"I was told you were not alone," he said, giving Egeanin a guarded look almost identical to Juilin's; men were always suspicious of anyone they did not know. "But I thought you might like to hear that the Children of the Light surrounded the Panarch's Palace this morning. The streets are beginning to buzz over it. It seems the Lady Amathera is to be invested as Panarch tomorrow."

"Thom," Nynaeve said wearily, "unless this Amathera is really Liandrin, I do not care if she becomes Panarch, King, and Wisdom of the whole Two Rivers all rolled together."

"The interesting thing," Thom said, limping to the table, "is that rumor says the Assembly refused to choose Amathera. Refused. So why is she being invested? Things this odd are worth noting, Nynaeve."

As he started to lower himself into a chair, she said quietly, "We are having a private conversation, Thom, I am sure you will find the common room more congenial." She took a sip of tea, eyeing him over the cup in clear expectation of his departure.

Flushing, he levered himself back up without ever having actually sat, but he did not leave immediately. "Whether the Assembly has changed its mind or not, this will likely cause riots. The streets still believe Amathera has been rejected. If you must insist on going out, you cannot go alone." He was looking at Nynaeve, but Elayne had the impression that he almost put a hand on her shoulder. "Bayle Domon is mired in that little room down near the docks, tying up his affairs in case he has to run, but he has agreed to provide fifty picked men, tough fellows used to a brawl and handy with knife or sword."

Nynaeve opened her mouth, but Elayne cut her off. "We are grateful, Thom, to you and Master Domon both. Please tell him we accept his kind and generous offer." Meeting Nynaeve's flat stare, she added meaningfully, "I would not want to be kidnapped on the streets in broad daylight."

"No," Thom said. "We would not want that." Elayne thought she heard a half-said "child" at the end of that, and this time he did touch her shoulder, a swift brush of fingers. "Actually," he went on, "the men are already waiting in the street outside. I am trying to find a carriage; those chairs are too vulnerable." He seemed to know he had gone too far, bringing Domon's men before they agreed, not to mention this talk of a carriage without a hint of asking first, but he faced them like an old wolf at bay, bushy eyebrows drawn down. "I would... regret. . . personally, if anything happened to you. The carriage will be here as soon as I can find a team. If there is one to be found."

Eyes wide, Nynaeve was obviously teetering on the edge of whether or not to give him an upbraiding he would never forget, and Elayne would not have minded adding a gentler admonishment. Somewhat gentler; child, indeed!

He took advantage of their hesitation to sweep a bow that would have graced any palace and departed while he had the chance.

Egeanin had set down her cup and was staring at them in consternation. Elayne supposed they had not given a very good appearance of being Aes Sedai, letting Thom bully them. "I must go," the woman said, rising and taking her staff from against the wall.

"But you have not asked your questions," Elayne protested. "We owe you answers to them, at the very least."

"Another time," Egeanin said after a moment. "If it is permitted, I will come another time. I need to learn about you. You are not what I expected." They assured her she could come any time they were there and tried to convince her to stay long enough to finish her tea and cakes, but she was adamant that she had to leave now.

Turning from seeing the woman to the door, Nynaeve put her fists on her hips: "Kidnap you? If you have forgotten, Elayne, it was me those men tried to grab!"

"To take you out of the way so they could seize me," Elayne said. "If you have forgotten, I am the Daughter-Heir of Andor. My mother would have made them wealthy to have me back."

"Perhaps," Nynaeve muttered doubtfully. "Well, at least they were nothing to do with Liandrin. That lot wouldn't send a pack of louts to try stuffing us in a sack. Why do men always do things without asking? Does growing hair on their chests sap their brains?"

The sudden change did not confuse Elayne. "We do not have to worry about finding bodyguards, at any rate. You do agree they are necessary, even if Thom did overstep himself?"

"I suppose so." Nynaeve had a remarkable dislike for admitting she was wrong. Thinking those men had been after her, for instance. "Elayne, do you realize we still have nothing except an empty house? If Juilin – or Thom – slips and lets himself be found out... We must find the Black sisters without them suspecting, or we will never have a chance of following them to whatever this thing is that's dangerous to Rand."

"I know," Elayne said patiently. "We have discussed it."

The older woman frowned at nothing. "We still have not a glimmer as to what it is, or where."

"I know."

"Even if we could bag Liandrin and the rest right this minute, we cannot leave it floating about out there, waiting for someone else to find."

"I know that, Nynaeve." Reminding herself to be patient, Elayne softened her tone. "We will find them. They must make some sort of slip, and between Thom's rumors, and Juilin's thieves, and Bayle Domon's sailors, we will learn of it."

Nynaeve's frown became thoughtful. "Did you notice Egeanin's eyes when Thom mentioned Domon?"

"No. Do you think she knows him? Why would she not say so?"

"I do not know," Nynaeve said vexedly. "Her face did not change, but her eyes... She was startled. She knows him. I wonder what —" Someone tapped softly on the door. "Is everyone in Tanchico going to march in on us?" she growled, jerking it open.

Rendra gave a start at the look on Nynaeve's face, but her ever-present smile returned immediately. "Forgive me for disturbing you, but there is the woman below who asks for you. Not by name, but she describes you as you stand. She says that she believes she knows you. She is..." That rosebud mouth tightened in a slight grimace. "I forgot to ask her name. This morning I am the witless goat. She is a well-dressed woman, not yet to her middle years. Not of Tarabon." She gave a little shiver. "A stern woman, I think. When first she saw me, she looked at me as my older sister did when we were children and she was thinking of tying my braids to the bush."

"Or have they found us first?" Nynaeve said softly.

Elayne embraced the True Source before she thought of it, and felt a shudder of relief that she could, that she had not been shielded unaware. If the woman below was Black Ajah... But if she was, why announce herself? Even so, she wished the glow of saidar surrounded Nynaeve, too. If only the woman could channel without anger.

"Send her in," Nynaeve said, and Elayne realized she was very much aware of her lack, and afraid. As Rendra turned to go, Elayne began weaving flows of Air, thick as cables and ready to bind, flows of Spirit to shield another from the Source. If this woman so much as resembled one on their list, if she tried to channel a spark...

The woman who stepped into the Chamber of Falling Blossoms, in a shimmering black silk gown of unfamiliar cut, was no one Elayne had ever seen before, and surely not on the list of the women who had gone with Liandrin. Dark hair spilling loose to her shoulders framed a sturdily handsome face with large, dark eyes and smooth cheeks, but not with Aes Sedai agelessness. Smiling, she closed the door behind her. "Forgive me, but I thought you were—" The glow of saidar surrounded her, and she...

Elayne released the True Source. There was something very commanding in those dark eyes, in the halo around her, the pale radiance of the One Power. She was the most regal woman Elayne had ever seen. Elayne found herself hurriedly curtsying, flushing that she had considered... What had she considered? So hard to think.