Threats from two worlds.
The next morning came and no murder had been done for the second night in a row. But no assassin had been found either, and Sheriam didn't dare think that whoever it was would just pack up and leave because of the increased security measures. She warned everyone to keep all wards in place and scheduled patrols for the evening and night.
Nynaeve had much to tell, valuable information about the Dragon, the Aes Sedai with him, and the Asha'man. The news that Nynaeve had Healed Fager Neald, Damer and Jahar was astonishing, even Mesaana was clearly impressed. By her Healing as well as by her skill in Tel'aran'rhiod, although in that case she was less than pleased by what Nynaeve had done.
Nynaeve was shocked when she heard Siuan and Leane paid the price for her capture of Moghedien, and foolishly offered herself in their place. Of course Mesaana quickly told her to put that notion out of her head, and also cautioned her against any heroics. She would deal quickly with any insubordination, and Nynaeve was too valuable to hand to any of the other Chosen.
Mid afternoon Nesita reported the last of the Red had been taken, quite a feat and mostly her own doing. The other Ajahs were also coming along, but of course those all had sisters with Warders, and also had a few who were hard to catch alone, who had paired up in defense against the assassin with a fellow sister who was bonded, or were otherwise hard to pin down.
It was a busy but almost ordinary day and it seemed that way until rather late that evening. Sheriam had wrapped up her work for the night and was in her quarters brushing her hair when the call rod grew warm. She checked the color, Egwene.
Quickly she pinned the Well back in her hair, then hastened to Egwene's quarters. She hoped that was where Egwene was -the call rods could not yet show a location, as Mesaana said they would in some later version.
In this case, there was no need, Sheriam saw and heard the commotion as she came near Egwene's quarters. Several of the Tower guard were in the halls, Chubain rushed up even as she did, Seaine and Tesan, part of the evening patrol, were present and in the middle Egwene and Gawyn, who were arguing but fell silent as she arrived. Momentarily only.
"Sheriam, just yesterday you acknowledged a Warder could be of use against a physical threat," Gawyn addressed her.
"You are not my Warder yet," Egwene said.
Sheriam raised her hand. "Wait, first, what happened here?"
"Gawyn surprised the assassin in the hall. The man took off, then Gawyn tried to rush into my rooms and set of the trap I had on my door, a trigger which wrapped him in Air and held him. The killer got away," Egwene said, scowling.
"I nearly had him. And he could've gotten through, he got through the other wards," Gawyn pointed out.
"Not anything near as strong as the ones I had up. And now the killer has seen what the trap did and likely won't try again."
"Try again? You want him to try again? Egwene, you can't use yourself as bait, you're too important for that," Gawyn argued.
"If you hadn't scared him off, he would have been caught like you were, now he is still on the lose."
Somehow Sheriam got the feeling they'd been through this already before she had arrived, were only repeating themselves.
"I know it is hard for those who cannot channel to rely on weaves they can not see nor feel, but a trap like this would likely have caught the assassin," Sheriam said.
Gawyn glared at her. He had hoped she would support him, had appealed to her, but now she did not, he turned back to Egwene.
"I know the One Power is strong, but it didn't help the four who were killed. Egwene, let me be your Warder. Let me protect you."
"I can't, Gawyn," Egwene said. "I'm the Amyrlin, the entire Tower guard protects me."
Gawyn balled his fists in frustration. "You are not invulnerable. They can not feel what happens to you, and they aren't always with you. I could be."
"No," Egwene told him. "Stick to the investigations, Gawyn. That will protect me and any other sisters. That is my final answer."
With a sigh, Gawyn turned and walked off. As he did, Chubain called to him. "Lord?" He followed Gawyn, who kept walking, and they were soon out of earshot.
Sheriam looked at the others who were gathered and still gathering, for as always, sisters and Warders came to see what was going on and in spite of the hour, some novices and Accepted were peeking around the nearest corner.
"Seaine, you and Tesin check if there's anyone who saw or heard the assassin as he fled, anything that may tell us in what direction he may have gone. Pick a few people to help you. Anyone else, unless you did see any sign of the killer fleeing, clear out. He will not be back here tonight." She turned to Egwene. "Mother, I suggest you get some rest."
The crowd reluctantly dispersed, and Egwene went back into her rooms. Sheriam too returned to her quarters.
-0-
The search turned up nothing, no one except Gawyn had seen or heard the assassin fleeing the scene. Two daggers had been found, ornate weapons inlaid with three red stones. The weapons fit with the scrap of fine silk found in Kateri's room, but no one recognized them, not even Mesaana, and they gave no clue to their owner although Chubain had shown one around among his men and the Warders. Gawyn had taken the other.
The reports were made by Saeine and Chubain. Gawyn did not check in and when Sheriam asked, she was informed he had left late last night for Caemlyn. Egwene was quite angry when she learned he had gone, but Sheriam thought it good riddance. She could not approve of the way the young man ran off whenever he felt like it, and if Egwene ever did bond him as her Warder he would need some lessons in discipline. But for the moment he was out of her hair. She was pretty sure he had no idea of what they were doing in the Tower, and now there was no more risk he would stumble onto anything in his nightly prowling of the halls. She forbade Egwene to send him a letter summoning him back.
Now so many of those in the Tower were turned, messages were sent out to some of the sisters outside. Myrelle's group was contacted and told to report in, as well as several sisters who were with various nobles and rulers elsewhere, only al'Thor's Aes Sedai were as of yet left alone.
Nynaeve had told how Myrelle's embassy was still camped outside the Black Tower, and seemingly in little close contact with them, and that made it easier to take her after all, the risk of compulsion on the Warders being noticed would be low. Sheriam took Myrelle and her four remaining Warders together with Egwene and Dawn, and Nisao with her single Warder was also easily taken. Theodrin and Faolain of course were no problem at all. While their reports about the Black Tower were not good, they had made no progress in getting closer to the Asha'man at all, Sheriam was glad to have these sisters secured.
Then, a few hours after Myrelle and her group were taken Tsutama came to see her.
