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roblem is getting inside undetected。〃
〃I have had a few thoughts on that；〃 Elayne told her； 〃but I fear the men are going to give us difficulties over it。〃
〃You leave them to me；〃 Nynaeve snorted。 〃I …〃 A thumping clatter rose in the hall； a man shouted； as quickly as it began； silence fell once more。 Thom was on watch out there。
Elayne darted to pull open the door； embracing saidar as she rushed out； but Nynaeve scrambled off the bed right behind her。 Egeanin as well。
Thom was just picking himself up off the floor； a hand to his head。 Juilin with his staff and Bayle Domon with his cudgel stood over a man with pale yellow hair lying facedown on the floor； unconscious。
Elayne hurried to Thom； trying gently to help him up。 He gave her a grateful smile； but stubbornly pushed her hands away。 〃I am quite all right； child。〃 All right？ A knot was rising on his temple！ 〃The fellow was walking down the hall； when suddenly he kicked me in the head。 After my purse； I suppose。〃 Just like that。 Kicked in the head； and he was all right。
〃He would have had it； too；〃 Juilin said； 〃if I had not e to see if Thom wanted a relief。〃
〃Did I not decide；〃 Domon muttered。 Their hostility seemed less focused for a change。
It took Elayne only a moment to realize why。 Nynaeve and Egeanin were in the hall in their shifts。 Juilin was eyeing them both in an approving manner that would have caused trouble if Rendra had seen it； though he was at least trying not to be obvious。 Domon made no effort at all to hide his frank appraisal of Egeanin； crossing his arms and pursing his lips in disgusting fashion while looking her up and down。
The situation dawned on the other women quickly； but their reactions were quite different。 Nynaeve； in her thin white silk； gave the thief…catcher a flat stare and strode stiffly into the room； poking a somewhat flushed face back around the side of the doorframe。 Egeanin； whose linen shift was considerably longer and thicker than Nynaeve's … Egeanin； who had been cool serenity while being made prisoner； who fought like a Warder … Egeanin went wide…eyed and crimson…faced； gasping in horror。 Elayne stared； amazed； as the Seanchan woman gave a mortified shriek and leaped back inside。
Doors flung open and down the hall heads popped out； they vanished instantly； to the bang of slamming doors； at the sight of a man stretched out on the floor and others standing over him。 Heavy dragging noises suggested people blocking themselves in with beds or wardrobes。
Long moments later； Egeanin finally peeked out opposite Nynaeve； still scarlet to her hair。 Elayne really did not understand。 The woman was in her shift； true； but it covered her very nearly as well as Elayne's Taraboner dress did。 Still； Juilin and Domon had no right to ogle。 She fixed the pair with a stare that should have set them to rights immediately。
Unfortunately； Domon was too busy chuckling and rubbing his upper lip to notice。 At least Juilin saw； even if he did sigh heavily the way men did when they considered themselves put upon unfairly。 Avoiding her eyes； he bent to heave the pale…haired fellow onto his back。 A handsome enough man； slender。
〃I know this fellow；〃 Juilin exclaimed。 〃This is the man who tried to rob me。 Or so I thought；〃 he added more slowly。 〃I do not believe in coincidence。 Not unless the Dragon Reborn is in the city。〃
Elayne exchanged frowns with Nynaeve。 Surely the stranger was not in the employ of Liandrin； the Black Ajah would not use men to sneak about the halls any more 。。。Any more than they would have hired street toughs。 Elayne moved her gaze to Egeanin questioningly。 Nynaeve's was more demanding。
〃He is Seanchan；〃 Egeanin said after a moment。
〃A rescue attempt？〃 Nynaeve murmured dryly； but the other woman shook her head。〃I do not doubt he was looking for me； but not for rescue； I think。 If he knows … or even suspects … that I let Bethamin go free； he would be wanting to。。。 talk with me。〃 Elayne suspected it was rather more than talk； confirmed when Egeanin added； 〃It might be best if you slit his throat。 He may try to make trouble for you； too； if he thinks you are my friends； or if he discovers you are Aes Sedai。〃 The big Illianer smuggler gave her a shocked look； and Juilin's jaw dropped almost to his chest。 Thom； on the other hand； nodded in a disturbingly thoughtful fashion。
〃We are not here to slit Seanchan throats；〃 Nynaeve said as though that might change later。 〃Bayle； Juilin； put him out in the alley behind the inn。 By the time he wakes； he'll be lucky to have his smallclothes。 Thom； find Rendra and tell her we want strong tea in the Chamber of Falling Blossoms。 And ask if she has any willowbark or acem； I will make you something for your head。〃 The three men stared at her。 〃Well； move！〃 she snapped。 〃We have plans to make！〃 She barely gave Elayne time to get back inside before closing the door with a bang and beginning to pull her dress over her head。 Egeanin scrambled into hers as though the men were still looking at her。
〃The better way is to ignore them； Egeanin；〃 Elayne said。 It was odd to be advising someone older than Nynaeve； but however petent the Seanchan woman was in other ways； she clearly knew little about men。 〃It only encourages them； otherwise。 I do not know why；〃 she admitted； 〃but it does。 You were quite decently covered。 Really。〃
Egeanin's head pushed out at the top of her dress。 〃Decent？ I am not a serving girl。 I am no shea dancer！〃 Her scowl became a perplexed frown。 〃He is rather good…looking； though。 I had not thought of him so before。〃
Wondering what a shea dancer was； Elayne went to help her with her buttons。 〃Rendra will have something to say to you if you allow Juilin to flirt with you。〃
The dark…haired woman gave her a startled look over her shoulder。 〃The thief…catcher？ It was Bayle Domon I meant。 A properly set…up man。 But a smuggler；〃 she sighed regretfully。 〃A lawbreaker。〃
Elayne supposed there was no accounting for tastes … Nynaeve certainly loved Lan； and he was much too stone…faced and intimidating … but Bayle Domon？ The man was half as wide as he was tall； as thick as an Ogier！
〃You chatter like Rendra； Elayne；〃 Nynaeve snapped。 She was struggling to do up her dress； both hands behind her。 〃If you have finished blathering about men； perhaps you won't mind skipping over the new seamstress you've no doubt found？ We must make plans。 If we wait until we're with the men； they will try to take it over； and I am in no mood to waste time putting them in their place。 Have you finished with her yet？ I could use some help myself。〃
Quickly fastening Egeanin's last small button； Elayne went coolly to Nynaeve。 She did not talk about men and dresses。 Not nearly as much as Rendra。 Holding her braids out of the way； Nynaeve gave her a frown when she tugged sharply at the other woman's dress to do up the buttons。 The close…spaced triple row up the back was necessary； not simply ornament。 Nynaeve would let Rendra talk her into the most fashionably tight bodices。 And then say other people spent all their time thinking about clothes。 She