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believe they were after you？〃
〃Oh； yes； my Lord Bornhald。 After me。 Whatever it takes to stop me。 The Shadow itself wants to stop me。〃
〃That still says nothing of murdered …〃
〃I must do what I do in secret。〃 It was a whisper； almost a hiss。 〃The Shadow can enter men's minds to find me out； enter men's thoughts and dreams。 Would you like to die in a dream？ It can happen。〃
〃You are。。。 mad。〃
〃Give me a free hand； and I will give you Perrin Aybara。 That is what Pedron Niall's orders require。 A free hand for me； and I will place Perrin Aybara in yours。〃
Bornhald was silent for a long time。 〃I do not want to look at you；〃 he said finally。 〃Get out。〃
When Ordeith was gone； Bornhald shivered。 What was the Lord Captain mander up to with this man？ But if it put Aybara in his grasp。。。 Tossing his gauntlets down； he began digging through his belongings。 Somewhere he had a flask of brandy。
The man who called himself Ordeith； even sometimes thought of himself as Ordeith； slunk through the tents of the Children of the Light； watching the white…cloaked men with a wary eye。 Useful tools； ignorant tools； but not to be trusted。 Especially not Bornhald； that one might have to be disposed of； if he became too troublesome。 Byar would be much more easily handled。 But not yet。 There were other matters more important。 Some of the soldiers nodded respectfully as he passed。 He showed them his teeth in what they took for a friendly smile。 Tools； and fools。
His eyes skittered hungrily across the tent holding the prisoners。 They could wait。 For a while yet。 A little while longer。 They were only tidbits anyway。 Bait。 He should have restrained himself at the Aybara farm； but Con Aybara had laughed in his face； and Joslyn had called him a filthy…minded little fool for naming her son Darkfriend。 Well； they had learned； screaming； burning。 In spite of himself he giggled under his breath。 Tidbits。
He could feel one of those he hated out there somewhere； south； toward Emond's Field。 Which one？ It did not matter。 Rand al'Thor was the only really important one。 He would have known if it was al'Thor。 Rumor had not drawn him yet； but it would。 Ordeith shivered with desire。 It had to be so。 More tales must be gotten past Bornhald's guards at Taren Ferry； more reports of the scouring of the Two Rivers； to drift to Rand al'Thor's ears and sear his brain。 First al'Thor； then the Tower； for what they had taken from him。 He would have all that was his by right。
Everything had been ticking along like a fine clock； even with Bornhald impeding； until this new one appeared with his Gray Men。 Ordeith scrubbed bony fingers through greasy hair。 Why could not his dreams at least be his own？ He was a puppet no longer； danced about by Myrddraal and Forsaken； by the Dark One himself。 He pulled the strings now。 They could not stop him； could not kill him。
〃Nothing can kill me；〃 he muttered； scowling。 〃Not me。 I have survived since the Trolloc Wars。〃 Well； a part of him had。 He laughed shrilly； hearing madness in the cackle； knowing it； not caring。
A young Whitecloak officer frowned at him。 This time there was nothing of a smile in Ordeith's bared teeth； and the fuzzy…cheeked lad recoiled。 Ordeith hurried on in a slinking shuffle。
Flies buzzed about his own tents； and sullen； suspicious eyes flinched away from his。 The white cloaks were soiled here。 But the swords were sharp； and obedience instant and unquestioning。 Bornhald thought these men were still his。 Pedron Niall believed it； too； believed Ordeith his tame creature。 Fools。
Twitching aside his tent flap； Ordeith went in to examine his prisoner； stretched out between two pegs thick enough to hold a wagon team。 Good steel chain quivered as he checked it； but he had calculated how much was needed； then doubled it。 As well he had。 One loop less； and those stout steel links would have broken。
With a sigh； he seated himself on the edge of his bed。 The lamps were already lit； more than a dozen； leaving no shadow anywhere。 The tent was as bright inside as noonday。 〃Have you thought over my proposal？ Accept； and you walk free。 Refuse。。。 I know how to hurt your sort。 I can make you scream through endless dying。 Forever dying； forever screaming。〃
The chains hummed at a jerk； the stakes driven deep into the ground creaked。 〃Very well。〃 The Myrddraal's voice was dried snakeskin crumbling。 〃I accept。 Release me。〃
Ordeith smiled。 It thought him a fool。 It would learn。 They all would。 〃First； the matter of。。。 shall we say； agreements and accord？〃 As he talked； the Myrddraal began to sweat。
Chapter 32
（Dragon's Fang）
Questions to Be Asked
〃We should leave for Watch Hill soon；〃 Verin announced the next morning； with sunrise just pearling the sky outside； 〃so don't dawdle。〃 Perrin looked up from his cold porridge to meet a steady gaze； the Aes Sedai expected no arguments。 After a moment； she added thoughtfully； 〃Do not think this means I will aid you in any foolishness。 You are a tricksome young man。 Try none of it with me。〃
Tam and Abell paused with spoons halfway to their mouths； exchanging surprised looks； clearly they had gone their own way and the Aes Sedai theirs before this。 After a moment they resumed eating； although with pensive frowns。 They left any objections unvoiced。 Tomas； his Warder's cloak already packed away in his saddlebags； gave them … and Perrin … a hard…faced stare anyway； as if he anticipated arguments and meant to stamp them out。 Warders did whatever was necessary for an Aes Sedai to do what she wanted。
She intended to meddle； of course … Aes Sedai always did … but having her where he could see her was surely better than leaving her behind his back。 Avoiding Aes Sedai entanglements pletely was all but impossible when they meant to dabble their fingers in； the only course was to try to use them while they used you； to watch and hope you could jump clear if they decided to stuff you headfirst； like a ferret； down a rabbithole。 Sometimes the rabbithole turned out to her a badger's sett； which was hard on the ferret。
〃You would be wele； too；〃 he told Alanna； but she gave him a frosty stare that stopped him in his tracks。 She had disdained the porridge； and stood at one of the vine…shrouded windows； peering through the leafy screen。
He could not say whether she was pleased with his plans for a scout。 Reading her seemed near to impossible。 Aes Sedai were supposed to be cool serenity itself； and she was that； but Alanna tossed off flashes of fiery temper or unpredictable humor when least expected； like heat lightning； crackling then gone。 Sometimes she looked at him so that if she had not been Aes Sedai he would have thought she was admiring him。 Other times he might as well have been some plicated mechanism she meant to disassemble in order to puzzle out bow it worked。 Even Verin had the better of that； most of the time she was just plain unreadable。 Unnerving； on occasion； but at least he did not have to wonder if she was going to know how to fit his pieces back together。
He wished he could make Faile stay there … that was not th