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could have found the very room Liandrin is staying in； wherever she is。 Amys can teach me。 That is why。。。 That is why I have to go to her。〃
〃Go to her？〃 Nynaeve sounded appalled。 〃Into the Waste？〃
〃Aviendha can take me right to this Cold Rocks Hold。〃 Egwene's look； half…defiant； half…anxious； darted between Elayne and Nynaeve。 〃If I was certain they were in Tanchico； I wouldn't let you go alone。 If you decide to。 But with Amys to help me； maybe I can find out where they are。 Maybe I can。。。 That is just it； I do not even know what I'll be able to do； only that I am certain it will be far more than I can now。 It isn't as if I will be abandoning you。 You can take the ring with you。 You know the Stone well enough to e back here in Tel'aran'rhiod。 I can e to you in Tanchico。 Whatever I learn from Amys； I can teach you。 Please say you understand。 I can learn so much from Amys； and then I can use it to help you。 It will be as if all three of us had been trained by her。 A dreamwalker； a woman who knows！ Liandrin and the rest of them will be like children； they won't know a quarter of what we do。〃 She chewed her lip； one pensive bite。 〃You don't believe I am running out on you； do you？ If you do； I won't go。〃
〃Of course you must go；〃 Elayne told her。 〃I will miss you； but no one promised us we could stay together until this was done。〃
〃But the two of you。。。 going alone。。。 I should go with you。 If they really are in Tanchico； I should be with you。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 Nynaeve said briskly。 〃Training is what you need。 That will do us far more good in the long run than your pany to Tanchico。 It isn't even as if we know any of them are in Tanchico。 If they are； Elayne and I will do very well together； but we could arrive and find that this evil is no more than the war after all。 The Light knows； war should be evil enough for anyone。 We may be back in the Tower before you are。 You must be careful in the Waste；〃 she added in a practical tone。 〃It is a dangerous place。 Aviendha； you will look after her？〃
Before the Aiel woman could open her mouth； there was a knock at the door； followed immediately by Moiraine。 The Aes Sedai took them in with one sweeping look that weighed； measured and considered them and what they had been doing； all without the twitch of an eyelid to suggest her conclusions。 〃Joiya and Amico are dead；〃 she announced。
〃Was that the reason for the attack； then？〃 Nynaeve said。 〃All that to kill them？ Or perhaps to kill them if they could not be freed。 I've been sure Joiya was so confident because she expected rescue。 She must have been lying after all。 I never trusted her repentance。〃
〃Not the main purpose； perhaps；〃 Moiraine replied。 〃The captain very wisely kept his men to their posts in the dungeons during the attack。 They never saw a single Trolloc or Myrddraal。 But they found the pair dead； after。 Each with her throat rather messily cut。 After her tongue had been nailed to her cell door。〃 She might as well have been speaking of having a dress mended。
Elayne's stomach heaved leadenly at the detached description。 〃I would not have wanted that for them。 Not like that。 The Light illumine their souls。〃
〃They sold their souls to the Shadow long ago；〃 Egwene said roughly。 She had both hands pressed to her stomach； though。 〃How。。。 How was it done？ Gray Men？〃
〃I doubt even Gray Men could have managed that；〃 Moiraine said dryly。 〃The Shadow has resources beyond what we know； it seems。〃
〃Yes。〃 Egwene smoothed her dress； and her voice。 〃If there was no attempt at rescue； it must mean they were both telling the truth。 They were killed because they talked。〃
〃Or to stop them from it；〃 Nynaeve added grimly。 〃We can hope they do not know that those two told us anything。 Perhaps Joiya did repent； but I'll not believe it。〃
Elayne swallowed； thinking of being in a cell； having your face pressed to the door so your tongue could be pulled out and。。。 She shivered； but made herself say； 〃They might have been killed simply to punish them for being captured。〃 She left out her thought that the killing might have been to make them believe whatever Joiya and； Amico had said； they had enough doubts about what to do as it was。 〃Three possibilities； and only one says the Black Ajah knows they revealed a word。 Since all three are equal； the chances are that they do not know。〃
Egwene and Nynaeve looked shocked。 〃To punish them？〃 Nynaeve said incredulously。
They were both tougher than she in many ways … she admired them for it … but they had not grown up watching the maneuverings at court in Caemlyn； hearing tales of the cruel way Cairhienin and Tairens played the Games of Houses。
〃I think the Black Ajah might be less than gentle with failure of any kind；〃 she told them。 〃I can imagine Liandrin ordering it。 Joiya surely could have done it easily。〃 Moiraine eyed her briefly； a reassessing look。
〃Liandrin；〃 Egwene said； her tone absolutely flat。 〃Yes； I can imagine Liandrin or Joiya giving that mand。〃
〃You did not have much longer to question them in any case；〃 Moiraine said。 〃They would have been shipbound by midday tomorrow。〃 A hint of anger touched her voice； Elayne realized Moiraine must see the Black sisters' deaths as an escape from justice。 〃I hope you reach some decision soon。 Tanchico or the Tower。〃
Elayne met Nynaeve's eyes and gave a slight nod。
Nynaeve nodded back； more assertively； before turning to the Aes Sedai。 〃Elayne and I will be going to Tanchico as soon as we can find a ship。 A fast ship； I hope。 Egwene and Aviendha will be going to Cold Rocks Hold； in the Aiel Waste。〃 She gave no reasons； and Moiraine's eyebrows rose。
〃Jolien can take her；〃 Aviendha said into the momentary silence。 She avoided looking at Egwene。 〃Or Sefela； or Bain and Chiad。 I。。。 I have a thought to go with Elayne and Nynaeve。 If there is war in this Tanchico； they have need of a sister to watch their backs。〃
〃If that is what you want； Aviendha；〃 Egwene said slowly。
She looked surprised and hurt； but no more surprised than Elayne。 She had thought the two of them were being friends。 〃I am glad you want to help us； Aviendha； but you should be the one to take Egwene to Cold Rocks Hold。〃
〃She is going neither to Tanchico nor Cold Rocks Hold；〃 Moiraine said； taking a letter from her pouch and unfolding the pages。 〃This was placed in my hand an hour gone。 The young Aielman who brought it told me it was given to him a month ago； before any of us reached Tear； yet it is addressed to me by name； at the Stone of Tear。〃 She glanced at the last sheet。 〃Aviendha； do you know Amys； of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel； Bair； of the Haido sept of the Shaarad Aiel； Melaine； of the Jhirad sept of the Goshien Aiel； and Seana； of the Black Cliff sept of the Nakai Aiel？ They signed it。〃
〃They are all Wise Ones； Aes Sedai。 All dreamwalkers。〃 Aviendha's stance had shifted to wariness； though she did not seem aware of it。 She looked ready to fight or flee。
〃Dreamwalkers；〃 Moiraine mused。 〃Perhaps that explains it。 I have heard of dreamwalkers。〃 She turned to the second page of the l