"Did Myrelle or any of the others mention anything about the other Aes Sedai at the Black Tower?" she asked, after she had taken a seat.
Sheriam frowned. The Red sister sounded too casual. Passing in the hall, the question might have seemed no more than a concern about Toveine and the other Reds, but her coming here suggested there was more.
"I asked, they had not been in contact with any of the sisters held by the Asha'man," Sheriam replied, watching for Tsutama's reaction.
"Oh. No contact at all? Not with… any sisters from inside the Black Tower?" The way she paused was significant.
"No. It is not Toveine and hers you are asking about, is it? If there is anything I should know about, speak up," Sheriam ordered. She had no time for the hemming and hawing the other sister was doing.
Tsutama lost her casual attitude. She shifted uneasily in her seat, then had to start twice before she completed her confession. "I, ehm, the Red, uhm… There should be six more Red sisters at the Black Tower, sent to negotiate bonding the Asha'man. However they have been gone some time and no one has heard from them at all. I am… concerned about them."
"Who?" Sheriam asked, although she thought she knew at least part of the answer.
"Pevara, Javindhra, Jezrail, Desala, Melare and Tarna. Pevara led their group," Tsutama said.
Well, that solved the mystery of the missing Sitters. It did not explain why Tsutama had withheld this information. The Red might have been reluctant to confess their actions to Egwene, but Tsutama had been taken two days ago.
"You should have told me before," Sheriam berated her. "There will be no more such individual actions from you or your Ajah. You do not, by any chance, know where Duhara has gone?" she asked as an afterthought.
Tsutama shook her head. "No, no one else was sent to the Black Tower, or elsewhere, by me."
Again she said 'me', just like earlier she had started with 'I' before she switched to 'the Red'. Sheriam now knew she was Highest of the Red, the only one to have such authority within the Ajah. And surprisingly inexperienced at it, to let it slip so easily.
Sheriam nodded.
"I will see what I can find out," she said. "I will let you know."
She did not repeat her orders about withholding information or independent action, she did not need to. She was pretty sure Tsutama would obey. The Red really was extremely unsettled, she would have expected better from an Aes Sedai, especially an ex-Sitter.
She sent Tsutama on her way and addressed the topic of the sisters in and beside the Black Tower when Mesaana came by that evening.
While Sheriam suggested they should press the promised bonding of the Asha'man, Mesaana was reluctant to do so. She explained the Black Tower was held by Demandred, and the two of them had mutually agreed not to attack or move onto one another's territory for the time being. The force led by Toveine had been entirely Elaida's plan. But it was clear the number of sisters held by the Asha'man bothered the Chosen. Sheriam noticed from the way Mesaana paused occasionally and tapped her lip in thought that she would like to get these back, and perhaps get a foothold in with the Asha'man as well, but she did not have a solid plan as of yet.
"Tomorrow we will pay a visit to Demandred," Mesaana decided.
"Yes, High Mistress," Sheriam nodded. She felt apprehensive, anyone in their right mind would, but she would not show it. Never hesitate.
-0-
The vague feeling of apprehension remained with her throughout supper. She was not sure if it was the prospect of visiting the Black Tower and another one of the Chosen, or something else. The day had seemed to go well enough, but no day could be entirely ordinary this close to the Last Battle, and she remembered the previous night when she had allowed herself to think it was almost an ordinary day until the assassin had made the attempt on Egwene. She remained vigilant, and allowed Arinvar to accompany her to supper and back to her anteroom for the late evening's work. He had pointed out that if the assassin were scared off from Egwene's apartments, she might be the next likely target, and apart from the obvious fact that she did have him as a Warder, he might be right. She did not intend to give the killer that opportunity.
Just as she was about to leave for the night, Saerin and Yukiri came rushing in.
"Sheriam, we can't Travel. Kwamesa caught Zemaille alone, finally, and she has her shielded, but her gateway just unravels, she can't take her anywhere. And Nyein has been staying very close to Zemaille, she or her Warder may well check on her later."
Sheriam embraced the Source, tried to Travel and felt what Saerin meant.
"Yes, I tried as well. It's not her, Travelling really doesn't work," Saerin said. "Other weaves are working fine, it is only the gateways that are failing."
Sheriam channeled into the call rod, alerting Mesaana. And then Egwene, too, she wanted her strength and her official authority over the Tower Guard if it came to a battle.
-0-
Mesaana woke with a start. She instantly knew it had been the call rod that had woken her, warm against her skin. She jumped up, checked the color of the rod and knew it had been Sheriam who had signaled her. She grabbed her dress, pulled it on -at least impersonating a Brown she could wear sensible clothes without rows and rows of tiny buttons- and channeled the Eye.
The moment her weaves unraveled, she knew what was up. Someone, somehow, had brought a Dreamspike to the Tower! On a hunch, she tried three keys she remembered off-hand, but of course nothing happened. It would have been extreme coincidence if it had been one of hers, they had been common enough in her own Age.
Using the door, she walked quickly out of her room, through the Brown's quarters and to the Amyrlin's study. She found Sheriam, Egwene, Saerin and Yukiri there, looking rather harried.
"High Mistress," Sheriam curtsied deeply, the others knelt. "There is a problem with Traveling, as I'm sure you have noticed. Several sisters who tried to take another to turn were caught unaware, they have their target bound and shielded but can not go anywhere."
"Someone dropped a Dreamspike on us," Mesaana said. "It's a ter'angreal that prevents Travel unless you know the key, know what weaves to channel to keep the flows from unraveling. I do not know the key to this one. It's a spike, made of thin, metal wires twisted together, about two handspans long, with a knob on one end. It will be in the exact middle of the area where no Travel is possible. Saerin, Yukiri, get soms sisters, pair off -it is likely the person who dropped the Dreamspike on us is not a friend- and find it."
Saerin and Yukiri nodded, knelt, then sped off.
Mesaana glanced at Sheriam and Egwene. "Reinforce all wards. Whoever put the thing here can still Travel in if they wish, we can't prevent that but at least I want to know if it happens. Stay together and be careful."
