The Gathering Storm

Beldeine flushed slightly—one noticed these things, if one spent a lot of time with Aes Sedai. They did have emotional reactions, they were just subtle. Unless, of course, the Aes Sedai in question was Nynaeve. Although she’d grown better at controlling her emotions, she . . . well, she was still Nynaeve.

Beldeine said, “I simply think that the child is amusing in the way she pokes through those tomes, as if she were a scholar.”

Min would have taken that as a challenge from most people, but from Beldeine, the words were matter-of-fact.

Cadsuane turned another page. “I see. Min, what was it you were saying to me?”

“Nothing important, Cadsuane Sedai.”

“I didn’t ask if it was important, girl,” Cadsuane said briskly. “I asked you to repeat yourself. Out with it.”

Min sighed. Nobody could humiliate one more soundly than an Aes Sedai, for they did it without malice. Moiraine had explained it to Min once in simple terms: Most Aes Sedai felt it was important to establish control when there was no great conflict, so that if a crisis did happen, people would know where to look.

It was very frustrating.

“I said,” Min repeated, “that a passage is wrong. I’m reading commentary on the Karaethon Cycle. Sajius claims that this line about the three becoming one speaks of the unification of three kingdoms beneath the Dragon’s banner. But I think he’s wrong.”

“And why,” Cadsuane said, “is it that you think you know more than a respected scholar of the prophecies?”

“Because,” Min said, bristling, “the theory doesn’t make sense. Rand only really holds one crown. There might have been a good argument here if he hadn’t given away Tear to Darlin. But the theory doesn’t hold any longer. I think the passage refers to some way he has to use Callandor.”

“I see,” Cadsuane said, turning yet another page in her own book. “That is a very unconventional interpretation.” Beldeine smiled thinly, turning back to her embroidery. “Of course,” Cadsuane added, “you are quite right.”

Min looked up.

“It was that very passage that led me to investigate Callandor” Cadsuane continued. “Through a great deal of searching I discovered that the sword could only be used properly in a circle of three. That is likely the ultimate meaning of the passage.”

“But that would imply that Rand had to use Callandor in a circle sometime,” Min said, looking at the passage again. He’d never done so, as far as she knew.

“It would,” Cadsuane said.

Min felt a sudden thrill. A hint, perhaps. Something that Rand didn’t know, that might help him! Except . . . Cadsuane had already known it. So Min hadn’t discovered anything of real import after all.

“I should think,” Cadsuane said, “that an acknowledgment is due. Bad manners are not to be tolerated, after all.”

Beldeine looked up from her needlework, face dark. Then, unexpectedly, she stood and left the room. Her Warder, the youthful Asha’man Soldier Karldin, followed quickly from the side chamber, crossing the room with the Aes Sedai and following Beldeine out into the hallway outside. Cadsuane gave a sniff, then turned back to her book.

The door closed, and Nynaeve eyed Min before returning to her pacing. Min could read a lot in that glance. Nynaeve was annoyed that nobody else seemed nervous. She was frustrated that they hadn’t found some way to listen in on Rand and Tarn’s conversation. And she was obviously terrified for Lan. Min understood. She felt similarly about Rand.

And . . . what was that vision that was suddenly hovering above Nynaeve’s head? She was kneeling over someone’s corpse in a posture of grief. The viewing was gone a moment later.

Min shook her head. That hadn’t been a viewing she could interpret, so she let it pass. She couldn’t waste her time trying to unravel all of those. For instance, the black knife that spun around Beldeine’s head recently could mean anything.

She focused on the book. So ... Rand was to use Callandor

as part of a circle, then? The three becoming one? But for what reason and with whom? If he was to fight the Dark One, then it didn’t make sense for him to be in a circle with someone else in control, did it?

“Cadsuane,” she said. “This is still wrong. There’s more here. Something we haven’t discovered.”

“About Callandor?” the woman asked.

Min nodded.

“I suspect so as well,” Cadsuane replied. How odd to hear her being frank! “But I haven’t been able to determine what. If only that fool boy would revoke my exile, we could get on with more important—”

The door to Cadsuanes room slammed open, causing Merise to jump in shock. Nynaeve hopped back from the door—it had nearly hit her.

Standing in the doorway was a very angry Tarn al’Thor. He glared at Cadsuane. “What have you done to him?” he demanded.

Cadsuane lowered her book. “I have done nothing to the boy, other than to encourage him toward civility. Something, it seems, other members of the family could learn as well.”