The Gathering Storm

She had protected many. She had resisted and fought. But this day would still mark one of the greatest disasters in the history of the Aes Sedai.

Can't think of that, she told herself. Have to focus on what to do to fix things. . . .

She would get up soon. She would lead the novices and Aes Sedai on these upper floors as they cleaned up and assessed the damage. She would be strong and capable. The others would be tempted to fall into despair, and she needed to be positive. For them.

But she could take a few minutes. She just needed to rest for a little while. . . .

She barely noticed when someone picked her up. She tiredly opened her eyes, and—though numb of mind— was astonished to find that she was being carried by Gawyn Trakand. His forehead was smeared with crusty dried blood, but his face was determined. 'I've got you, Egwene,' he said, glancing down. 'I'll protect you.'

Oh, she thought, closing her eyes again. Good. Such a pleasant dream. She smiled.

Wait. No. That wasn't right. She wasn't supposed to be leaving the Tower. She tried to voice complaint, but she could barely mumble.

'Fish guts,' she heard Siuan Sanche say. 'What did they do to her?'

'Is she wounded?' another voice. Gareth Bryne.

No, Egwene thought numbly. No, you have to let me go. 1 can't leave. Not now. . . .

'They just left her there, Siuan,' Gawyn said. His voice was so nice to hear. 'Defenseless in the hallway! Anyone could have come upon her like that. What if the Seanchan had discovered her?'

I destroyed them, she thought with a smile, thoughts slipping away from her. I was a burning warrior, a hero called by the Horn. They won't dare face me again. She almost fell asleep, but being jostled by Gawyn's steps kept her awake. Barely.

'Ho!' She distantly heard Siuan's voice. 'What's this? Light, Egwene! Where did you get this? This is the most powerful one in the Tower!'

'What is it, Siuan?' Bryne's voice asked.

'Our way out,' Siuan said distantly. Egwene sensed something. Channeling. Powerful channeling. 'You asked about sneaking back out with all the activity in the courtyard? Well, with this, I'm strong enough for Traveling. Let's go collect those soldiers with the boats and hop back to camp.'

No! Egwene thought, clawing through her drowsiness, forcing her eyes open. I'm winning, don't you see? If I offer leadership now, when the rubble is being cleared, they'll see me as Amy rI in for certain! I have to stay! I have to—

Gawyn carried her through the gateway, leaving the hallways of the White Tower behind.

Saerin finally let herself sit. The gathering room that was her center of operations had also become a room for separating and Healing the wounded. Yellow and Brown sisters moved down the lines of soldiers, servants, and other sisters, focusing on the worst cases first. There were a frightful number of dead, including over twenty Aes Sedai so far. But the Seanchan had withdrawn, as Saerin had predicted. Thank the light for that.

Saerin herself sat at the far northwestern corner of the room, beneath a fine painting of Tear in spring, perched on a short stool and accepting reports as they came. The wounded groaned and the room smelled of blood and of healall, which was used on those whose wounds didn't demand immediate Healing. The room also smelled of smoke. That was ever-present tonight. More and more soldiers approached her, handing in reports of damage and casualties. Saerin didn't want to read further, but it was better than listening to those groans. Where under the Light was Elaida?

Nobody had seen anything of the Amyrlin during the battle, but much of the upper Tower had been cut off from the lower portions. Hopefully, the Amyrlin and the Hall could be gathered soon to present a strong leadership in the crisis.

Saerin accepted another report, then raised her eyebrows at what it said. Only three novices in Egwene's group of over sixty had died? And only one sister out of some forty she had gathered? Ten Seanchan chan-nelers captured, over thirty raken blown from the air? Light! That made Saerin's own efforts seem downright amateur by comparison. And this was the woman Elaida kept trying to insist was simply a novice'?

'Saerin Sedai?' a man's voice asked.

'Hmm?' she asked, distracted.

'You should hear what this Accepted has to say.'

Saerin looked up, realizing that the voice belonged to Captain Chubain. He had his hand on the shoulder of a young Arafellin Accepted with blue eyes and a plump round face. What was her name? Mair, that was it. The poor child looked ragged. Her face sported a number of cuts and some scrapes that would likely bruise. Her Accepted dress was ripped on the sleeve and shoulder.

'Child?' Saerin asked, glancing at Chubain's worried face. What was wrong?

'Saerin Sedai,' the girl whispered, curtsying, then wincing at the action. 'I. . . .'

'Spit it out, child,' Saerin demanded. 'This isn't a night for dawdling.'

Mair looked down. 'It's the Amyrlin, Saerin Sedai. Elaida Sedai. I was attending her tonight, taking transcriptions for her. And. ...'

'And what?' Saerin said, feeling a growing chill.

The girl started crying. 'The entire wall burst in, Saerin Sedai. The rubble covered me; I think they thought I was dead. I couldn't do anything! I'm sorry!'

Light intercede! Saerin thought. She can't be saying what I think she is. Can she?

Elaida awoke to a very odd sensation. Why was her bed moving? Rippling, undulating. So rhythmic. And that wind! Had Carlya left the window open? If so, the maid would be beaten. She'd been warned. She'd been—

This was not her bed. Elaida opened her eyes and found herself looking down at a dark landscape hundreds of feet below. She was tied to the back of some strange beast. She couldn't move. Why couldn't she move? She reached for the Source, then felt a sudden, sharp pain, as though she had suddenly been beaten on every inch of her body with a thousand rods.

She reached up, dazed, feeling the collar at her throat. There was a dark figure riding in the saddle next to her; no lanterns lit the woman's face, but Elaida could feel her somehow. Elaida could just barely remember spending time dangling in the air, tied to a rope, as she fell in and out of consciousness. When had she been pulled up? What was happening?

A voice whispered from the night. 'I shall forgive that little mistake. You have been marath'damane for very long, and bad habits are to be expected. But you will not reach for the Source again without permission. Do you understand?'

'Release me!' Elaida bellowed.

The pain returned tenfold, and Elaida retched at the intensity of it. Her bile and sick-up fell over the side of the beast and dropped far to the ground below.

'Now, now,' the voice said, patient, like a woman speaking to a very young child. 'You must learn. Your name is Suffa. And Suffa will be a good damane. Yes she will. A very, very good damane.'

Elaida screamed again, and this time, she didn't stop when the pain came. She just kept screaming out into the uncaring night.

CHAPTER 42 Before the Stone of Tear