her abilities。 Not that she liked what she could do … it was one thing to know Aes Sedai were not Darkfriends for channeling the Power； but quite another to know she herself could channel … yet she had to learn if she was to get back at Moiraine； hating Moiraine for what she had done to Egwene and the other Emond's Fielders； pulling their lives apart and manipulating them all for Aes Sedai purposes； was nearly all that kept her going。 But to be treated as a lazy； none…too…bright child by this Laras； to be forced to curtsy and scurry for this women she could have put in her place with a few well…chosen words back home … that made her grind her teeth almost as much as did the thought of Moiraine。 Maybe if I just do not look at her。。。 No！ I will be burned if I'll drop my eyes before this。。。 this cow！
Laras sniffed more loudly and walked away。 She rolled from side to side as she crossed the freshly mopped gray tiles。
Still bending with spoon and greasepot； Elayne glowered after her。 〃If that woman strikes me but once more； I shall have Gareth Bryne arrest her and …〃
〃Be quiet；〃 Egwene whispered。 She did not stop basting the roasts； and she never looked at Elayne。 〃She has ears like a …〃
Laras turned back as if she had indeed heard； her frown deepening； and her mouth opened wide。 Before a sound emerged； the Amyrlin Seat entered the kitchen like a whirlwind。 Even the striped stole on her shoulders seemed to bristle。 For once； Leane was nowhere to be seen。
At last； Nynaeve thought grimly。 And not beforetime； either！
But the Amyrlin did not glance her way。 The Amyrlin did not say a word to anyone。 Running her hand across a tabletop scrubbed bone…white； she looked at her fingers and grimaced as if at filth。 Laras was at her side in an instant； all smiles； but the Amyrlin's flat stare made her swallow them in silence。
The Amyrlin stalked about the kitchen。 She stared at the women slicing oatcake。 She glared at the women peeling vegetables。 She sneered into the soup kettles； then at the women tending them； the women became engrossed in studying the surface of the soup。 Her frown set the girls carrying plates and bowls out to the dining hall to a run。 Her glower put the novices darting like mice sighting a cat。 By the time she had made her way half around the kitchen； every woman there was working twice as fast as she had been。 By the time she pleted her circuit； Laras was the only one even daring to glance at her。
The Amyrlin stopped in front of the roasting spit； fists on her hips； and looked at Laras。 She only looked； expressionless； blue eyes cold and hard。
The large woman gulped； and her chins wobbled as she smoothed her apron。 The Amyrlin did not blink。 Laras' eyes dropped； and she shifted heavily from foot to foot。 〃If the Mother will pardon me；〃 she said in a faint voice。 Making something that might have been meant for a curtsy； she rushed away； so forgetting herself that she joined the women at one of the soup kettles and began stirring with her own spoon。
Nynaeve smiled； keeping her head down to hide it。 Egwene and Elayne kept working； too； but they also kept glancing at the Amyrlin； standing with her back to them not two paces away。
The Amyrlin was spreading her stare across the entire kitchen from where she stood。 〃If they are this easily cowed；〃 she muttered softly； 〃perhaps they really have been getting away with too much for too long。〃
Easily cowed indeed； Nynaeve thought。 Pitiful excuses for women。 All she did was look at them！ The Amyrlin glanced over a stole…covered shoulder； caught her eye for an instant。 Suddenly Nynaeve realized she was turning the spit faster。 She t