Sheriam nodded. Mesaana could feel she drew Saidar through her angreal, a sensible precaution. Egwene knelt before she rose and hurried off. The girl had manners, perhaps one day she could be allowed to rule a territory of her own. Not any time soon of course, but when few people remembered her brief reign as Amyrlin.
She wondered who could have placed the Dreamspike. Demandred had one, but he wouldn't use the one that protected the Black Tower, that would be folly. It was inconvenient, but it could be found and moved as long as one had free access to the area held under its influence. And when she found it, she certainly wasn't going to give it back! Neither did she think it would be Moghedien, the woman had wanted Egwene and Nynaeve but she'd known she made out well with Siuan and Leane. And in providing the location for the turnings, she was involved in the plan too. Cyndane hated her but there was no way she'd have the resources. Moridin had no reason to lock her down, he could just order her to stop. It had to be Graendal. She didn't understand why, surely the woman could make better use of it if she had such a treasure. She suspected Graendal to be the one behind the assassinations though, Graendal liked using various kinds of assassins.
Saerin returned quickly together with a Black sister, knelt in front of her. "We can't find it, Great Mistress. And we don't know how to locate the exact center of its reach."
In a flash of irritation, Mesaana struck out with lashes of Air. Saerin yelped, startled.
"I'm sorry, Great Mistress," she said quickly.
Mesaana released the weaves. "I will look for it myself. If Sheriam returns before I am back, tell her I am on the roof." She grabbed the sa'angreal, which they still kept here, and left the anteroom.
She walked through the halls of the White Tower briskly. She had to control her anger. Waking up suddenly when she hadn't had near enough sleep lately, and then discovering one of the other Chosen was moving on her position, perhaps preparing who-knows-what else, was enough reason to anger her, but she had to remain calm. When she was angry she made mistakes, like forgetting that even though some of these Aes Sedai might have more potential than she had once credited them with, they were still untrained children in many ways. Of course they wouldn't know how to located the center of a Dreamspike dome. It was her fault, not Saerin's, that she hadn't thought of either pinpointing the center herself or instructing them how to. Not that she'd apologize of course, she wouldn't show that much weakness. But she admitted it to herself, and admonished herself to be more careful. Dealing with one of the other Chosen, she couldn't afford to let her temper rule her!
She emerged on the roof top, a wide, flat roof towering over Tar Valon. The city lay far below her, mostly dark now but the white buildings vaguely visible in what little lights there were. With regret, she recalled the cities of her own time, the city center lit up late into the night, moving lights of the sho-wings and other vehicles forming long, wide bands and even the residential areas still full of activity at this hour. She wasn't as dependant on luxury as Graendal was, but she had enjoyed the basic comforts her Age had provided, comforts this era lacked.
Overlooking the city, she reached out with a probing weave. Smaller even than the Eye, she tried a tiny hole a little out from the Tower's edge. Then she reached further, further. It was difficult to channel at a great distance, but she didn't have to maintain the weave or create anything large, she only had to feel whether the weave unraveled.
It was a long way out, past the city walls, that her weave held. She cast a line, measuring the distance, and started her probing weaves in the opposite direction. She found the edge far quicker because she guessed correctly the center was here at the Tower.
She cast out to her left and right, then checked the first place again to fine-tune her calibration. And stopped -the edge of the dome had moved. The center was no longer directly over the Tower, it was now in the city before her.
She ran to the edge of the roof, looked down to see confirmed what she already knew. Right below her was no gate from the Tower to the city itself, the nearest gate was well off to the side, and closed at this time of the night. Of course whoever held it could Travel, but that would have set off the wards, Sheriam and Egwene would have reinforced them by now. No, she thought she now knew where to look for the ter'angreal.
She rushed back inside, found Sheriam and Egwene had returned to Sheriam's anteroom.
"It is in Tel'aran'rhiod," she said. "Egwene, meet me here. Sheriam, tell Nynaeve to come as well. You stay in the real world, watch the wards and be ready if anything happens."
After only a moment's hesitation, she handed Sheriam Vora's sa'angreal. Channeling wasn't the most powerful way to work in Tel'aran'rhiod, and if an attack came Sheriam would need it more.
She walked through the halls, annoyed at how long it took to get back to the Brown's part of the Tower. She walked the halls often enough, but never when she was in a hurry.
Finally back in her rooms, she laid down and slept immediately. She did not need a sleepweaver, never that! She appeared in Sheriam's anteroom, was pleased to see Egwene already there. Nynaeve arrived only a little later, the girl was not a natural but she was strong, Mesaana was impressed with the way the girl had bested Moghedien, although you'd never hear her admit that aloud.
Quickly she described the situation and the Dreamspike to Nynaeve. She also instructed them not to channel but rather use Tel'aran'rhiod's own abilities to do whatever they needed, since any channeling could be felt, while the use of Tel'aran'rhiod's own power could not.
Then she led the way to the place the Dreamspike had been last. At least the dome was clearly visible here in Tel'aran'rhiod, which made it easier to find its center.
Even at that moment, the dome shook and moved. Mesaana frowned, it was moving back toward the Tower again. And then she saw it, the black rift of a nightmare.
She hesitated. Her first thought was to dispel it, but a nightmare had advantages too. Graendal would expect her to come alone, or at most with some entirely untrained underlings. Here they could not hide, but in a nightmare, there would be people. She made her decision.
"Disguise yourself as townsfolk, and stay back a little," she instructed. "And whatever you do, don't let yourself get drawn in."
They wouldn't, if she thought they would she wouldn't take them along. But some warnings had to be given. At their nod, she turned and walked into the rift.
Immediately the silence and emptiness of Tel'aran'rhiod was replaced by chaos. Screams rang out, several people ran past in a panic, fires raged all around, hot enough to melt and warp the buildings. In the distance, Dragonmount was erupting, sending clouds of steam, fire and molten rock into the sky.
Even in all the chaos, she easily recognized the servant's gate to the Tower. She entered, and with a quick glance upwards, discovered the dome's center over an alley between some outbuildings and the Tower itself.
