按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Nynaeve's weave； and that as casually as brushing a biteme away from her face。 Nynaeve stared at her as though poleaxed。 After everything it came down to this。 The One Power； useless。 All the anger bubbling inside her； useless。 All her plans； her hopes； useless。 Moghedien did not bother to strike back。 She did not even bother to channel a shield of her own。 That was how much contempt she had。
〃I was afraid you had seen me。 I grew careless when you and Siuan started trying to kill each other。 With your hands。〃 Moghedien gave a belittling laugh。 She was weaving something； lazily because there was no reason to hurry。 Nynaeve did not know what it was； yet she wanted to scream。 Fury seethed inside her； but fear dulled her wits； rooted her feet to the ground。 〃Sometimes I think you are all too ignorant even to train； you and the former Amyrlin Seat and all the rest。 But I cannot allow you to betray me。〃 That weave was reaching out for her。 〃It is time to collect you at last； it seems。〃
〃Hold； Moghedien！〃 Birgitte shouted。
Nynaeve's mouth dropped open。 It was Birgitte； as she had been； in her short white coat and wide yellow trousers； intricate golden braid pulled over her shoulder； silver arrow drawn on silver bow。 It was impossible。 Birgitte was no longer part of Tel'aran'rhiod； she was back in Salidar； making sure no one discovered Nynaeve and Siuan asleep with the sun up and began asking questions。
Moghedien was so shocked； the flows she had woven vanished。 Shock lasted less than a moment； though。 The gleaming arrow flew from Birgitte's bow … and evaporated。 The bow evaporated。 Something seemed to seize the archer； jerking her arms straight up； pulling her clear of the ground。 Almost immediately she was snubbed short； pulled tight between wrists and ankles a foot above the ground。
〃I should have considered the possibility of you。〃 Moghedien turned her back on Nynaeve to move closer to Birgitte。 〃Do you enjoy your flesh？ Without Gaidal Cain？〃
Nynaeve thought of channeling。 But what？ A dagger that might not even penetrate the woman's skin？ Fire that would not singe her skirts？ Moghedien knew how useless she was； she was not even looking at her。 If she stopped the flow of Spirit to the sleeping woman in amber； she would wake in Salidar； she could give warning。 Her face twisted near to tears as she looked at Birgitte。 The golden…haired woman hung there； staring defiantly at Moghedien。 Moghedien contemplated her in return as a woodcarver would a block of wood。
There's only me； Nynaeve thought。 I might as well not be able to channel at all。 There's only me。
Lifting that first foot was like pulling it out of knee…deep mud； the second staggering step no easier。 Toward Moghedien。 〃Don't hurt me；〃 Nynaeve cried。 〃Please。 Don't hurt me。〃 A chill ran through her。 Birgitte was gone。 A child of perhaps three or four； in short white coat and wide yellow trousers； stood there playing with a toy…sized silver bow。 Flipping her golden braid back； the child aimed the bow at Nynaeve and giggled； then stuck a finger in her mouth as though unsure whether she had done something wrong。 Nynaeve sagged to her knees。 It was hard work crawling in skirts； but she did not think she could have remained standing。 Somehow she managed； reaching out a pleading hand and whimpering。 〃Please。 Don't hurt me。 Please。 Don't hurt me。〃 Over and over as she dragged toward the Forsaken； a broken beetle scrabbling in the dirt。
Moghedien watched silently； until at last she said； 〃Once I thought you were stronger than this。 Now I find I truly like the sight of you on your knees。 That is close enough； girl。 Not that I think you have courage enough to try tearing my hair out。。。 〃 She seemed amused by the notion。
Nynaeve's hand wavered a span from Moghedien。 It had to be close enough。 There was only her。 And Tel'aran'rhiod。 The image formed in her head； and there it was； silver bracelet on her outstretched wrist； silver leash linking it to the silver collar around Moghedien's neck。 It was not just the a'dam she fixed in her head； but Moghedien wearing it； Moghedien and the a'dam； a part of Tel'aran'rhiod that she held in the form she wanted。 She knew something of what to expect； she had worn an a'dam's bracelet briefly once； in Falme。 In a strange way she was aware of Moghedien in the same way she was aware of her own body； her own emotions； two sets； each distinct； but each in her own head。 One thing she had only hoped； because Elayne insisted it was so。 The thing was indeed a link； she could feel the Source through the other woman。
Moghedien's hand leaped to the collar； shock rounding her eyes。 Rage and horror。 Rage more than horror； at first。 Nynaeve felt them almost as if they were her own。 Moghedien had to know what the leash…and…collar was； yet she tried to channel anyway； at the same time Nynaeve felt a slight shifting in herself； in the a'dam； as the other woman tried to bend Tel'aran'rhiod to herself。 Suppressing Moghedien's attempt was simple； the a'dam was a link； with her in control。 Knowing that made it easy。 Nynaeve did not want to channel those flows； so they were not channeled。 Moghedien might as well have tried to pick up a mountain with her bare hands。 Horror overwhelmed rage。
Getting to her feet； Nynaeve fastened the proper image in her mind。 She did not just imagine Moghedien leashed in the a'dam； she knew Moghedien was leashed； as firmly as she knew her own name。 The sense of shifting； of her skin trying to crawl； did not go away； though。 〃Stop that；〃 she said sharply。 The a'dam did not move； but it seemed to tremble unseen。 She thought of blackwasp nettles lightly brushing the other woman from shoulders to knees。 Moghedien shuddered； exhaled convulsively。 〃Stop it； I said； or I'll do worse。〃 The shifting ceased。 Moghedien watched her warily； still clutching the silver collar around her neck and with an air of being poised on her toes for flight。
Birgitte … the child who was； or had been； Birgitte … stood eyeing them curiously。 Nynaeve formed the image of her as a grown woman； concentrated。 The little girl put her finger back in her mouth and began studying the toy bow。 Nynaeve breathed angrily。 It was hard changing what someone else was already maintaining。 And on top of that； Moghedien had claimed she could make； changes permanent。 But what she could do； she could undo。 〃Restore her。〃
〃If you release me； I …〃
Nynaeve thought of nettles again； and not a light brush this time。 Moghedien sucked air through clenched teeth； shook like a bedsheet in a high wind。
〃That；〃 Birgitte said； 〃was the most frightening thing that has ever happened to me。〃 Herself once more； she wore the short coat and wide trousers； but she had no bow or quiver。 〃I was a child； but at the same time； what was me … really me … was just some fancy floating in the back of that child's mind。 And I knew it。 I knew I was just going to watch what happened and play。。。 〃 Flipping her golden braid back over her shoulder； she gave Moghedien a hard look。
〃How did you get here？〃 Nynaeve asked。 〃I am grateful； you understand； but。。。 how？〃
Birgitte gave Moghedien a fi