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〃She'll not go running to betray us tonight。〃 Pausing to pull the dress over her head； Nynaeve sat on the edge of the bed in her thin silk Taraboner shift to roll down her stockings。 〃Tonight is the agreed night。 Egwene will expect one of us； and it is my turn。 She will be worried if neither of us appears。〃
Elayne fished the leather cord around her neck out of the bosom of her dress。 The stone ring； all flecks and stripes in blue and brown and red； lay snuggled against the golden serpent eating its own tail。 Unknotting the string long enough to hand the ter'angreal to Nynaeve； she retied and replaced it。 Nynaeve strung the stone ter'angreal with her own Great Serpent ring and Lan's heavy gold ring； let them hang between her breasts。
〃Give me an hour after you are certain I'm asleep；〃 she said； stretching out atop the blue coverlet。 〃It should take no longer than that。 And keep an eye on her。〃
〃What can she do bound； Nynaeve？〃 Elayne hesitated before adding； 〃I don't think she would try to harm us if she were loose。〃
〃Don't you dare！〃 Nynaeve raised her head to glare at Egeanin's back； then lay back on the pillows again。 〃An hour； Elayne。〃 Closing her eyes； she wriggled to make herself more fortable。 〃That should be more than enough；〃 she murmured。
Hiding a yawn behind her hand； Elayne brought the low stool to the foot of the bed； where she could watch Nynaeve； and Egeanin； too； though that hardly seemed necessary。 The woman lay huddled on her pallet with her knees up； hands securely fastened。 It had been a strangely tiring day considering that they had never left the inn。 Nynaeve was already muttering softly in her sleep。 With her elbows jutting out。
Egeanin lifted her head and looked over her shoulder。 〃She hates me； I think。〃
〃Go to sleep。〃 Elayne stifled another yawn。
〃You do not。〃
〃Don't be too sure of yourself；〃 she said firmly。 〃You are taking this very calmly。 How can you be so calm？〃
〃Calm？〃 The other woman's hands moved involuntarily； twisting at her Air…woven bonds。 〃I am so terrified I could weep。〃 She did not sound it。 Yet it sounded the simple truth。
〃We won't harm you； Egeanin。〃 Whatever Nynaeve wanted； she would see to that。 〃Go to sleep。〃 After a moment Egeanin's head lowered。
An hour。 It was right not to worry Egwene needlessly； but she wished that hour could be spent on their problem instead of wandering uselessly in Tel'aran'rhiod。 If they could not find out whether Amathera was prisoner or captive。。。 Set that aside； I won't puzzle it out here。 Once they did find out； how could they get inside the palace with all those soldiers about； and the Civil Watch； not to mention Liandrin and the others？
Nynaeve had started snoring softly； a habit she denied even more heatedly than she did flinging her elbows about。 Egeanin appeared to be taking the long； slow breaths of deep sleep。 Yawning into the back of her hand； Elayne shifted on the hard wooden seat and began planning how to sneak into the Panarch's Palace。
Chapter 52
（Dream Ring）
Need
For a moment Nynaeve stood in the Heart of the Stone not seeing it； not thinking of Tel'aran'rhiod at all。 Egeanin was Seanchan。 One of those vile people who had put a collar on Egwene's neck and tried to put one on hers。 Knowing it still made her feel hollow。 Seanchan； and she had snaked her way into Nynaeve's affections。 True friends had seemed so few and far between since leaving Emond's Field。 To find a new one； then lose her in this way。。。
〃I hate her for that worst of all；〃 she growled； folding her arms tightly。 〃She made me like her； and I cannot stop； and I hate her for it！〃 Said aloud； it made no sense at all。 〃I do not have to make sense。〃 She laughed quietly； with a rueful shake of her head。 〃I am supposed to be Aes Sedai。〃 But not to be wool…gathering like a fool girl。
Callandor sparkled； the crystal sword rising out of the floor…stones beneath the great dome； and the massive redstone columns ran off in shadowed rows through that odd； dim light that came from everywhere。 Easy to remember the feel of being watched； to imagine it again。 If it had been imagination before。 If it was now。 Anything might be hiding back in there。 A good stout stick appeared in her hands as she peered among the columns。 Where was Egwene？ Just like the girl to keep her waiting。 All that murkiness。 For all she knew； something could be about to jump out at…〃That is an odd dress； Nynaeve。〃
Just stifling a yelp； she spun around heavily； rattling metallically； heart thumping in her throat。 Egwene stood on the other side of Callandor with two women in bulky skirts and dark shawls over white blouses； snowy hair held by folded scarves falling to their waists。 Nynaeve swallowed； hoping none of them noticed； tried to make herself breathe normally again。 Sneaking up on her that way！
One of the Aiel women she knew from Elayne's description； Amys's face was much too young for such hair； but apparently it had been almost silver even as a child。 The other； thin and bony； had pale blue eyes in a leathery； wrinkled face。 That must be Bair。 The tougher of the two； in Nynaeve's opinion now that she saw them； not that this Amys looked very … Odd dress？ I rattled？
Staring down at herself； she gasped。 Her dress looked vaguely like a Two Rivers garment； if Two Rivers women wore dresses fashioned from steel mail； with pieces of plate armor like those she had seen in Shienar。 How did men run about and jump into saddles in these things？ It dragged at her shoulders as if it weighed a hundred pounds。 The good stick was metal now； and spiked at the end like a shiny steel sandburr。 Without touching her head she knew she had on some sort of helmet。 Blushing furiously； she concentrated； changed it all to good Two Rivers woolens and a walking staff。 It felt good to have her hair back in one proper braid； hanging over her shoulder。
〃Uncontrolled thoughts are troublesome when you walk the dream；〃 Bair said in a thin； strong voice。 〃You must learn to control them if you mean to continue。〃
〃I can control my thoughts very well； thank you；〃 Nynaeve said crisply。 〃I …〃 Bair's voice was not all that was thin。 The Two Wise Ones seemed。。。 misty； almost； and Egwene； in a pale blue riding dress； was very nearly transparent。 〃What's the matter with you？ Why do you look that way？〃
〃You try entering Tel'aran'rhiod while half…asleep in a saddle；〃 Egwene said dryly。 She seemed to flicker。 〃It is morning in the Three…fold Land； and we are on the move。 I had to talk Amys into letting me e at all； but I was afraid you would be worried。〃
〃It is a difficult enough task without the horse；〃 Amys said； 〃sleeping shallowly when you wish to be awake。 Egwene has not learned it entirely yet。〃
〃I will；〃 Egwene said with an irritated determination。 She was always too hasty and stubborn in her desire to learn； if these Wise Ones did not hold on to the scruff of her neck she would very likely jump into all sorts of trouble。
Nynaeve stopped worrying about Egwene and trouble as the younger woman began to speak of Trollocs and Draghkar attacking Cold Rocks