“Don’t do this,” she said. “Don’t throw it all away.”
“It cannot be helped.”
“Yes it can! All you have to do is stop being such a Light-burned, wool-headed, stubborn fool for once!”
Egwene drew herself back. How could she have spoken to him as if they were back in Emond’s Field, at their beginning?
Rand stared at her for a moment. “Well, you could certainly stop being a spoiled, self-certain, unmitigated brat for once, Egwene.” He threw up his arms. “Blood and ashes! This was a waste of time.”
He was very nearly right. Egwene didn’t notice someone new entering the tent. Rand did, however, and he spun as the flaps parted and let in light. He frowned at the interloper.
His frown died as soon as he saw the person who entered.
Moiraine.
CHAPTER
6
A Knack
The pavilion grew quiet again. Perrin hated a racket, and the people’s scents weren’t any better. Frustration, anger, fear. Terror.
Much of it was directed at the woman standing just inside the entrance to the pavilion.
Mat, you blessed fool, Perrin thought, breaking into a grin. You did it. You actually did it.
For the first time in a while, thinking of Mat made the colors swirl in his vision. He saw Mat on a horse, riding along a dusty road, tinkering with something he held. Perrin dismissed the image. Where had Mat gotten to now? Why hadn’t he come back with Moiraine?
It didn’t matter. Moiraine was back. Light, Moiraine! Perrin started toward her to give her an embrace, but Faile caught him by the sleeve. He followed her eyes.
Rand. His face had grown pale. He stumbled away from the table, as if all else had been forgotten, and pushed his way to Moiraine. He hesitantly reached out and touched her face. “By my mother’s grave,” Rand whispered, then fell to his knees before her. “How?”
Moiraine smiled, resting a hand on his shoulder. “The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, Rand. Have you forgotten that?”
“I…”
“Not as you will, Dragon Reborn,” she said gently. “Not as any of us will. Perhaps one day it will weave itself out of existence. I do not believe that day is today, nor a day soon.”
“Who is this woman?” Roedran said. “And what is she blathering about? I—” He cut off as something unseen flicked him on the side of the head, causing him to jump. Perrin glanced at Rand, then noticed the smile on Egwene’s lips. He caught the scent of her satisfaction despite all of the people in the pavilion.
Nynaeve and Min, standing nearby, smelled utterly shocked. The Light willing, Nynaeve would stay that way for a little while. Shouting at Moiraine wouldn’t help right now.
“You haven’t answered my question,” Rand said.
“But I have,” Moiraine replied fondly. “It just was not the answer you wanted.”
Rand knelt, then threw his head back and laughed. “Light, Moiraine! You haven’t changed, have you?”
“We all change day by day,” she replied, then smiled. “Me more than some, lately. Stand up. It is I who should be kneeling before you, Lord Dragon. We all should.”
Rand rose and stepped back to allow Moiraine farther into the pavilion. Perrin caught another scent, and smiled as Thom Merrilin slipped into the tent behind her. The old gleeman winked at Perrin.
“Moiraine,” Egwene said, stepping forward. “The White Tower welcomes you back with
open arms. Your service has not been forgotten.”
“Hmmm,” Moiraine said. “Yes, I should think that having discovered a future Amyrlin would reflect well upon me. That is a relief, as I believe I was on a path to stilling, if not execution, before.”