Chaos was even greater here, lava boiled in the windows of the buildings, and a large rift had opened up, sending up waves of heat. But the chaos was part of the nightmare, and while she had usually avoided nightmares, Mesaana was practiced enough to avoid getting drawn in or even overtly distracted by what happened around her.
She started as she spotted the one person who stood out, leaning with one hand against the wall of the Tower, and definitely not part of the nightmare. The man with two souls? Again she hesitated. Graendal she could fight, but he was part of Tel'aran'rhiod, stronger here than even Moghedien or Lanfear. But regardless of his strength in the World of Dreams, he was supposed to be a servant of the Chosen, and suddenly she doubted if it was an attack from Graendal after all. She wouldn't send one who was an underling to all of them. What was he doing here, with the Dreamspike? She could spot the head of it sticking out of a pouch he had tied to his belt.
It had only been seconds that she stood there, but he noticed her. The only one standing quietly between the rifts of fire, among the flying sparks that fell off the burning roofs, she had not tried to hide herself, only Egwene and Nynaeve were disguised. As he looked up, she challenged him.
"What are you doing here, who sent you and why did you bring that?" she demanded. She put all her authority in her voice.
Isam was hardly impressed. He looked at her calmly, coldly, and made not even the slightest gesture of a bow or nod. But he did answer her.
"You are not the target of this Dreamspike. It was brought here by another," he informed her calmly. At those last words, his gaze drifted past her, to something behind her.
In the same instant, she thought herself somewhere else, to the opposite side of the street. It wasn't quick enough, she felt a sharp pain stab in her side, and she almost doubled over. She thought it gone, straightened. It wouldn't hold, one couldn't Heal oneself like this, but it would work for a little while. Alarm coursed through her as she looked back at the place she had come from, saw the young man there, knew who he was even though he too was disguised as a townsman.
"Aybara," she hissed between her teeth.
She heard a gasp off to her left -one of the girls, had they realized who he was before she'd named him? Probably not, training or no training, they wouldn't know how to recognize a Wolfbrother. At least they gave no further sound.
"Stay out of this," Isam said, his concentration now on Aybara.
Mesaana narrowed her eyes. She knew now Isam spoke truth when he said she wasn't the intended target of the Dreamspike or an attack from one of the other Chosen, but she was very well aware he had not warned her, was in fact certain the eye movement that had alerted her had been entirely involuntary. Anger coursed through her again, but she suppressed it.
She took a moment to observe. Aybara's attention was also on Isam again, he had recognized her, at least recognized her as an enemy even if he might not know exactly who she was, but he knew that Isam was more dangerous here. He was wounded, hiding it like she was, but he was struggling. Still he had to be very strong to last any time at all against Isam. And he had lasted a while; long enough to bring the Dreamspike here, for the alarm to be raised, the search to start. Time wasn't the same here in Tel'aran'rhiod as in the waking world, but still the fight must have been going on for some time.
She should leave, signal for Egwene and Nynaeve to go, and let Isam deal with Aybara. The boy should not last much longer. Then she'd find out how this all had started and preferably, where to lay the blame. Perhaps she could lay claim on the Dreamspike as compensation for the infraction.
Yes, that was what she should do. She almost gave the order to the girls, when she started. Isam had slipped! One moment he had still been leaning against the wall, but somehow, Aybara had made him falter and he was now hanging on the edge of the chasm, dangling above the boiling lava, together with several people who were only part of the nightmare.
"Dispel it!" Mesaana ordered sharply. At the same moment she concentrated hard, It is not real!
Moments later, the fires, the chasm, the screaming, all disappeared. They were in a small hallway, with a tiled floor, mostly bare walls and just a few benches lining them. Isam was on the ground, Aybara standing, although he seemed to have trouble keeping his balance. Egwene and Nynaeve stood against the wall to the right, still in their townspeople disguise. She gestured to them to stay back and hopefully, keep from being identified as well. If Perrin discovered who they were, that the two of them listened to her command, they would have to kill him before he could wake.
She herself wore an Aes Sedai's dress, and she held the tall blonde disguise she used when she didn't want to be either Accepted or novice nor show herself as Danelle, but she knew she was faltering. The knife wound was deep and it took almost all her effort to think it gone. A moment would be enough for Nynaeve to Heal it, but Aybara would strike quicker than that if he had any idea how weak she was. She gritted her teeth, held on.
Isam got to his feet, snarled and threw her a nasty look. "I said stay out of it."
"Later," she snapped. Darkness within, the man was stupid! She hadn't expected gratitude for saving him from the chasm, quite possibly he would've been able to work his way out -but it was also a possibility he wouldn't have. And while she wouldn't have shed a tear over him, any more than he would have if Aybara's knife had struck just a little deeper, the Dreamspike would've burned with him. It was not easy to destroy, but immersing it in boiling lava would do it.
Aybara struck at Isam. Again using a knife, he thought himself forward quicker than a man could move in the real world and struck out, and Isam had to move himself backward a few feet. Aybara was quick, and Isam left him too many openings. Distracted by her arrival? Or tiring after what obviously had been a long fight already? Either way she couldn't risk leaving them, not now she had seen how closely they were matched.
She thought the street under Aybara gone, and he stumbled as he fell a span before he repaired the hole and fell to his knees. Men were so obvious in using weapons, while there were so many other ways to attack here. But he learned quickly, too quickly, as she saw from the corner of her eye how one of the benches came shooting at her, trying to sweep her off her feet.
She stopped it and channeled lightning. It melted away in mid-air. Isam held a bow now, but that of course was folly. For someone as experienced with Tel'aran'rhiod as him, he did hold on to typical male ideas of weaponry. She prepared another weave, perhaps either one could hit while the other one distracted Aybara. A pity Isam was impossible to work with, would not willingly coordinate an attack, but even unwillingly they were two against one.
And then suddenly, weaves of Spirit and Aybara disappeared from the Dream. She glanced toward the girls.
Nynaeve knelt. "Forgive me, High Mistress. I shouldn't have, but it didn't seem to go too well."
