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hour。
〃You would not wake up； 〃Elayne said unsteadily。 〃I shook you and shook you； but you would not wake。〃 She gave a small laugh。 〃Oh； Egwene； you even frightened Aviendha。〃
Egwene put a hand on her arm and squeezed reassuringly。 〃I am back； now。〃 She sounded tired； and she had sweated her shift through。 〃I suppose I had reason to stay a little longer than we planned。 I will be more careful next time。 I promise。〃
Nynaeve returned the pitcher of water to the washstand vigorously； sloshing some out。 She had been on the point of throwing it in Egwene's sleeping face。 Her features were posed； but the pitcher rattled the washbowl； and she let the spilled water drip to the carpet。 〃Was it something you found？ Or was it。。。 ？ Egwene； if the World of Dreams can hold on to you in some way； maybe it is too dangerous until you learn more。 Maybe the more often you go； the harder it is to e back。 Maybe。。。 I don't know。 But I do know we cannot risk letting you bee lost。〃 She crossed her arms under her breasts； ready for an argument。
〃I know；〃 Egwene said； very close to meekly。 Elayne's eyebrows shot up； Egwene was never meek with Nynaeve。 Anything but。
Egwene struggled off the bed； refusing Elayne's help； and made her way to the washstand to bathe her face and arms in the relatively cool water。 Elayne found a dry shift in the wardrobe while Egwene pulled off her sodden one。
〃I met a Wise One； a woman named Amys。〃 Egwene's voice was muffled until her head popped out of the top of the new shift。 〃She said I should e to her； to learn about Tel'aran'rhiod。 At some place in the Waste called Cold Rocks Hold。〃
Elayne had caught a flicker of Aviendha's eye at the mention of the Wise One's name。 〃Do you know her？ Amys？〃
The Aiel woman's nod could only be described as reluctant。 〃A Wise One。 A dreamwalker： Amys was Far Dareis Mai until she gave up the spear to go to Rhuidean。〃
〃A Maiden！〃 Egwene exclaimed。 〃So that's why she。。。 No matter。 She said she is at Rhuidean； now。 Do you know where this Cold Rocks Hold is； Aviendha？〃
〃Of course。 Cold Rocks is Rhuarc's hold。 Rhuarc is Amys's husband。 I visit there； sometimes。 I used to。 My sister…mother； Lian； is sister…wife to Amys。〃
Elayne exchanged confused glances with Egwene and Nynaeve。 Once Elayne had thought she knew a good bit about Aiel； all learned from her teachers in Caemlyn； but she had discovered since meeting Aviendha how little she did know。 Customs and relationships all were a maze。 First…sisters meant having the same mother； except that it was possible for friends to bee first…sisters by making a pledge before Wise Ones。 Second…sisters meant your mothers were sisters； if your fathers were brothers； you were father…sisters； and not considered as closely related as second…sisters。 After that； it truly grew bewildering。
〃What does 'sister…wife' mean？〃 she asked hesitantly。
〃That you have the same husband。〃 Aviendha frowned at the way Egwene gasped and Nynaeve's eyes opened as wide as they would go。 Elayne had been half…expecting the answer； but she still found herself fussing with skirts that were perfectly straight。 〃This is not your custom？〃 the Aiel woman asked。
〃No；〃 Egwene said faintly。 〃No； it is not。〃
〃But you and Elayne care for one another as first…sisters。 What would you have done had one of you been unwilling to step aside for Rand al'Thor？ Fight over him？ Let a man damage the ties between you？ Would it not have been better if you both had married him； then？〃
Elayne looked at Egwene。 The thought of。。。 Could she have done such a thing？ Even with Egwene？ She knew her cheeks were red。 Egwene merely looked startled。
〃But I wanted to step aside；〃 Egwene said。
Elayne knew the remark was as much for her as for Aviendha； but the thought would not go away。 Had Min had a viewing？ What would she do if Min had？ If it's Berelain； I will strangle her； and him too！ If it has to be someone； why couldn't it be Egwene？ Light； what am I thinking？ She knew she was being flustered； and to cover it； she made her voice light。 〃You sound as if the man has no choice in the matter。〃
〃He can say no；〃 Aviendha said as if it were obvious； 〃but if he wishes to marry one； he must marry both when they ask。 Please take no offense； but I was shocked when I learned that in your lands a man can ask a woman to marry him。 A man should make his interest known； then wait for the woman to speak。 Of course； some women lead a man to see where his interest lies； but the right of the question is hers。 I do not really know very much of these things。 I have wanted to be Far Dareis Mai since I was a child。 All I want in life is the spear and my spear…sisters；〃 she finished quite fiercely。
〃No one is going to try to make you marry；〃 Egwene said soothingly。 Aviendha gave her a startled look。
Nynaeve cleared her throat loudly。 Elayne wondered if she had been thinking about Lan； there were certainly hard spots of color in her cheeks。 〃I suppose； Egwene；〃 Nynaeve said in a slightly too energetic voice； 〃that you did not find what you were looking for； or you would have said something by now。〃
〃I found nothing；〃 Egwene replied regretfully。 〃But Amys said。。。 Aviendha； what sort of woman is Amys？〃
The Aiel woman had taken up a study of the carpet。 〃Amys is hard as the mountains and pitiless as the sun；〃 she said without looking up。 〃She is a dreamwalker。 She can teach you。 Once she lays her hands on you； she will drag you by the hair toward what she wants。 Rhuarc is the only one who can stand up to her。 Even the other Wise Ones step carefully when Amys speaks。 But she can teach you。〃
Egwene shook her head。 〃I meant would being in a strange place unsettle her； make her nervous？ Being in a city？ Would she see things that weren't there？〃
Aviendha's laugh was a short； sharp sound。 〃Nervous？ Waking to find a lion in her bed would not make Amys nervous。 She was a Maiden； Egwene； and she has grown no softer； you can be sure of it。〃
〃What did this woman see？〃 Nynaeve asked。
〃It wasn't something she saw； exactly；〃 Egwene said slowly。 〃I think not seeing。 She said Tanchico had an evil in it。 Worse than men could make； she said。 That could be the Black Ajah。 Don't argue with me； Nynaeve；〃 she added in a firmer voice。 〃Dreams have to be interpreted。 It very well could be。〃
Nynaeve had begun frowning as soon as Egwene mentioned evil in Tanchico； and her frown turned to a heated glare when Egwene told her not to argue。 Sometimes Elayne wanted to shake both women。 She stepped in quickly； before the older woman could erupt； 〃It very well could be； Egwene。 You did find something。 More than Nynaeve or I thought you could。 Didn't she； Nynaeve？ Don't you think so？〃
〃It could be；〃 Nynaeve said grudgingly。
〃It could be。〃 Egwene did not sound happy about it。 She took a deep breath。 〃Nynaeve is right。 I have to learn what I'm doing。 If I knew what I should； I would not have had to be told about the evil。 If I knew what I should； I could have found the very room Liandrin is staying in； wherever she is。 Amys can teach me。 That is w