The next morning Neya learned from Azim that the Shaido had left a week ago and were on their way to the Jangai Pass. Rand promptly announced that they would follow and stop them. As preparations were made, Neya found herself wandering around in the bustle with nothing to do. She didn't have much to pack.

She wondered if the ter'angreal Mat had told her about was still around here somewhere. She had wanted to see it ever since Mat mentioned it, although he had explicitly told her to keep away from it when he saw her eyes brightening with interest. He had showed her the scar on his neck, and to most people that would have been enough reason not to enquire any further. But she was not most people.

Her curiosity was too strong. She had to see it for herself. She found the peddlers' wagons some time later. Everyone seemed to be occupied and they paid her no attention. Strolling around, looking casual, she finally located the object of her search. It truly was an odd relic, ancient and distorted-looking. She scanned the inside of the doorway for any sign of the inhabitants of the realm that lay just a few paces away, but saw nothing. After making certain no one was looking in her direction, Neya stepped inside.

She now stood in a large, empty hall that seemed built entirely out of glass or some similar material. She took a good look around, searching for the Eelfinn or Aelfinn – any kind of Finn, really – but she was alone. Yet at the same time, she felt uncomfortably aware that she was being observed. The silence seemed to echo eerily in the vast hall. She was reluctant to leave the doorway to explore the place. She decided to draw them to her instead and cleared her throat a little apprehensively.

"Hello?" she called out in the emptiness. She used the Old Tongue. Mat said they used it with him – although apparently he hadn't realised it at the time.

The rasping answer came from behind her. "You're not supposed to be here, human child."

Neya whirled, nearly falling over in her haste. It – he? – stood only a few paces away from her. She hadn't heard him approach. He looked exactly the way Mat had described them. An Eelfinn, a Fox. He towered over her, a broad-shouldered man with a markedly narrower waist. His mane of red hair stood stiffly on his head and descended well below his shoulders. He frowned at her, looking contrite, but said nothing else.

She had to clear her throat once more. "Hello," she repeated. "Master Fox. Can I call you that, or do you have a proper name I can use?" She was rambling. Taking a deep breath, she went on in a more composed voice. "My name is Neya al'Kane. I abide by the treaties and agreements of old and carry no iron, light-making device or instrument of music. I have come to bargain." It seemed the best thing to say, according to what Mat had told her of his own encounters. It wasn't that complicated, when you thought about it. She simply had to do the exact opposite of what her brother had done: be smart, ask for the price before sealing the bargain and not get killed. What could possibly go wrong?

The Finn blinked at her once. "You're not supposed to be here," he repeated roughly.

She stared at him in confusion. "I thought you knew everything. Didn't you know I would be coming?"

"You're not–"

"–supposed to be here, yes, thank you, I heard you the first two times," she said irritably. "If you don't want me here, I won't take any more of your time. I'll just be on my way." Feeling disappointed, she turned back to the ter'angreal.

"No!" the Fox cried, suddenly looming in front of her, hands half-raised almost imploringly. "No, you must not leave. Come. I will take you where you may find what you need."

Abruptly, he leaned forward, sniffing at her. When he retreated a moment later, his odd pupils were dilated. He was grinning widely, showing teeth. Very sharp-looking teeth. "Is that some kind of greeting ritual? Am I supposed to sniff you, too?" she asked him, giggling nervously.

He made no reply. "Come," he said instead, softly, almost caressingly, eyes half-closed. He gestured with one hand and started forward.

They walked for a long time, although it was difficult to estimate exactly how long. They passed halls and empty rooms that all looked the same. She would never find her way back to the doorway without help. It was quite clever of them. It meant that she would have to sacrifice one of her requests to demand to be escorted safely back to the ter'angreal.