Mesaana looked at her, took a deep breath. She had motioned to them to stay out of it and told them not to channel, but she'd also taken them along as back-up, and it was true she couldn't have held out much longer. Even now the wound in her side was throbbing. And compulsion to wake had been a creative move, one Aybara clearly hadn't expected and thus hadn't countered.
"Later," she snapped again. She would punish the girl for ignoring her command, even if it had worked, but not right now. She turned to Isam.
"And now, the Dreamspike."
"Graendal will want it back," he said.
So it had been Graendal who was behind this after all, even if she hadn't been the intended target.
"You brought it here, or allowed Aybara to do so, it is mine now."
"It would've been gone already if you hadn't interfered, and Aybara dead as was the plan," Isam argued. Argued, with her! The obstinate fool!
"Oh yes, because you were doing so well before I showed up. He might have been wounded, he was not dead yet, and a nightmare is unpredictable at best. And I'm sure it was exactly according to your plan that Aybara led you on a chase all the way here in the first place." Sarcasm dripped off her voice. "It's your failure, and you explain to Graendal why you lost the Dreamspike. Give it to me. Now."
She held out her hand and reluctantly, quite reluctantly, he took the pouch from his belt and handed it to her. The same second, he was gone.
There was no way to know if he was really gone, or if he had only moved a little and was still watching her, ready to strike if she showed weakness. But she couldn't, couldn't hold out longer. She clutched her side, doubled over, breathing hard as she sank down on the bench Aybara had swiped at her and which had ended up conveniently nearby.
Nynaeve came forward, walking two steps and then appearing beside her. The girl was learning. Then the cold tingle of Healing flooded through her, and Mesaana breathed more easily.
"Take the Dreamspike far enough into the country so the dome no longer stops Travel to and from the Tower," she instructed the girls as she handed the pouch to Egwene. "Ward it heavily. I will retrieve it to our world later."
She was just too tired to instruct the girls how to do that without knowing the key. Isam could find it without any trouble of course, but since he had given it up to her, she didn't think he would. He would have to know she'd be after him in a flash if it were gone. Would Graendal dare try? The woman had to know her plan, whatever it had been, had failed, and she would be held accountable for anything that failure had brought about. She wouldn't be as stupid as to try to retrieve the Dreamspike and make things even worse.
And even if she did, Mesaana realized she couldn't do anything about it, not now. She could hardly keep herself from swaying.
"After moving the Dreamspike, return to the Tower. Tell Sheriam what happened here. Only her. No one else needs to know I was injured," Mesaana said. "I do not think Aybara recognized either of you, but be prepared to receive him or a messenger with a warning that I am in Tar Valon. Sheriam will have to decide what to do depending on who shows up."
Egwene and Nynaeve nodded, acknowledging her orders.
"Go," she said, and it came out barely audible.
"I should check on you in the Tower," Nynaeve said.
"No." That came out more forcefully again. No one, not even Sheriam, knew her disguise in the White Tower. Sheriam she thought she could trust, but none other. And she would be fine with rest.
With a deep curtsy, the two girls disappeared, the dome shifting with them. Mesaana allowed herself to return to her body, and immediately slipped into a normal sleep.
-0-
Sheriam waited in her anteroom with Saerin. Arinvar was just outside, he had felt her concern and was now guarding the door. For all the good that would do, the one who used a Dreamspike would likely be someone who could channel. Miyasi was with him, but Sheriam felt better when Yukiri returned with Dawn, and they also took up post outside.
Waiting always seemed to take long, but Sheriam knew well enough this was a distorted feeling, and it had not in truth been very long at all when she felt, then saw, the Eye wink and the gateway open. But the flash of relief at the fact that Travelling obviously worked again was brief when she looked at the gateway and saw the scene on the other side.
"Sheriam, please help, it's Gawyn!" Egwene was sitting on the floor next to the unmoving body of the young man, the glow of Saidar around her and blood staining her dress. Blood staining everything, really. Just at a glance Sheriam saw four more bodies, three in black and one in the white of the Tower guard. Three in black? Darkness within, they'd never even considered the possibility they were dealing with more than one assassin.
"Saerin, get the Yellow. Dagdara, and Nynaeve if she is awake," Sheriam ordered.
Nynaeve was the strongest of them but Dagdara still had more experience. She stepped through into Egwene's room and knelt down.
Gawyn was breathing, but barely. He had a deep wound in his side, and more cuts in his leg and shoulder. Egwene had tied off the gateway and now channeled Healing weaves, but the wounds were too deep for her skill, and Sheriam knew neither Egwene's nor her own limited talent at Healing would be near enough for this. Not even with the cup ter'angreal, but she took it out of her pouch anyhow and handed it to Egwene. It might just keep him alive long enough for Dagdara and Nynaeve to get here.
It was only moments later the two Healers entered. First Nynaeve, still in her shift, then Dagdara, her dress hastily done up with half the buttons lose. Sheriam stepped back to give the two sisters room, but even as she did and Nynaeve, who had been the first into the room, laid her hands on him, she saw Gawyn's body go limp. Egwene gasped and Nynaeve cursed, but Dagdara knelt down and channeled.
"He's dead. I felt him die," Nynaeve said, her voice catching as she looked at Egwene.
"We may still save him. Help me out here," Dagdara said, all the while concentrating on her weaves.
"You can heal death?" Nynaeve asked, incredulously.
"His heart has stopped but there is no permanent damage, not this soon. Quick, Nynaeve, use your Healing on that large wound in his side," Dagdara instructed. She spotted the cup Egwene held, took it and handed it to Nynaeve.
Nynaeve looked baffled but she channeled and the wound started to close. When it was fully closed, only moments later, Dagdara leaned forward.
"Now let go of him," she told Nynaeve and Egwene.
Both did so, Egwene with a look of anguish on her face, but she did not speak nor protest in any way. As Dagdara reached out and put her hands on Gawyn's chest, Egwene's expression showed a little hope.
Dagdara channeled Earth, Water and Spirit in narrow flows, pulsing regular as a heartbeat. They were strong, shocking pulses and Dagdara flinched at each one, but after a few of them Gawyn gasped as he started breathing again.
