“Let her in,” Cadsuane’s voice said from inside. Reluctantly, Merise pulled open the door. Inside, Min saw Cadsuane sitting on some cushions on the floor with Amys, Bair, Melaine and Sorilea. The front room—the main room—of the cottage was decorated with a simple brown rug on the floor, mostly obscured by the seated women. A gray stone fireplace burned with a calm flame at the back, the wood nearly consumed, the fire low. A stool sat in the corner, with a pot of tea on it.
Nynaeve barely gave the Wise Ones a glance. She pushed her way into the cottage, and Min followed more hesitantly.
“Tell us of this event, child,” Sorilea said. “We felt the world warping from here, but did not know what had caused it. We assumed it to be the Dark One’s work.”
“I’ll tell you,” Nynaeve said, then took a
deep breath, “but I want to be a part of your plans.”
“We shall see,” Cadsuane said. “Relate your experience.”
Min took a seat on a wooden stool at the side of the room as Nynaeve gave her account of Natrin’s Barrow. The Wise Ones listened, tight-lipped. Cadsuane just nodded occasionally. Merise, face full of horror, refilled cups of tea from the pot on the stool—by the smell it was Tremalking black—then set it to hang by the fire. Nynaeve finished, still standing.
Oh, Rand, Min thought. This must be tearing you apart inside. But she could feel him through the bond; his emotions seemed very cold.
“You were wise to come to us with this, child,” Sorilea said to Nynaeve. “You may withdraw.”
Nynaeve’s eyes opened wide with anger. “But—”
“Sorilea,” Cadsuane said calmly, cutting Nynaeve off. “This child could be of use to our plans. She is still close to the al’Thor boy; he trusted her enough to take her with him this evening.”
Sorilea glanced toward the other Wise Ones. Aged Bair and sun-haired Melaine both nodded. Amys seemed thoughtful, but did not object.
“Perhaps,” Sorilea said. “But can she be obedient?”
“Well?” Cadsuane asked of Nynaeve. They all seemed to be ignoring Min. “Can you?”
Nynaeve’s eyes were still wide with anger. Light, Min thought. Nynaeve? Obey Cadsuane and the others? She’s going to explode at them!
Nynaeve tugged on her braid with a white-knuckled grip. “Yes, Cadsuane Sedai,” she said through clenched teeth. “I can.”
The Wise Ones seemed surprised to hear her speak the words, but Cadsuane nodded again, as if she’d expected that response. Who could expect Nynaeve to be so . . . well, reasonable?
“Sit down, child,” Cadsuane said with a wave of the hand. “Let’s see if you can follow orders. You might be the only one of the current crop who is salvageable.” That made Merise flush.
“No, Cadsuane,” Amys said. “Not the only one. Egwene has much honor.”
The other two Wise Ones nodded.
“What is the plan?” Nynaeve said.
“Your part in it is—” Cadsuane began.
“Wait,” Nynaeve said. “My part? I want to hear the whole thing.”
“You’ll hear when we’re ready to tell you,” Cadsuane said curtly. “And don’t make me regret my decision to speak in your behalf.”
Nynaeve forced her mouth shut, eyes aflame. But she did not snap at them.
“Your part,” Cadsuane continued, “is to find Perrin Aybara.”
“What good will that do?” Nynaeve asked, then added, “Cadsuane Sedai.”
“That is our business,” Cadsuane said. “He has been traveling in the south recently, but we can’t discover exactly where. The al’Thor boy might know where he is. Find out for us, and perhaps I’ll explain the point.”
Nynaeve nodded reluctantly, and the others turned to a discussion of how much strain from balefire the Pattern could take before unraveling completely. Nynaeve listened in silence, obviously trying to glean more about Cadsuane’s plan, though there didn’t seem to be many clues.
Min only half-listened. Whatever the plan, someone would need to watch out for Rand. His deed this day would be destroying him inside, no matter what he proclaimed. There were plenty of others worrying about what he would do at the Last Battle. It was her job to get him to that Last Battle alive and sane, with his soul in one piece.