Neya was too nervous to remain silent. She pestered him with questions the whole time they were walking. "Do you have a name or not?" she asked the Eelfinn. He said nothing, staring ahead intently. "How long has passed since I've been here? It's hard to tell, you know." He made no reply whatsoever. "How many of you are there? Do the Snakes live here too? The Aelfinn, I mean? Or is it another world altogether?" She went on and on, barely aware that Master Fox – he hadn't provided any other name, so she stuck to that, in her head at least – never answered her or even acknowledged her questions. At least it passed the time. She was becoming more restless by the minute. Or whatever passed for a minute in this Light-forsaken place.

Finally her guide stopped in front of another vast, apparently empty room. It looked pretty much the same as every other room they'd just walked by. The Eelfinn stretched a long, white hand toward the centre of the room. Neya approached it carefully, scanning the shadows for more Finns. She couldn't make out anyone – or anything – on the pedestals. She turned around to inspect the rest of the room, but there was nothing else to see. She whirled back once more and suddenly there were people filling the previously empty pedestals. More Foxes. Some were obviously female, others male. She took a deep breath, fixing one of the Eelfinn in the eyes. "My name is Neya al'Kane," she began.

"You're not supposed to be here," one of the females said in a low growl. The words were echoed by several of her peers.

Neya rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I've heard that one before," she said wryly. "If you tell me I've walked for hours in this bloody maze just to be sent back out again, it won't go well for you." She tried to sound menacing, but she was alone in a room full of other-worldly creatures – she probably reeked of fear, even if she didn't seem afraid.

They considered her words attentively, as if deciding whether she was bluffing or not. At last the first female met her eyes. "You may speak, human child. Tell us what you need."

"First of all, I'd like to discuss the matter of payment," she told them. "What is it you want from me in exchange for the fulfilment of my requests?"

They all seemed frozen in place. She caught several muttered words. Pain. Fear. Power. She was about to repeat herself to get a clear answer when one of the males spoke. "The price will depend on your demands, Lightbringer."

Lightbringer? Neya scowled slightly. What is that supposed to mean? Shaking her head, she put the thought out of her mind. She had to stay focused. Her life literally depended on it. She told them what she wanted. It was the only real demand she would make. She had to keep the other two requests to get herself out of here in one piece.

"Done," came the answer from a dozen throats. They waited for her to continue.

"I need to be guided quickly back where I came from, to the ter'angreal, alive and unharmed, as soon as you give me what I want and the price has been paid," she went on.

She sensed a little hesitation from the Eelfinn. Then, "Done."

"I need to know what the price for these demands is, before I agree to pay it," she continued, "and before you do anything that might require a price," she finished smugly.

They remained silent for a long time, so long that she was starting to wonder if she'd missed something. They were likely just trying to find a loophole, but the wait seemed interminable. She realised that she was holding her breath and let it out as evenly as she could.

"Done," they muttered eventually, all at once. They were silent for a long moment. "For these demands, the price is…"

Oh, come on! Just say it. The suspense is killing me.

"…two fingers."

Neya burst out laughing. They had to be joking. It was so random.

The Finn, however, were not amused. "Decide now!" one of them barked.

Neya got her mirth under control. They were serious about this, weren't they? She thought it over for a minute. "Well…what if I refuse?" Her escape plan was intricately linked to her accepting to pay the price.

"You will be held captive, drained of your power, and then we shall consume your flesh."

Huh. Two fingers, or a slow, presumably painful death? She swallowed some bile. "Can I, um…choose which fingers?"

There was another long silence. Were they communicating with their minds?

"You may choose," one of the Finn said eventually. "Do so now."

Easier said than done. Neya glanced at her hands, her two beautiful, five-fingered hands. She strongly favoured her right hand, but perhaps she ought to remove one finger from each hand?

No, she thought. I don't know if I could hold a sword, with only four fingers. I can't risk it.

She sighed and silently apologised to her left hand. She held it up, displaying the doomed fingers, the last two. "These."

"The price has been set. Do we have a bargain, Lightbringer?" one of the males whispered roughly.

Don't hesitate. It's too late, anyway. You don't really have a choice, at this point. "Yes, we have a bargain." Her voice quivered slightly.

It's fine. How bad can it be? A good, sharp knife, then someone will Heal the wound as soon as I get out… I'll barely feel a thing.