"You can start or stop the heart by channeling exactly there," Dagdara explained. "Block the pulse that makes it contract and it will stop, send it a pulse and it will start again. Usually. And only if the death is very recent."
She looked at Nynaeve. "Don't ever use it on someone whose heart has stopped more than a few minutes before, only in extreme cold you may have a little longer. If you use it on someone who's been dead too long, well, most often it just won't work and that is if you're lucky. Sometimes the heart can start but the mind is gone beyond what can be Healed, and the person is nothing more than a mindless shell for the rest of his life. That's also why you should not use it or speak of this in front of any not of the Black -officially, the risk is considered too great and the weave is strictly forbidden."
She Delved Gawyn. "He is still very weak, he has lost much blood. Perhaps too much."
Nynaeve also Delved, then bit her lip as she looked at the carpet. Her shift was soaking up the blood, as was Dagdara's yellow dress.
"I'm surprised he has any blood left," she said.
Gawyn's breathing was shallow and he was very pale, had hardly regained any color when Dagdara had restarted his heart.
"There is no way to replenish the blood, is there?" Egwene asked. She tried to sound hopeful but the tremor in her voice said she suspected what the answer would be.
"No," Dagdara replied. "The only thing we can do is try to keep him alive long enough for his body to make the blood he needs."
Gawyn's breathing grew more irregular and Nynaeve channeled. The breathing became more even again but remained very shallow. Nynaeve sat back.
"There is one way to give him strength," she said. She looked at Egwene, then at Sheriam.
"Will it be enough?" Sheriam asked. She had watched silently, not shocked by Dagdara's Healing. She had known of the weaves, even if she had never seen them used before. As far as she was concerned, the ban on the weave was another of many examples of the over-cautious, restrictive rules the Aes Sedai had set for themselves.
"He is weak but hanging on this long, with the bond he should live," Dagdara stated.
Nynaeve nodded agreement.
Egwene looked at Sheriam, pleading. "Please, let me save him."
Sheriam considered. She knew Egwene cared deeply for Gawyn but she could not decide by that alone. How big was the risk? Egwene could control him through the bond, at worst he would have to be sent off, and he had been gone from the Tower at other times. A nuisance, no more. If he died, that might raise questions too, from his sister Elayne at the very least. And they owed him, for somehow, these three assassins had gotten past all of Egwene's wards. She nodded.
"Go ahead."
Egwene channeled, the flows of Spirit settling into Gawyn. As soon as she was done, his breathing grew stronger and more even, and a bit of color returned to his skin. Egwene sighed in relief, and only now tears started to leak down her face. Dagdara and Nynaeve both Delved him, but it was not really necessary. They all knew he would live.
Sheriam looked around at the carnage around them. Apart from the dead -two were women, Sheriam noticed with a frown- several things were knocked to the floor. The bed curtains were torn down, the lamp had been knocked over and spilled its oil. And blood was everywhere.
"This will take some time to clean up," she said. "The royal apartments in the guest quarters will do for tonight."
She turned towards the others who had followed Dagdara and Nynaeve and had watched them as they worked on Gawyn. "Dawn, Miyasi, see Egwene and Gawyn installed in the guest quarters and keep a watch on the door for the rest of the night. Yukiri, check on Kwamesa and then go back on patrol. Saerin, get Chubain and the investigating sisters in here."
"Are you sure a guard is necessary?" Miyasi asked, glancing at the three black-clad bodies. "There can't be more than three."
It was unlikely, certainly Egwene had been their main target and they had all come here for the attempt on the Amyrlin. But she hadn't thought it possible for three assassins to hide in the Tower, if they had been able to do that, or had a way in and out, then perhaps there could be more.
"I sure hope not," she said, "But I'm not taking any chances. We've had enough surprises for one night."
"We must tell you what happened with the Dreamspike," Egwene said. She still sat on the floor with Gawyn. "In private?"
"I will do that," Nynaeve said. "There is no need for both of us to make the report."
Sheriam nodded. "In my anteroom. Everyone else get to work. Get the servants to clean up after Chubain and the residue-readers are done."
She stepped through Egwene's gateway with Nynaeve. Arinvar, who had hovered in the back with Dawn's Warders, followed her and she told him to wait outside, then Egwene untied the gateway and let it close. Sheriam wove a ward as she sat down at her desk, then listened as Nynaeve told her what had happened in Tel'aran'rhiod.
"You know Perrin Aybara," she said when Nynaeve had finished. "Will he come himself, or send a messenger?"
Nynaeve shook her head. "I don't know. If the Dreamspike was part of a larger attack on his army, well, he won't leave his men alone. And he was wounded, he will be weakened after Healing. He may send Grady or Neald. If so, I can help, they will trust me after I Healed their Madness. But Grady holds a bond, not an Aes Sedai but his wife. I don't think she will raise an alarm, she must be used to feeling him in danger all the time, like last night and he has been in battles before. But I don't know all that much about the situation in the Black Tower. And Annoura, Seonid and Masuri are the Aes Sedai with him, of course."
Sheriam nodded. "One of them might come also, Seonid or Masuri more likely than Annoura, she is still Berelain's advisor first, even if the Mayener follows Aybara now. What about the Wise One who can Travel?"
"Not likely," Nynaeve said. "Not even with Egwene on the Amyrlin Seat. If one of the Wise Ones send warning, they will try to do so through the Dream rather than in person, and after our run-in with Slayer, Egwene will shield her dreams heavily."
Sheriam nodded again. "Of course. If Neald or Grady comes I will have you called, but no hurry. Remember we aren't supposed to know of any emergency, and while an embassy from Aybara will be received cordially, he or she can and will be made to wait for a short while."
Nynaeve looked surprised, she hadn't thought of that. Sheriam reminded herself while the young woman was strong and had connections all over, like Egwene, she had less experience in subterfuge.
"Then get some rest. Dismissed," Sheriam told her.
