〃Well； I am not hungry；〃 Nynaeve snapped； trying to ignore the hollow in her middle。 Everything cost considerably more than she had expected； she had heard local people plaining about how prices had risen since the Seanchan came。 〃Give me one of those。〃 The apple Elayne dug out of her pocket was small and hard； but it crunched with a delicious sweetness when Nynaeve bit into it。 She licked the juice from her lips。 〃How did you manage to … 〃 She jerked Elayne to a halt and peered into her face。 〃Did you 。。。 ？ Did you 。。。 ？〃 She could not think of a way to say it with so many streaming by； but Elayne understood。
〃Only a little。 I made that stack of old melons with the soft spots fall； and when he started putting them back 。。。〃 She did not even have the grace； as Nynaeve saw it； to blush or look embarrassed。 Unconcernedly eating one of the apples； she shrugged。 〃There is no need to frown at me like that。 I looked carefully to make sure there was no damane close。〃 She sniffed。 〃If I were being held prisoner； I would not help my captors find other women to enslave。 Although； the way these Falmen behave； you would think they were lifelong servants of those who should be their enemies to the death。〃 She looked around； openly contemptuous； at the people hurrying by； it was possible to follow the path of any Seanchan； even mon soldiers and even at a distance； by the ripples of bowing。 〃They should resist。 They should fight back。〃
〃How？ Against 。。。 that。〃
They had to step to the side of the street along with everyone else as a Seanchan patrol neared； climbing from the direction of the harbor。 Nynaeve managed the bow； hands on knees； with face schooled to a perfect smoothness； Elayne was slower； and made her bow with a distasteful twist of her mouth。
There were twenty armored men and women in the patrol； riding horses； for which Nynaeve was grateful。 She could not bee used to seeing people riding things that looked like bronze…scaled； tailless cats； and a rider on one of the flying beasts was always enough to make her feel dizzy； she was glad there were so few of them。 Still； two leashed creatures trotted along with the patrol； like wingless birds with coarse leather skin； and sharp beaks higher above the cobblestones than the helmeted heads of the soldier。 Their long； sinewy legs looked as if they could run faster than any horse。
She straightened slowly after the Seanchan were gone。 Some of those who had bowed for the patrol came close to running； no one was fortable at the sight of the Seanchan's beasts except the Seanchan themselves。 〃Elayne；〃 she said softly as they resumed their climb； 〃if we are caught； I swear that before they kill us； or do whatever they do； I will beg them on bended knees to let me stripe you from top to bottom with the stoutest switch I can find！ If you still can't learn to be careful； maybe it's time to think about sending you back to Tar Valon； or home to Caemlyn； or anywhere but here。〃
〃I am careful。 At least I looked to be sure there was no damane close by。 What about you？ I have seen you channel with one in plain sight。〃
〃I made sure they weren't looking at me；〃 Nynaeve muttered。 She had had to ball up all her anger at women being chained like animals to manage it。 〃And I only did it once。 And it was only a trickle。〃
〃A trickle？ We had to spend three days hiding in our room breathing fish while they searched the town for whoever had done it。 Do you call that being careful？〃
〃I had to know if there was a way to unfasten those collars。〃 She thought there was。 She would have to test one more collar at least before she was certain； and she was not looking forward to it。 She had thought； like Elayne； that the damane must all be prisoners eager to escape； but it had been the woman in the collar who raised the cry。
A man pushing a barrow that bumped over the cobblestones passed by them； crying his services to sharpen scissors and knives。 〃They should resist； somehow；〃 Elayne growled。 〃They act as if they do not see anything that happens around them if there's a Seanchan in it。〃
Nynaeve only sighed。 It did not help that she thought Elayne was at least partly right。 At first she had thought some of the Falmen submission； at least； must be a pose； but she had found no evidence of any resistance at all。 She had looked at first； hoping to find help in freeing Egwene and Min； but everyone took fright at the merest hint that they might oppose the Seanchan； and she stopped asking before she drew the wrong sort of attention。 In truth； she could not imagine how the people could fight。 Monsters and Aes Sedai。 How can you fight monsters and Aes Sedai？
Ahead stood five tall stone houses； among the largest in the town； all together making up a block。 One street short of them； Nynaeve found an alleyway beside a tailor shop； where they could keep an eye on some of the tall houses' entrances； at least。 It was not possible to see every door at once…she did not want to risk letting Elayne go off on her own to watch more…but it was not wise to go any closer。 Above the rooftops； on the next street； the golden hawk banner of the High Lord Turak flapped in the wind。
Only women went in or out of those houses； and most of those were sul'dam； alone or with damane in tow。 The buildings had been taken over by the Seanchan to house the damane。 Egwene had to be in there； and likely Min； they had found no sign of Min so far； though it was possible she was as hidden by the crowds as they。 Nynaeve had heard many tales of women and girls being seized on the streets or brought in from the villages； they all went into those houses； and if they were seen again； they wore a collar。
Settling herself on a crate beside Elayne； she dug into the other woman's coat for a handful of the small apples。 There were fewer local folk in the streets here。 Everyone knew what the houses were； and everyone avoided them； just as they avoided the stables where the Seanchan kept their beasts。 It was not difficult to keep an eye on the doors through spaces between the passersby。 Just two women stopping for a bite； just two more people who could not afford to eat at an inn。 Nothing to attract more than a passing glance。
Eating mechanically； Nynaeve tried once more to plan。 Being able to open the collar … if she really could … did no good at all unless she could reach Egwene。 The apples did not taste so sweet anymore。
From the narrow window of her tiny room under the eaves； one of a number roughly walled together from whatever had been there before； Egwene could see the garden where damane were being walked by their sul'dam。 It had been several gardens before the Seanchan knocked down the walls that separated them and took the big houses to keep their damane。 The trees were all but leafless； but the damane were still taken out for air； whether they wanted it or not。 Egwene watched the garden because Renna was down there； talking with another sul'dam； and as long as she could see Renna； then Renna was not going to enter and surprise her。
Some other sul'dam might e … there were many more sul'dam than damane； and every sul'dam wanted her turn wearing a bracelet； they called it being plete … but Renna still had charge of her training； and it was Renna who wore her bracelet four times out of five。 If anyone came； they would find no impediment to entering。 There were no locks on the doors of damane's rooms。 Egwene's room held only a hard； narrow bed； a washstand with a chipped pitcher and bowl； one chair and a small table； but it had no room for more。 Damane had no need of fort； or privacy； or possessions。 Damane were possessions。 Min had a room just like this； in another house； but Min could e and go as she would； or almost as she would。 Seanchan were great ones for rules； they had more； for everyone； than the White Tower did for novices。
Egwene stood far back from the window。 She did not want any of the women below to look up and see the glow that she knew surrounded her as she channeled the One Power； probing delicately at the collar around her neck； searching futilely； she could not even tell whether the band was woven or made of l