One of the Foxes moved toward her. He gripped her left forearm, his hand like a steel manacle, bruising the skin. Neya didn't see any knife, but she had a good view on the Finn's fangs as he opened his maw and bit down on her hand.

She screamed in agony.

XXX

I didn't pass out, Neya marvelled when the pain receded. Not much, but at least her vision had cleared, and she wasn't lightheaded, though she was on her knees.

She extracted a kerchief from her sleeve and did her best to bandage the wound. There was a lot of blood.

She stood, a bit unsteadily, and looked around the room.

The Fox who had not only bitten off, but actually devoured her fingers, was sprawled on the floor, looking utterly overwhelmed with ecstasy, eyes staring blindly at nothing, mouth hanging open. The others were all moaning and grunting with pleasure, delighting in her pain.

She turned back to her aggressor. "You're supposed to guide me out of here, now," she told him – it, she amended fiercely. How could she have ever thought them to be even remotely human?

The Finn didn't respond, didn't move. She crouched near it, snapping her right-hand fingers in front of its eyes. No reaction. "Burn you, you son of a bloody goat!" she shouted at it. "The bargain was sealed with the price agreed upon. Now get me out of here!" Abandoning all pretence at civility, she punched it straight in its foxy nose. There was a loud cracking noise. It blinked once, obviously struggling to focus on her. "Get… me… out of here!" she hissed at it once more. When it didn't comply, she pulled her fist back for another punch.

Suddenly it was moving, fumbling to stand. It stumbled around a bit, as if it was intoxicated. Then, without a word, he clasped Neya's arm and dragged her out of the room.

Clutching her maimed hand, Neya walked in silence, this time.

They reached the doorway after a while. Neya wasn't sure if it had taken quite as long as the inward journey. The bloody Fox simply stood next to the ter'angreal, waiting for her to depart. It was staring at her, likely remembering the sweet taste of her blood in its mouth, and the pain it had caused.

Neya couldn't decide whether it was worth it, especially since she didn't know if everything she'd asked for had been granted. At least her last two wishes had been granted – that was something.

The Fox eyed her hungrily. Its lips were parted and its eyes shone brightly in the dimness of the room. It was sniffing the air and appeared to be wondering if it could get away with another bite. "That would be against the bargain, you flaming goat-spawned toad. No harm after the price has been paid, we agreed upon that," Neya said fiercely. The Fox made no reply.

Wondering how she was going to get away with this – Light, Mat would kill her when he found out – Neya stepped back into the real world.

XXX

She emerged inside one of the wagons, but there was a piece of canvas around the doorway, which she had to tear, one-handed, to be able to get out. Had they left Rhuidean already? Light, how long had she been in there? Shaking her head at the futility of her questions, Neya eyed her bandaged hand. It was a bloody mess, and it throbbed painfully. She doubted that she could get out of here and make her way back to her room undetected. One didn't sneak around the Aiel. And that was even assuming that they were still in Rhuidean, anyway.

There was nothing for it. She couldn't hide in the wagon until it reached Tar Valon. Steeling herself, she lifted a piece of canvas to peek outside. It was night. Could she really have been in there all day? She saw no one, but that didn't mean no one was there. Aiel were extremely good at fading in the background.

Gritting her teeth, Neya stepped out of the wagon gingerly and took a good look around. They were not in Rhuidean anymore, that much was certain, although they were still in the Waste. A sudden movement on her right caught her attention. The man-high shadow slowly resolved into Mat. A scowling, furious-looking Mat.

"I knew it!" he exclaimed. "I bloody well knew it!" he shouted again. "What were you thinking? I told you they were dangerous! Look at you!" he said, then blinked, as if he was only just now seeing her properly. His eyes widened at the sight of her left hand. "Blood and ashes," he whispered. "What did they do to you?" he asked her, concern plain on his face.

"Nothing," she told him, then bit her lip in exasperation. "I'm fine," she amended quickly, before he had time to speak. "It's just a little blood. I need to disinfect it and get a bit of Healing, is all," she said as nonchalantly as she could.