-0-
A short while later Nisain and Akkarin came in with their report. The mystery of how the assassins had come past the wards was solved by the discovery of one of the Tower maids who had been trapped in the hall just outside Egwene's door, sent to her room as a decoy. The body of another guardsman had been found there, too.
What puzzled Sheriam was that the assassins could not have known Egwene was in Tel'aran'rhiod and would not be awakened by the wards, but between the three of them they would have been in the advantage regardless whether Egwene had come out to see who had triggered the trap, like she had the previous night when Gawyn had set it off, or if she had remained inside and they'd have to come to her.
Akkarin showed her the strange rings the three had worn, clearly ter'angreal, but what they did she did not know. Akkarin did not dare wear them, shuddered even as she touched them. She would show them to the other Brown and to those who had worked on replicating ter'angreal the next day.
However they had done it, it was a bold move, especially after their failed attempt the evening before. The more she thought about it, the less she liked it, and Sheriam increased patrols of Warders, guardsmen and sisters. Then she went to her quarters to get what sleep she could.
-0-
Which was very little, because it was still dark when she felt the call rod and saw it was Egwene who had called her.
She traveled directly to the Royal guest quarters, where Gawyn had woken. He was telling Egwene what he had learned about the assassins, and in spite of being very weak, he was arguing about the fact that Egwene had apparently ordered him to wait with his tale until she arrived.
Giving her a dark frown, he did not even return her greeting but quickly and urgently told them what he had learned in Caemlyn. So the assassins had been Seanchan! Hearing what he had learned from the Seanchan sul'dam, Sheriam cursed herself for being so negligent. She had thought briefly to interrogate the damane and sul'dam captured in the raid, to learn their weaves and their plans, but in the rush of the turnings it had been forgotten. And that while the Seanchan had captured some sisters who could Travel! Careless, that's what it was, and the fact that she had been extremely busy was no excuse.
At least Gawyn finally solved the question of how three assassins could have walked through the Tower unnoticed. He described the effect of the ter'angreal rings, the way the shadow the assassin was in seemed to resist being looked at, seemed deeper than it should be. Sheriam was very glad Akkarin had been careful and had not tried wearing one of those cursed things.
As soon as Gawyn finished his report, Sheriam increased the patrols, sending sisters, Warders and soldiers all through the Tower to check it for suspicious shadows everywhere. And it paid off. Only an hour later, Saerin and Chubain reported they had found a fourth assassin. A woman also, she had been discovered by two of Chubain's soldiers and had killed one, wounded the other, before she was taken by Elin and Jennet. Captured, not killed. Elin and Jennet were both turned, and perhaps not as quick to use deadly force as a Black sister would have been.
But it was fortunate too, because a quick question and a weave of compulsion, and the woman told them where the last member of their group was. Five! Five where they had expected one.
The last was a man, who was killed by Irna when they found him, without getting the chance to kill or injure anyone else. He had tried to attack, Irna said. Sheriam didn't know whether that was true or said only for the sake of the guardsmen present, who still believed an Aes Sedai could not kill unless her life was directly in danger, but honestly she did not care. They had the woman prisoner to interrogate in the morning, Irna had at least a little revenge for Kateri, and the man would have been executed regardless after what he'd done.
Sheriam had the remaining Bloodknife stripped of all items, searched and thrown into one of the cells. The assassin heavily guarded, she told the patrols to stand down.
It was too late to go back to sleep, and all she did was wash up and change into a fresh dress before getting an early breakfast. Then she ordered Dawn and Saerin to bring the last surviving Bloodknife and the most senior of the sul'dam to Egwene's study. Egwene herself was not there, she still remained in the guest quarters with Gawyn, who would need more rest today.
She sat down in Egwene's seat, the two Seanchan women standing in front of the desk, the two sisters and Dawn's Warders beside them. Both were securely held by the Power, arms tight against their body, their legs tied with just enough room so they could shuffle, and they were gagged. More guards were outside, but Sheriam wanted to interrogate these two without Chubain or anyone who was not a Black or turned present. She didn't plan to stick too closely to Tower law.
The sul'dam tried to look contemptuous and defiant, but was clearly unnerved. The Bloodknife woman was more confident, and glared at them with hatred in her eyes.
"It is no use, I will not tell you anything," the Bloodknife hissed as soon as her gag was removed. "I will die first."
Sheriam re-wove the compulsion without even bothering to reply. Strong weaves, she did not care what it did to the woman's mind. The Seanchan had killed four Aes Sedai, not to mention the three guardsmen. After they were sure she had told everything they needed to know, the Bloodknife would be executed.
"Who sent you, and what are their plans?" she asked.
"The Empress sent me, Aes Sedai," the woman answered promptly. "She wanted to take as many Marath'damane as possible in the raid, of course, but she charged me and the other four Bloodknives with killing the Amyrlin, as well as any others we could get at, afterwards. I think she expected to take more captive, but we tried to follow her orders regardless. Marath'damane are not allowed to remain free."
The sul'dam's eyes bulged as the Bloodknife spoke so readily, so suddenly after her defiance.
"What did you do to her?" she stuttered.
She did not seem to recognize the weave, and the Bloodknife, so highly trained in combat according to Gawyn, put not even a trace of resistance up against it, did the Seanchan not know it?
Sheriam wove similar weaves on the sul'dam -more carefully, the woman was not sentenced to death and sul'dam could be turned- and asked. "It is called compulsion. Do the damane not have it?"
The sul'dam did try to resist, but in vain.
"No, Aes Sedai," she replied after only a moment's hesitation. "Of course not. It would be dangerous. No one would want a damane to control anyone else, even through a sul'dam."
Yes, that was how the Seanchan would think! Sheriam filed that bit of information away and turned back to the Bloodknife.
"The Empress, who is she and where does she reside?"
"Empress Fortuona Athaem Devi Paendrag, may she live forever, resides at the Tarasin Palace in Ebou Dar," the woman answered.
"What do you know of her plans?"
"She will certainly strike again. We were supposed to weaken the Tower, but even if she learns we have failed, she will not leave this many marath'damane unleashed."
"When?"
