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th the broken branch； this time ten paces farther on but on the other side of the hallway； he tried to stop looking at what lay outside at all。
The walk seemed interminable。
〃When …？ Are …？〃 Mat ground his teeth。 Three questions。 It was hard to learn anything without asking questions。 〃I hope you are taking me to those who can answer my questions。 Burn my bones； I do。 For my sake and yours； the Light know it true。〃
〃Here；〃 the peculiar； yellow…wrapped fellow said； gesturing with one of those thin hands to a rounded doorway twice as large as any Mat had seen before。 His strange eyes studied Mat intently。 His mouth gaped open； and he inhaled； long and slow。 Mat frowned at him； and the stranger gave a writhing hitch of his shoulders。 〃Here your answers may be found。 Enter。 Enter and ask。〃
Mat drew a deep breath of his own； then grimaced and scrubbed at his nose。 That sharp； heavy smell was a rank nuisance。 He took a hesitant step toward the tall doorway； and looked around for his guide again。 The fellow was gone。 Light！ I don't know why anything in this place surprises me now。 Well； I will be burned if I'll turn back now。 Trying not to think of whether he could find the ter'angreal again on his own； he went in。
It was another round room； with spiraling floor tiles in red and white under a domed ceiling。 It had no columns； or furnishings of any kind； except for three thick； coiled pedestals around the heart of the floor's spirals。 Mat could see no way to reach the top of them except by climbing the twists； yet a man like his guide sat cross…legged atop each； only wrapped in layers of red。 Not all men； he decided at a second look； two of those long faces with the odd eyes had a definite feminine cast。 They stared at him； intense penetrating stares； and breathed deeply； almost panting。 He wondered if he made them nervous in some way。 Not much bloody chance of that。 But they're certainly getting under my coat。
〃It has been long；〃 the woman on the right said。
〃Very long；〃 the woman on the left added。
The man nodded。 〃Yet they e again。〃
All three had the breathy voice of the guide … almost indistinguishable from it； in fact … and the harsh way of pronouncing words。 They spoke in unison； and the words might as well have e from one mouth。 〃Enter and ask； according to the agreement of old。〃
If Mat had thought his skin crawled before； now he was sure it was writhing。 He made himself go closer。 Carefully … careful to say nothing that even sounded like a question … he laid the situation before them。 The Whitecloaks； certainly in his home village； surely hunting friends of his； maybe hunting him。 One of his friends going to face the Whitecloaks； another not。 His family； not likely in danger； but with the bloody Children of the bloody Light around。。。 A ta'veren pulling at him so he could hardly move。 He saw no reason to give names； or mention that Rand was the Dragon Reborn。 His first question … and the other two； for that matter … he had worked out before going down to the Great Hold。 〃Should I go home to help my people？〃 he asked finally。
Three sets of slitted eyes lifted from him … reluctantly； it seemed… and studied the air above his head。 Finally the woman on the left said； 〃You must go to Rhuidean。〃
As soon as she spoke their eyes all dropped to him again； and they leaned forward； breathing deeply again； but at that moment a bell tolled； a sonorous brazen sound that rolled through the room。 They swayed upright； staring at one another； then at the air over Mat's head again。
〃He is another；〃 the woman on the left whispered。 〃The strain。 The strain。〃
〃The savor；〃 the man said。 〃It has been long。〃
〃There is yet time；〃 the other woman told them。 She sounded calm … they all did … but there was a sharpness to her voice when she turned back to Mat。 〃Ask。 Ask。〃
Mat glared up at them furiously。 Rhuidean？ Light！ That was somewhere out in the Waste； the Light and the Aiel knew where。 That was about as much as he knew。 In the Waste！ Anger drove questions about how to get away from Aes Sedai and how to recover the lost parts of his memory right out his head。 〃Rhuidean！〃 he barked。 〃The Light burn my bones to ash if I want to go Rhuidean！ And my blood on the ground if I will！ Why should I？ You are not answering my questions。 You are supposed to answer； not hand me riddles！〃
〃If you do not go to Rhuidean；〃 the woman on the right said； 〃you will die。〃
The bell tolled again； louder this time； Mat felt its tremor through his boots。 The looks the three shared were plainly anxious。 He opened his mouth； but they were only concerned with each other。
〃The strain；〃 one of the women said hurriedly。 〃It is too great。〃
〃The savor of him；〃 the other woman said on her heels。 〃It has been so very long。〃
Before she was done the man spoke。 〃The strain is too great。 Too great。 Ask。 Ask！〃
〃Burn your soul for a craven heart；〃 Mat growled； 〃I will that！ Why will I die if I do not go to Rhuidean？ I very likely will die if I try。 It makes no…〃
The man cut him off and spoke hurriedly。 〃You will have sidestepped the thread of fate； left your fate to drift on the winds of time； and you will be killed by those who do not want that fate fulfilled。 Now； go。 You must go！ Quickly！〃
The yellow…clad guide was suddenly there at Mat's side； tugging at his sleeve with those too…long hands。
Mat shook him off。 〃No！ I will not go！ You have led me from the questions I wanted to ask and given me senseless answers。 You will not leave it there。 What fate are you talking about？ I will have one clear answer out of you； at least！〃
A third time the bell sounded mournfully； and the entire room trembled。
〃Go！〃 the man shouted。 〃You have had your answers。 You must go before it is too late！〃
Abruptly a dozen of the yellow…clad men were around Mat； seeming to appear out of the air； trying to pull him toward the door。 He fought with fists； elbows； knees。 〃What fate？ Burn your hearts； what fate？〃 It was the room itself that pealed； the walls and floor quivering； nearly taking Mat and his attackers off their feet。 〃What fate？〃
The three were on their feet atop the pedestals； and he could not tell which shrieked which answer。
〃To marry the Daughter of the Nine Moons！〃
〃To die and live again； and live once more a part of what was！〃
〃To give up half the light of the world to save the world！〃
Together they howled like steam escaping under pressure。 〃Go to Rhuidean； son of battles！ Go to Rhuidean； trickster！ Go； gambler！ Go！〃
Mat's assailants snatched him into the air by his arms and legs and ran； holding him over their heads。 〃Unhand me； you white…livered sons of goats！〃 he shouted； struggling。 〃Burn your eyes！ The Shadow take your souls； loose me！ I will have your guts for a saddle girth！〃 But writhe and curse as he would； those long fingers gripped like iron。
Twice more the bell tolled； or the palace did。 Everything shook as in an earthquake； the walls rang with deafening reverberations； each louder than the last。 Mat's captors stumbled o