Nynaeve sat with her face cupped in her hands. "Light, Elayne…my head feels like it's been run over by a wagon! What happened?"
"Apparently," Elayne shook her head ruefully, "your friend attacked you and fled. Rand has searched for him and found him in Shayol Ghul."
"No, Elayne…it was a woman. I remember seeing a woman." Nynaeve squinted her eyes, as if trying to bring back more memories.
"Don't be silly, Nynaeve--Rand detected traces of saidin around you."
"Didn't you detect saidar around me? I had already seen her. Otherwise, why would I be suspicious of Rejik? He would have killed me where I was without me noticing it."
"How do you explain his presence in Shayol Ghul, then, Nynaeve? Blood and bloody ashes, woman!" Elayne shouted furiously.
"I don't know," Nynaeve said quietly. "What I do know is that I'll never find Moiraine without him or any man that can channel strongly, and Light only knows he was the only one I trusted," she ended bitterly.
"Listen, Nynaeve…ask Rand for help. I'm sure that he'd--"
"He's the flaming Dragon Reborn, Elayne! He's got no bloody time for the likes of her! Besides, he never even liked the bloody woman--said that she had him on a flaming leash!" Nynaeve's face grew darker with each word of profanity.
Elayne was taken aback. "You've got to find some other way, Nynaeve." Nynaeve got up and unsteadily formed a portal. "Where do you think you're going?"
"To Rand." Before Elayne could come in after her, the portal closed.
***
"Why, exactly, would a woman want a male sa'angreal such as Callandor?" Rand asked incredulously.
"I want to see if Elayne can replicate it," Nynaeve lied through her teeth. To her credit, she kept up the smooth Aes Sedai features.
"How could Elayne see saidin, Nynaeve?"
"She just…feels them, Rand. It couldn't hurt, anyway." She winced at the last remark. She dearly hoped that saidin didn't improve his perception, also.
Rand looked up at nothing for a moment and then went to the side of the wall that he had trapped so elaborately. After a few moments, he came back to Nynaeve with Callandor held reverently in his hands. "Don't destroy it, Nynaeve--the world may depend on it."
Nodding gravely, Nynaeve stepped out of the room. Once the door closed, she sagged against the wall. Light, I'm glad men are so dense! The first part is out of the way… With that, she made another portal to Elayne's quarters. She stepped out hurriedly. Elayne was nowhere to be found, so she felt with saidar
Shivering slightly, she opened a portal…directly to Shayol Ghul.
***
Light, I'm glad that Moghedien taught me how to invert weaves! She placed a few weaves on herself for good measure--one to block her scent and sound from traveling, one to make her invisible, and one to hide her ability to use the Power.
Traveling slowly, she looked around. It was the same Shayol Ghul that she had remembered--it still had that stink of evil to it that made her stomach roil. And that's the direction I have to go.
After about 500 paces, she heard distant voices, made sharper by saidar. Turning to face them, she started running. Not from fear--the angreal
***
Rejik pretended to listen to Moridin. All that he was talking about was the glories of the Dark One and how he would one day rule everything and everyone. The only hope he had was a slight tremor he had had earlier, signaling that someone knew where he was.
Moridin looked up suddenly. Eyes narrowed, he focused on a point about 15 paces back from Rejik. Even without embracing saidin, he could sense the powerful call of a very powerful angreal or sa'angreal. He turned around and almost fainted with shock; he felt a presence he was familiar with, but he couldn't exactly pinpoint it…he tested the shield against him. Flaming Dark Power!
He felt something brush against his hand. He extended it inconspicuously to grab it. Saidin abruptly flowed through him faster than it had ever flowed before. Not even the Dark Power could hold him with that much saidin
Moridin barely had the chance to look up before he was knocked over backwards by Rejik. It might have been double-vision, but just before he was beaten into unconsciousness, he thought he saw both saidar and saidin in one weave. Impossible! was his last coherent thought.
Rejik was so relieved he almost hugged Nynaeve. Almost. "Thank the light…I thought I was had by this one," he motioned over to the unconscious Moridin. "How in the light did you get a hold of Callandor?"
Nynaeve shook her head. "It's a long story, Rejik. I knew you weren't a Darkfriend!" When Rejik raised a questioning eyebrow, she elaborated, "Elayne and Rand have been raving about how they should have never let you out of their sights! I was attacked by a woman that could wield saidin…" she trailed off as she saw recognition in his eyes. "You saw her, too?"
"That's what brought me here, if you take my meaning," Rejik said ruefully. "I guess that you'd better make a gateway home, then." It was Nynaeve's turn to be confused. "The Lord Dragon commanded me to stop using saidin near the palace until he can…decipher my motives." He bit his lip and looked down.