He glared at her, obviously not satisfied with her answer. "Do you know how long you've been in there?" he demanded, voice tight with anger. "Ten days!" he exclaimed before she could open her mouth. "Ten bloody days! Curse me for a fool, I should never have told you about the flaming thing," he went on. "You could have died, Neya." He met her eyes. He looked more serious than she'd ever seen him.

She realised she was crying. Hot tears were rolling down her cheeks. She closed her eyes, trying to hold them inside. Curse me for a fool, she thought bitterly. "Mat, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking clearly," she whispered. She opened her eyes, looking at him pleadingly.

His face softened. He cleared his throat, looking away. "Come on. I'll take you to your tent. Well, to mine. It seems Natael quickly found a replacement for you," he said with a grimace. She wasn't sure what he meant by that, but at the moment, that was the last thing on her mind.

They walked in silence. They passed several Aiel, thankfully none she recognised. They all gave her curious glances. Mat stopped in front of a tent, drawing back the canvas for her.

Once inside, he gently removed the makeshift bandage to gauge the damage. He grimaced at the sight of her mangled hand. "Well, it's not pretty. We need to clean it. Who knows what horrible diseases the Foxes carry? Light, I hope you didn't catch rabies, on top of everything else."

When it was done, the wound was still quite ugly to behold. "I'll get Egwene," Mat said. "Maybe she can…" He trailed off, shaking his head, and exited the tent.

Neya must have fallen asleep for a few minutes, because she was startled awake when Mat returned. Egwene was just behind him.

She was obviously concerned. She sat down beside Neya. "Are you alright?" It was clear from her tone that she knew she wasn't. She quickly surveyed her hand. "That's a nasty wound, Neya."

"So, can you do it?" Mat demanded. "Can you…grow some new fingers?" Both women stared at him. Neya actually laughed, which only infuriated him further. "What?"

"Mat," Egwene said, "give us a moment, would you?" She heard him huff in exasperation but he left without a word. "I can try to mend the flesh with Healing, but you should ask Moiraine to-"

"No!" Neya exclaimed. "Not her. Do what you can, Eggs. That'll be more than enough."

Egwene complied diligently. The pain faded, the bleeding stopped entirely. The scarring was still quite gross, but Neya could live with that. "What happened to you? Mat wouldn't say."

"I'm sorry, Eggs. I can't tell you," Neya said. Well, she could, but she didn't want to. She felt incredibly stupid and embarrassed. She could have lied and said she'd gotten lost, that she'd encountered a pack of wolves or wild dogs, but Egwene would know she was lying. "What's going on here?" she asked quickly, desperate to change the subject.

Egwene sighed. "I remember a time when we told each other everything," she murmured ruefully. "We left Rhuidean ten days ago – after searching the whole city to find you. Rand was furious. Nothing happened, really. We haven't caught up to the Shaido yet."

"Where's Natael? Mat said he–"

"That lecher!" Egwene cursed, outrage marring her pretty face. Neya flinched at the vehemence in her voice. "You were gone two days – two days! – and already that hussy was sharing his tent!" she went on.

"Hussy? What hussy?" Neya asked in a puzzled voice. She had no idea who that could be. No one had expressed an interest in Natael before.

"Isendre," Egwene replied with much scorn, putting enough venom in the name to fill a dozen gara.

Neya's eyebrows climbed up with unfeigned surprise. "Oh, that hussy," she said with a weak chuckle. She felt… well, not jealous, exactly; after all, the man was not her lover. Disappointed, perhaps. She couldn't imagine a worst replacement. Sorilea would have made a better one.

They spent some time deprecating Natael and his new conquest, until Mat finally announced that he would like to get some sleep, if they wouldn't mind too bloody much. Apparently, he had been keeping watch near the wagon for the last ten days, barely sleeping. He told Neya that she could sleep here if she wanted. Egwene bid them good night, and Neya thanked her for the Healing before crashing down on some cushions and falling blissfully asleep.