"That I do not know. I only know my instructions. No doubt the Empress, may she live forever, is planning the strike with the information she has learned from those she captured."
Even under compulsion, the woman managed to sound scornful about this point -she knew it had been more than a week since the raid and the sul'dam was only now being questioned. Well, she couldn't know what else they had accomplished. Sheriam pushed the self-berating thoughts away, they were of no help.
"Do you know anything of her plans?" she asked the sul'dam.
"Just that she will strike, and strike much harder than before. Those who returned will have informed her of the defenses the Tower has, and if anyone who was taken has this weave of slicing the air," -they had brought the two women here by gateway rather than making them march through the halls- "I am surprised they are not here already."
And Elaida did. Nor was she the kind of woman who would hold out long when leashed. Sheriam hoped Mesaana would be able to retrieve the Dreamspike and find the key for it, they needed it, and soon! Or they would have to strike against the Seanchan fist.
"Tell me more about the Emrpess," she ordered the Bloodknife.
The woman did, and Sheriam listened. It was interesting, especially the fact that she was also sul'dam. That meant she too could be turned. If they could take her, which would be difficult, far more difficult than any they had taken until now. And if they couldn't even fully trust someone like Lelaine, how much would the turning help with the Seanchan Empress?
Sheriam interrupted the woman as she carried on about the Empress' feats and background.
"So she is currently at the Tarasin Palace?"
The woman nodded. "Yes, Aes Sedai."
"And do you know the place?"
"Not well, I was only there to receive my orders," the Bloodknife replied.
"You?" Sheriam turned to the sul'dam.
The resistance was greater now, but the answer came, albeit reluctant. "Yes."
So they did have a chance to plan a raid. That was not something she wanted to do alone, though.
"Mesaana needs to hear this," Sheriam said.
She hadn't told anyone what had happened, only that Mesaana was not available right then. But the Chosen should be up before too long.
"Return the Bloodknife to the cells. Keep her away from anyone else, and guard her closely."
She added a little to the compulsion, a will to live, so she could not commit suicide rather than continue to betray her people, just in case she did come out of it far enough to realize what was being done to her. She tied off the weaves, then looked at the sul'dam.
"Turn her, but keep her tied and guarded. It may make her marginally more cooperative, but the Seanchan way of thinking runs deep, and likely her way of serving the Great Lord would be to see us leashed and handed over to some Seanchan Friend of the Dark. Also, in the morning, see to it that the other sul'dam and damane are turned, and see what you can learn of their weaves. Get Cheryl to help, Saerin too."
Dawn nodded. The sul'dam -Sheriam had not bothered to ask her name, nor did she care to know it- tried hard to hide her fear but even so a gasp escaped her as the Black sister opened a gateway to Malkier and hauled her through with flows of Air. The Bloodknife had her emotions better under control and showed nothing as she was led off through Seanchan's gateway to the cells.
-0-
In spite of the hour, Sheriam had barely started on the reports of the day when an Accepted came in with a message.
"There is an Asha'man to see the Amyrlin, Sheriam Sedai."
That was quick. "Did he leave his name, or state his business?" she asked.
"He gave his name as Fager Neald, but he did not say what he wanted. Only that he wanted to speak to the Amyrlin and that it was urgent."
Sheriam nodded, then sent the girl to fetch Nynaeve. Opening a gateway to Malkier, she told the circle there to remain at hand for another person, then she let it close and waited for Nynaeve to arrive. It took a little while, but it was still early and likely she had still been asleep after the visit to Tel'aran'rhiod. Egwene had not yet arrived either, and Sheriam channeled into the callrod. Soon both women were present, Egwene alone while Gawyn rested, Nynaeve with Lan waiting outside in the hall. Sheriam told them Neald had come.
"How strong a channeler is he?" she asked Nynaeve.
"Almost all the men are strong, at least those Rand had gathered around him. But he is not the strongest among them. We should be able to keep him shielded," Nynaeve replied.
"The two of you shield him, and use this," Sheriam said, handing Nynaeve the sa'angreal rod. "I will knock him out just to be sure. I won't take any risks with one of the Asha'man."
The Red might be over the top with their mistrust of all men, and the Taint and madness was gone, but she still felt a little uneasy around a man who could channel, and it was unnerving that they had no way to gauge their strength.
When she was sure the two young women knew their tasks, she sent for Neald.
The Asha'man looked wary as he came in, frowned at her when she went with him into Egwene's study, but visibly relaxed when he saw Nynaeve. He greeted her cordially, and that was as far as he got. It really was quite simple to take those who came here of their own accord, and who knew and trusted some of those who were taken before! If only there was some way to summon this Empress of the Seanchan. But she would not come, had received the Dragon at her palace as Nynaeve had told, but had also made it clear she did not want to negotiate.
At least they had the first Asha'man. Sheriam saw them off, remaining in Tar Valon herself rather than leaving both her anteroom and Egwene's study unattended. They had to do that too often already, and each time increased the chances that someone would drop by and wonder where they had all gone. At some point she would need an assistant, someone to watch her door when she went off on Black Ajah business. Siuan had been useful for the brief while after she had been turned, even with her abrasive manner.
Nynaeve and Egwene returned quite quickly. Keeping in mind how smoothly things went whenever someone came here, Sheriam instructed Neald to bring the other channelers in Aybara's camp in. The Amyrlin had enough reason to request an audience with the Aes Sedai, and they used the excuse of wanting to learn more about the men before the Final Battle as a reason to request Grady's presence if he could be missed at any time. Only for the Wise Ones Egwene could not think of a valid reason to request an audience in the waking world. She would normally visit them in the Dream, and to request a meeting anywhere else would rouse suspicion.
The Asha'man was most concerned about Aybara's ta'veren influence, and Sheriam told him how the Great Lord's touch had protected them during the Dragon's visit. She was not sure it would be enough while he was in close contact with Aybara all the time, but it would have to do. She knew how dangerous the Two Rivers man was, had known he was a problem before last night. She would have preferred to avoid a confrontation with him but this close to the Last Battle that was no longer an option.