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s … she never broke another rule or put a foot wrong； it would not have been logical … yet she had never understood why the other girls had considered her an Aes Sedai pet anyway。 A great deal of logic and not much mon sense： that was Carlinya。
〃While what was done to you followed the letter of the law narrowly；〃 Sheriam said gently； 〃we agree that it was malignantly unjust； an extreme distortion of the law's spirit。〃 The chair…back behind her fire…red head was incongruously carved with what seemed to be a mass of snakes fighting。 〃Whatever rumor might say； most of the charges laid against you were so thin that they should have been laughed away。〃
〃Not the charge that she knew of Rand al'Thor and conspired to hide him from the Tower；〃 Carlinya broke in sharply。
Sheriam nodded。 〃But be that as it may； even that was not sufficient for the penalty given。 Nor should you have been tried in secret； without even a chance to defend yourself。 Never fear that we will turn our backs on you。 We will see that you both are cared for。〃
〃I thank you；〃 Leane said； her voice soft and almost trembling。
Siuan grimaced at them。 〃You haven't even asked me about the eyes…and…ears I can use。〃 She had liked Sheriam when they were students together； though years and position had opened water between them。 〃Cared for〃 indeed！ 〃Is Aeldene here？〃 Anaiya started to shake her head before stopping herself。 〃I suspected not； or you would know more of what is going on。 You've left them sending their reports to the Tower。〃 Slow realization dawned on their faces； they had not known Aeldene's office。 〃I headed the Blue Ajah's net of eyes…and…ears； before I was raised Amyrlin。〃 More surprise。 〃With a little effort every Blue agent； and those who served me as Amyrlin too； can be sending her reports to you； by routes that keep her ignorant of their final destination。〃 It would take considerably more than a little work； but she had already sketched most of it out in her head； and there was no need for them to know more at the moment。 〃And they can continue sending reports to the Tower； reports containing what。。。 you want Elaida to believe。〃 She had almost said 〃we〃； she had to watch her tongue。
They did not like it； of course。 The women who tended the networks might be unknown to all but a few； but they were every one Aes Sedai。 They had always been Aes Sedai。 But that was her only lever with which to pry her way into the circles where decisions were made。 Otherwise； they would likely stuff her and Leane into a cottage with a servant to look after them； and maybe a rare visit from Aes Sedai who wanted to examine women who had been stilled； until they died。 They would die soon； in those circumstances。
Light； they might even marry us off！ Some thought that a husband and children could occupy a woman enough to replace the One Power in her life。 More than one woman； stilled by drawing too much of saidar to herself； or in testing ter'angreal for their uses； had found herself being matched with potential husbands。 Since those who did marry always put as much distance as possible between themselves and the Tower and its memories； the theory remained unproven。
〃It should not be difficult；〃 Leane said diffidently； 〃to put myself in touch with those who were my eyes…and…ears before I was Keeper。 More importantly； as Keeper of the Chronicles I had agents in Tar Valon itself。〃 Startlement widened a few eyes； though Carlinya's narrowed。 Leane blinked； shifted uneasily； smiled weakly。 〃I always thought it foolish that we paid more attention to the mood of Ebou Dar or Bandar Eban than to the mood of our own city。〃 They had to see the value of eyes…and…ears in Tar Valon。
〃Siuan。〃 Leaning forward in her thick…armed chair； Morvrin said the name firmly； as though to emphasize that she had not said Mother。 That round face looked more stubborn than placid now； her stoutness a threatening mass。 When Siuan had been a novice； Morvrin rarely seemed to notice the mischief of the girls around her； but when she did； she had taken care of matters herself； in ways that had everyone sitting straight and walking small for days。 〃Why should we allow you to do as you want？ You have been stilled； woman。 Whatever you were； you are no longer Aes Sedai。 If we want these agents' names； you will both give them to us。〃 There was a flat certainty to that last； they would give them； one way or another。 They would； if these women wanted them enough。
Leane shivered visibly； but Siuan's chair creaked as she stiffened her back。 〃I know that I am not Amyrlin anymore。 Do you think I don't know I was stilled？ My face is changed； but not what is inside。 Everything I ever knew is still in my head。 Use it！ For the love of the Light； use me！〃 She took a deep breath to calm herself … Burn me if I let them shove me aside to rot！ … and Myrelle spoke into the pause。
〃A young woman's temper to go with a young woman's face。〃 Smiling； she sat on the edge of a stiff…backed armchair that could have stood in front of a farmer's fireplace； if the farmer had not cared that the varnish was flaking。 The smile was not her usual one； though； languid and knowing at the same time； and her dark eyes； nearly as large as Beonin's； were full of sympathy。 〃I am sure that no one wants you to feel useless； Siuan。 And I am sure that we all want to employ your knowledge fully。 What you know will be of great use to us。〃
Siuan did not want her sympathy。 〃You seem to have forgotten Logain； and why I dragged him all the way here from Tar Valon。〃 She had not meant to bring this up herself； but if they were going to let it lie wallowing。。。 〃My 'crack…brained' idea？〃
〃Very well； Siuan；〃 Sheriam said。 〃Why？〃
〃Because the first step to pulling Elaida down is for Logain to reveal to the Tower； to the world if need be； that the Red Ajah set him up as a false Dragon so that he could be pulled down。〃 She certainly had their attention now。 〃He was found by Reds in Ghealdan at least a year before he proclaimed himself； but instead of bringing him to Tar Valon to be gentled； they planted the idea in his head of claiming to be the Dragon Reborn。〃
〃You are certain of this？〃 Beonin asked quietly； in a heavy Taraboner accent。 She sat very still in her tall； cane…bottomed chair； watching carefully。
〃He does not know who Leane and I are。 He talked with us sometimes on the journey here； late at night when Min was sleeping and he could not rest。 He said nothing before because he thinks the entire Tower was behind it； but he knows that it was Red sisters who shielded him and talked to him of the Dragon Reborn。〃
〃Why？〃 Morvrin demanded； and Sheriam nodded。
〃Yes； why？ Any of us would go out of our way to see a man like that gentled； but the Red Ajah lives for nothing else。 Why would they create a false Dragon？〃
〃Logain did not know；〃 she told them。 〃Perhaps they think they gain more by capturing a false Dragon than gentling a poor fool who might terrorize one village。 Perhaps they have some reason to want more turmoil。〃
〃We do not suggest they've had anything to do with Mazrim Taim or any of the others；〃 Leane added qui