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f to more speed； staggering and tripping as the deepening snow tugged at his boots。 The prints left by her bare feet were filling fast。 If he lost sight of her in this。。。 〃Stop； you fool woman！ Are you trying to kill yourself？〃 The sound of his voice seemed to flog her to run harder。
Grimly； he pushed himself； half…falling and scrambling back up； knocked down by the hurtling wind as often as stumbling in the snow； blundering into trees。 He had to keep his eyes on her。 He was only thankful this forest； or whatever it was； had trees so far apart。
Plans skittered across the Void and were discarded。 He could try quelling the storm … and maybe the result would turn the air to ice。 A shelter of Air to keep the falling snow away would do nothing for that underfoot。 He could melt a path for himself with Fire … and slog through mud instead。 Unless。。。
He channeled； and the snow ahead of him melted in a band a span wide； a band that ran ahead of him as he did。 Steam rose； and falling snow vanished a foot above the sandy soil。 He could feel the heat of it through his boots。 Down almost to his ankles； his body shook with the bone…chilling cold； his feet sweated and flinched away from the heated ground。 But he was catching up now。 Another five minutes and。。。
Suddenly the vague shape he had been following vanished as if she had fallen into a hole。
Keeping his eyes fixed on the spot where he had last seen her； he ran as hard as he could。 Abruptly he was splashing in icy flowing water to his ankles； halfway to his knees。 Ahead of him； the melting snow revealed more； and an edge of ice inching slowly back。 No steam rose from the black water。 Stream or river； it was too big for the amount of his channeling to warm the swift…moving flow even a hair。 She must have run out onto the ice and fallen through； but he would not save her by trying to wade into this。 Filled with saidin； he was barely aware of the cold； but his teeth chattered uncontrollably。
Retreating to the bank； gaze locked on where he thought Aviendha had gone down； he channeled flows of Fire into ground still bare； well back from the stream； until the sand melted and fused and glowed white。 Even in this storm； that would stay hot for a time。 He set the bundle down in the snow beside it … her life would depend on finding the blankets and rugs again … then waded through the deep white to one side of the melted path and lay flat。 Slowly he crawled out onto the snow…covered ice。
The wind shrieked across him。 His coat might as well not have existed。 His hands were numb now； and his feet going； he had stopped shivering except for an occasional shudder。 Coldly calm inside the Void； he knew what was happening； there were blizzards in the Two Rivers； perhaps even as bad as this。 His body was being overwhelmed。 If he did not find warmth soon； he would be able to calmly watch from the Void as he died。 But if he died； Aviendha would too。 If she had not already。
He felt rather than heard the ice cracking beneath his weight。 His probing hands fell into water。 This was the place； but with snow whirling about； he could barely see。 He flailed； searching； numb hands splashing。 One hit something at the edge of the ice； and he manded his fingers to close； felt frozen hair crackling。
Got to pull her out。 He crawled backward； hauling at her。 She was a dead weight； sliding slowly out of the water。 Don't care if the ice scrapes her。 Better that than freezing or drowning。 Back。 Keep moving。 If you quit； she dies。 Keep moving； burn you！ Crawling。 Pulling with his legs； pushing with one hand。 The other locked in Aviendha's hair； no time to get a better grip； she could not feel it anyway。 You've had it easy for too long。 Lords kneeling； and gai'shain running to fetch your wine； and Moiraine doing as she's told。 Back。 Time to do something yourself if you still can。 Move； you flaming fatherless son of a spavined goat！ Keep moving！
Suddenly his feet hurt； the pain began creeping up his legs。 It took him a moment to look back； and then he rolled off the steaming patch of melted sand。 Tendrils of smoke； where his breeches had begun smoldering； were whisked away by the wind。
Fumbling for the bundle he had left； he swathed Aviendha from head to foot in all of it； the blankets； the rugs of her pallet； her clothes。 Every bit of protection was vital。 Her eyes were closed； and she did not move。 He parted the blankets enough to put an ear to her chest。 Her heart beat so slowly that he was not sure he was really hearing it。 Even four blankets and half a dozen rugs were not enough； and he could not channel heat into her as he had the ground； even fining the flow as much as possible； he was more likely to kill than warm。 He could feel the weave he had used to block open her gateway； a mile or perhaps two away through the storm。 If he tried to carry her that far； neither of them would survive。 They needed shelter； and they needed it here。
He channeled flows of Air； and snow began to move across the ground against the wind； building into thick square walls three paces on a side with one gap for a door； building higher； pacting the snow till it glistened like ice； roofing it over high enough to stand。 Scooping Aviendha into his arms； he stumbled into the dark interior； weaving and tying flames dancing in the corners for light； channeling to scoop more snow to close the doorway。
Just with the wind shut away it felt warmer； but that would not be enough。 Using the trick Asmodean had shown him； he wove Air and Fire； and the air around them grew warmer。 He did not dare tie that weave off； if he feel asleep； it could grow and melt the hut。 For that matter； the flames were almost as dangerous to leave； but he was too bone…weary and chilled to maintain more than one weave。
The ground inside had been cleared as he built； bare sandy soil with only a few brown leaves he did not recognize and some scruffy low dead weeds that were equally strange to him。 Releasing the weave that warmed the air； he heated the ground enough to take away the iciness； then took up the other weave again。 It was all he could do to lay Aviendha down gently rather than drop her。
He pushed a hand inside the blankets to feel her cheek； her shoulder。 Trickles of water ran across her face as her hair melted。 He was cold； but she was ice。 She needed every scrap of warmth he could find for her； and he did not dare warm the air more。 Already the insides of the walls shone with a faint layer of melt。 However frozen he felt； he had more heat in him than she did。
Stripping off his clothes； he climbed into the coverings with her； arranging his own damp garments on the outside； they could help hold in the body heat。 His sense of touch； enhanced by the Void and saidin； soaked in the feel of her。 Her skin made silk feel rough。 pared to her skin； satin was。。。 Don't think。 He smoothed damp hair away from her face。 He should have dried it； but the water no longer felt so cold； and there was nothing but the blankets or their clothes to use anyway。 Her eyes were closed； her chest stirred against him slowly。 Her head lay on his arm； snuggled against his chest。 If s