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e had to do。 Never very brave except when she clearly had the upper hand。 This time the bubble of anger was seeded by herself。 〃We have to go to Caemlyn。 I do； at least。 With her。 I may not be able to channel strongly enough to tear paper as I am； but with the a'dam I can use her strength。〃
〃You won't be able to affect anything in the waking world from Tel'aran'rhiod；〃 Birgitte said quietly。
〃I know！ I know； but I have to do something。〃
Birgitte threw back her head and laughed。 〃Oh； Nynaeve； it is such an embarrassment being associated with such a coward as you。〃 Abruptly her eyes widened in surprise。 〃There wasn't much of your potion left。 I think I am wak …〃 In mid…word； she was simply no longer there。
Taking a deep breath； Nynaeve untied the flows around Moghedien。 Or made her do it； with the a'dam it was hard to tell which； really。 She wished Birgitte was still there。 Another pair of eyes。 Someone who probably knew Tel'aran'rhiod better than she ever could。 Someone who was brave。 〃We are taking a trip； Moghedien； and you are going to help me with every last scrap of you。 If anything takes me by surprise。。。 Suffice it to say； anything that happens to the one wearing this bracelet happens to the one wearing the collar。 Only about tenfold。〃 The sickly look on Moghedien's face said she believed。 Which was just as well； since it was true。
Another deep breath； and Nynaeve began forming the image of the one place in Caemlyn she knew well enough to remember。 The Royal Palace； where Elayne had taken her。 Rahvin must be there。 But in the waking world； not the World of Dreams。 Still； she had to do something。 Tel'aran'rhiod changed around her。
Chapter 55
（Full Aes Sedai Symbol）
The Threads Burn
Rand stopped。 A long scorch along the corridor wall marked where half a dozen costly tapestries had gone to ash。 Flames licked upward on another； a number of inlaid chests and tables were only charred ruins。 Not his work。 Thirty paces further on； red…coated men in breastplates and helmets with barred face…guards lay contorted in death on the white floor…tiles； useless swords in hand。 Not his work either。 Rahvin had been wasteful of his own in attempting to reach Rand。 He had been clever in his attacks； clever in his escapes； but from the moment he fled the throne…room he had not faced Rand for more than the instant it took to strike and flee。 Rahvin was strong； perhaps as strong as Rand； and more knowledgeable； but Rand had the fat…little…man angreal in his pocket； and Rahvin had none。
The corridor was doubly familiar； once for having seen it before； once for having seen something similar。
I walked this way with Elayne and Gawyn the day I met Morgase。 The thought slithered painfully along the boundaries of the Void。 He was cold in there； without emotion。 Saidin raged and burned； but he was icy calm。
And another thought； like a stab。 She lay on a floor like this； her golden hair spread as though sleeping。 Ilyena Sunhair。 My Ilyena。
Elaida had been there that day； too。 She Foretold the pain I'd bring。 She knew the darkness in me。 Some of it。 Enough。
Ilyena； I did not know what I was doing。 I was mad！ 1 am mad。 Oh。 Ilyena！
Elaida knew … some … but she did not tell even all of that。 Better if she had told。
Oh； Light； is there no forgiveness？ I did what I did in madness。 Is there no mercy？
Gareth Bryne would have killed me； had he known。 Morgase would have ordered my death。 Morgase would be alive； perhaps。 Elayne's mother alive。 Aviendha alive。 Mat。 Moiraine。 How many alive； if I had died？
I have earned my torment。 I deserve the final death。 Oh； Ilyena； I deserve death。
I deserve death。
Bootsteps behind him。 He turned。
They came out of a broad crossing corridor not twenty paces from him； two dozen men in breastplates and helmets and the white…collared red coats of the Queen's Guards。 Except that Andor had no queen now； and these men had not served her while she lived。 A Myrddraal led them； pale eyeless face like something found under a rock； overlapping plates of black armor heightening the illusion of a serpent as it moved； black cloak hanging motionless however it moved。 The look of the Eyeless was fear； but fear was a distant thing in the Void。 They hesitated when they saw him； then the Halfman raised its black…bladed sword。 Men who had not already drawn put hands to hilts。
Rand … he thought that was his name … channeled in a way he could not remember doing before。
Men and Myrddraal stiffened where they stood。 White frost grew thick on them； frost that smoked as Mat's boots had smoked。 The Myrddraal's upraised arm broke off with a loud crack。 When it hit the floortiles； arm and sword shattered。
Rand could feel the cold … yes； that was his name； Rand … cold like a knife as he walked past and turned the way they had e。 Cold； yet warmer than saidin。
A man and a woman crouched against the wall； servants liveried in red and white； short of their middle years and holding each other as though for protection。 Seeing Rand … there was more to the name； not just Rand … the man started to rise from where he had huddled away from the Myrddraal…led band； but the woman hauled him back by his sleeve。
〃Go in peace；〃 Rand said； putting out a hand。 Al'Thor。 Yes； Rand al'Thor。 〃I'll not hurt you； but you could be hurt if you stay。〃
The woman's brown eyes rolled up in her head。 She would have collapsed in a heap if the man had not caught her； and his narrow mouth was working rapidly； as if he was praying but could not get the words out。
Rand looked where the man was looking。 His hand had stretched out of his coatsleeve far enough to bare the Dragon's golden maned head that was part of his skin。 〃I will not hurt you；〃 he said； and walked on； leaving them there。 He had Rahvin to corner yet。 Rahvin to kill。 And then？
No sound but the click of his boots on the tiles。 And deep in his head； a faint voice murmuring mournfully of Ilyena and forgiveness。 He strained to feel Rahvin channeling； to feel the man filled with the True Source。 Nothing。 Saidin seared his bones； froze his flesh； scoured his soul； but from without it was not easy to see until you were close。 A lion in high grass； Asmodean had said once。 A rabid lion。 Should Asmodean count among those who should not have died？ Or Lanfear？ No。 Not …
He had only a moment's warning to throw himself flat； a hair…thin slice of time between feeling flows suddenly woven and an arm…thick bar of white light； liquid fire； slicing through the wall； ripping across like a sword through where his chest had been。 Where that bar slashed； on both sides of the hallways； wall and friezes； doors and tapestries ceased to exist。 Severed wall…hangings and chunks of stone and plaster broken free rained to the floor。
So much for the Forsaken fearing to use balefire。 Who had told him that？ Moiraine。 She surely had deserved to live。
Balefire leaped from his hands； a brilliant white shaft streaking toward where that other bar had originated。 The other failed even as his punched through the w