Towers of Midnight (The Wheel of Time 13)

"That was necessary."

"You didn't believe that at the time."

Min took a deep breath. Nynaeve had been goading her into arguments lately; she certainly had good reason to be tense. Her husband was riding toward his death. The Dragon Reborn a man she saw as her charge, still was wandering alone, and there was nothing Nynaeve could do. And if there was one thing Nynaeve hated, it was being powerless.

"Nynaeve," Min said. "If this lasts much longer, I'll lead you to him. I promise."

The Aes Sedai narrowed her eyes. " 'Much longer'?" "A few days."

"In a few days he could level Cairhien."

"Do you really think he would do that, Nynaeve?" Min asked softly. "Truly?"

"Do I?" Nynaeve gripped her cup of tea, staring down at its contents. "Once I would have laughed at the idea. I knew Rand al'Thor, and the boy still inside him. The man he's become frightens me. I always told him he needed to grow up. And then . . . and then he did." She shivered visibly.

Min started to reply, but motion drew her attention. Two Maidens Surial and Lerian guarded the open doorway to the hallway; they'd turned to watch someone approach. There were always Maidens around Min, these days.

Sarene Nemdahl entered the small room a moment later. Min's quarters in the Stone were not expansive she rarely used them, instead staying with Rand. Her sitting room had a thick blue-and-white rug and a small cherry desk, but nothing else.

Sarene wore her dark hair in its customary beaded braids framing her near-perfect face. "Cadsuane Sedai," Sarene said, "she has need of you."

"Is that so?" Nynaeve said. "Well, perhaps Cadsuane Sedai can "

"Alanna is gone," Sarene continued, unruffled. "Vanished right from her chambers. The Defenders, they didn't see her go, and there was no sign of a gateway."

"Oh. Well, let's go then." Nynaeve bustled out of the chamber.

"And I'm telling you that I felt nothing," Córele said. She smiled, tapping the side of her nose. "I don't know how she got out. Unless you think she somehow invented flying which I daresay wouldn't be outside reason, considering some of what has occurred lately."

Fool woman, Cadsuane thought, leveling a flat stare at Córele. The woman's flippancy was preferable to the self-importance of some other Aes Sedai, but today Cadsuane hadn't the patience for it.

The Yellow shrugged, still smiling, but said nothing further. Cadsuane placed hands on hips, surveying the small chamber. Room for a trunk to hold clothing, a cot for sleeping and a desk. Cadsuane would have expected an Aes Sedai to demand more, even in Tear. Of course, Alanna didn't often reveal her intimate connection to the Dragon. Most didn't know of it.

Two other Aes Sedai Rafela Cindal and Bera Harkin stood at the side of the room. Bera said she'd felt Alanna channeling, but nothing demanding. Certainly not enough to create a gateway.

Burn that woman! Cadsuane had thought Alanna well in hand, despite recent stubbornness. She'd obviously slipped out intentionally. The clothing from the trunk was gone and the writing desk was mostly bare. Only an empty ink bottle remained.

"She said nothing to you?" Cadsuane said.

"No, Cadsuane Sedai," Bera replied. "We haven't spoken more than passing words in weeks. I . . . well, I did often hear weeping in her room."

"What is all the fuss about?" a new voice said. Cadsuane glanced at the doorway as Nynaeve arrived and met Cadsuane's stare. "She's only one person, and so far as I understand, she was free to leave when she wished."

"Phaw," Cadsuane said. "The girl isn't 'only one person.' She's a tool. An important one." She reached over to the desk,

holding up a sheet of paper that they'd found in the room. It had been folded with a blood-red seal of wax on one side. "Do you recognize this?"

Nynaeve frowned. "No. Should I?"

Lying or truthful? Cadsuane hated not being able to trust the words of someone who called herself an Aes Sedai. But Nynaeve al'Meara had never held the Oath Rod.

Those eyes looked genuinely confused. Nynaeve should be trustworthy; she prided herself on her honesty Unless that was a front. Unless she was Black.

Careful, she thought. You'll end up as distrustful as the boy is. Nynaeve hadn't given Alanna the note, which eliminated her last good theory on its origin.

"So, what is it, Cadsuane Sedai?" Nynaeve demanded. At least she used the honorific; Cadsuane nearly chided the girl for her tone. But, truth be told, she felt as frustrated as Nynaeve did. There were times when such emotions were justified. Facing the end of the world with the Dragon Reborn completely out of control was one of them.

"I'm not sure," Cadsuane said. "The letter was opened in haste the paper was torn. It was dropped on the floor, and the note inside taken, along with clothing and emergency items."