Nynaeve shrugged. "It's all right with me as long as we do it quickly." Rejik motioned in front of him, and she began to form a portal.
Quite unluckily for them, someone else knew how to make themselves invisible. Someone by the name of 'Last Chance'.
***
Min sat and looked at Rand thoughtfully. She saw no auras over him now--either they were too blurry or they passed out of her vision too quickly.
"Min…I can't feel Callandor in the Palace anymore!" He looked around frantically and created a vortex with saidin, pulling Elayne out of wherever she was.
"Rand Al'Thor! I do not appreciate being manhandled out of my Palace--" Elayne paused concernedly when Min took a look at her and vomited on the spot.
Min looked at Elayne with watery eyes. Rand lowered his head and asked softly, "What did you see, Min?" When she shook her head, he resumed his conversation with Elayne. "What have you done with Callandor, Elayne! Speak quickly!" his eyes glinted, almost to the point of madness.
Elayne looked shocked. "Rand, I have never even laid eyes on Callandor
Rand's eyebrows raised with every word. "Have you seen your advisor anywhere, Elayne?" his voice was deathly calm.
"You mean Nynaeve? No, I haven't--" Rand apparently found no use for her, so he reconstructed the vortex and sent her back to her palace.
Min looked down at Rand. "How's a woman supposed to love you, wool head?"
Rand sighed and looked around. "What did you see, Min?"
Min shivered a little and bent down to where her lips were at his ear. "I saw her…fighting with another woman who could channel…and losing. Badly."
"It just started for no reason--" now Rand was interrupted by a saidar-constructed portal appearing in the middle of his room. "Oh, Light, Min…" She knew he held saidin.
Min let out a relieved breath when Nynaeve and Rejik stepped out of the portal. She took in another, sharp breath when she realized what Rejik was holding. Oh, Light…
Rand's eyes narrowed as he looked at Rejik. "What are you doing with that?" If glares could kill, Nynaeve would have been torn apart.
"I used it to aid in my escape from Shayol Ghul, my Lord Dragon. If it hadn't been for Nynaeve…" he trailed off and grimaced. Light, why do I get the feeling I wasn't supposed to say that?
"Listen, Rand," Nynaeve interjected quickly. Rejik looked at her wide-eyed. Rand? "I wanted to strike back at the woman that could control saidin. It just happened that your Dedicated was there as well."
"A woman that can wield saidin…?" Rand began slowly.
Meanwhile, Min had turned white once again. Rejik was about to ask her what was wrong when Rand flicked his wrist. "Give me Callandor, Dedicated." He hardened his eyes, as if in challenge.
Rejik looked around hopelessly as he handed over the sa'angreal. Why would I want to keep this from the Lord Dragon's hands? Trying to make amends, he added, "I have not handled saidin on the palace grounds since the time of your order, my Lord Dragon." That's the whole flaming reason I got captured, Rejik added silently.
Nynaeve silently agreed. "Let the man have his Power, Rand."
Rand still glared at Nynaeve. "You may go, Dedicated. I will amend my order…you may control saidin, as long as there is a woman present."
Rejik pressed his fist to his chest. "Thank you, my Lord Dragon."
Nynaeve started to leave with Rejik, but Rand stopped her with saidin. "Oh, no, Nynaeve…I'm not through with you yet. Why in the name of the Light would you risk your bloody life to go after a man who could channel? Or give him a weapon powerful enough to destroy half the world?"
Nynaeve stood as tall as possible. "Maybe I can see something in him that you can't, Rand…or maybe I just feel sorry for him." Using saidar to obstruct his weaves, she calmly walked through the door.
***
"Rejik…where have you been?" Birgitte asked worriedly. She always seemed to run into him in the halls as of late. Rejik wasn't quite sure he minded it.
"To Shayol Ghul and back, Birgitte," and when she looked doubtful, he added, "seriously. Nynaeve brought me a sa'angreal and we made it out alive. Some good came out of it, though…I can channel now."
"I'm glad…someone's been through your quarters, Rejik. All of your drawers are out of order. Maybe you should go down and check." She sounded worried.
"All right. I was going down there anyway." Face set, he drew saidin and raced down the halls.
***
"What did you see this time, Min?" Rand asked tiredly.
Min rubbed her eyes, as if to make sure they were working properly. "I saw auras floating in thin air, Rand! Right behind Nynaeve and your Dedicated."
Rand grabbed her by the shoulders. "You're sure about this, Min?" When she nodded, he started mumbling about, "I knew he couldn't be trusted," and "flaming folded light!"
"I will make him pay!" Rand said coherently and started forming a fireball.
***