h to be the third to lose the stole and the staff； Moiraine。 For you； of course； it would mean being stilled and put outside the Shining Walls。〃
〃Elaida； for one； would never let me off so easily。〃 Moiraine watched her friend's back intently。 Light； what has e over her？ She has never been like this before。 Where is her strength； her fire？ 〃But it will not e to that； Siuan。〃
The other woman went on as if she had not spoken。 〃For me； it would be different。 Even stilled； an Amyrlin who has been pulled down cannot be allowed to wander about loose； she might be seen as a martyr； bee a rallying point for opposition。 Tetsuan and Bonwhin were kept in the White Tower as servants。 Scullery maids； who could be pointed to as cautions as to what can happen to the mightiest。 No one can rally around a woman who must scrub floors and pots all day。 Pity her； yes； but not rally to her。〃
Eyes blazing； Moiraine leaned her fists on the table。 〃Look at me； Siuan。 Look at me！ Are you saying that you want to give up； after all these years； after all we have done？ Give up； and let the world go？ And all for fear of a switching for not getting the pots clean enough！〃 She put into it all the scorn she could summon； and was relieved when her friend spun to face her。 The strength was still there； strained but still there。 Those clear blue eyes were as hot with anger as her own。
〃I remember which of the two of us squealed the loudest when we were switched as novices。 You had lived a soft life in Cairhien； Moiraine。 Not like working a fishing boat。〃 Abruptly Siuan slapped the table with a loud crack。 〃No； I am not suggesting giving up； but neither do I propose to watch everything slide out of our hands while I can do nothing！ Most of my troubles with the Hall stem from you。 Even the Greens wonder why I haven't called you to the Tower and taught you a little discipline。 Half the sisters with me think you should be handed over to the Reds； and if that happens； you will wish you were a novice again； with nothing worse to look forward to than a switching。 Light！ If any of them remember we were friends as novices； I'd be there beside you。
〃We had a plan！ A plan； Moiraine！ Locate the boy and bring him to Tar Valon； where we could hide him； keep him safe and guide him。 Since you left the Tower； I have had only two messages from you。 Two！ I feel as if I'm trying to sail the Fingers of the Dragon in the dark。 One message to say you were entering the Two Rivers； going to this village； this Emond's Field。 Soon； I thought。 He's found； and she'll have him in hand soon。 Then word from Caemlyn to say you were ing to Shienar； to Fal Dara； not Tar Valon。 Fal Dara； with the Blight almost close enough to touch。 Fal Dara； where Trollocs raid and Myrddraal ride as near every day as makes no difference。 Nearly twenty years of planning and searching； and you toss all our plans practically in the Dark One's face。 Are you mad？〃
Now that she had stirred life in the other woman； Moiraine returned to outward calm； herself。 Calm； but firm insistence； too。 〃The Pattern pays no heed to human plans； Siuan。 With all our scheming； we forgot what we were dealing with。 Ta'veren。 Elaida is wrong。 Artur Paendrag Tanreall was never this strongly ta'veren。 The Wheel will weave the Pattern around this young man as it wills； whatever our plans。〃
The anger left Amyrlin's face； replaced by white…faced shock。 〃It sounds as if you are saying we might as well give up。 Do you now suggest standing aside and watching the world burn？〃
〃No； Siuan。 Never standing aside。〃 Yet the world will burn； Siuan； one way or another； whatever we do。 You could never see that。 〃But we must now realize that our plans are precarious things。 We have even less control than we thought。 Perhaps only a fingernail's grip。 The winds of destiny are blowing； Siuan； and we must ride them where they take us。〃
The Amyrlin shivered as if she felt those winds icy on the back of her neck。 Her hands went to the flattened cube of gold； blunt； capable fingers finding precise points in the plex designs。 Cunningly balanced； the top lifted back to reveal a curled； golden horn nestled within a space designed to hold it。 She lifted the instrument and traced the flowing silver script； in the Old Tongue； inlaid around the flaring mouth。
〃'The grave is no bar to my call；'〃 she translated； so softly she seemed to be speaking to herself。 〃The Horn of Valere； made to call dead heroes back from the grave。 And prophecy said it would only be found just in time for the Last Battle。〃 Abruptly she thrust the Horn back into its niche and closed the lid as if she could no longer bear the sight of it。 〃Agelmar pushed it into my hands as soon as the Wele was done。 He said he was afraid to go into his own strongroom any longer； with it there。 The temptation was too great； he said。 To sound the Horn himself and lead the host that answered its call north through the Blight to level Shayol Ghul itself and put an end to the Dark One。 He burned with the ecstasy of glory； and it was that； he said； that told him it was not to be him； must not be him。 He could not wait to be rid of it； yet he wanted it still。〃
Moiraine nodded。 Agelmar was familiar with the Prophecy of the Horn； most who fought the Dark One were。 〃'Let whosoever sounds me think not of glory； but only of salvation。 '〃
〃Salvation。〃 The Amyrlin laughed bitterly。 〃From the look in Agelmar's eyes； he didn't know whether he was giving away salvation or rejecting the condemnation of his own soul。 He only knew he had to be rid of it before it burned him up。 He has tried to keep it secret； but he says there are rumors in the keep already。 I do not feel his temptation； yet the Horn still makes my skin crawl。 He will have to take it back into his strongroom until I leave。 I could not sleep with it even in the next room。〃 She rubbed frown lines from her forehead and sighed。 〃And it was not to be found until just before the Last Battle。 Can it be that close？ I thought； hoped； we would have more time。〃
〃The Karaethon Cycle。〃
〃Yes； Moiraine。 You do not have to remind me。 I've lived with the Prophecies of the Dragon as long as you。〃 The Amyrlin shook her head。 〃Never more than one false Dragon in a generation since the Breaking； and now three loose in the world at one time； and three more in the past two years。 The Pattern demands a Dragon because the Pattern weaves toward Tarmon Gai'don。 Sometimes doubt fills me； Moiraine。〃 She said it musingly； as if wondering at it； and went on in the same tone。 〃What if Logain was the one？ He could channel； before the Reds brought him to the White Tower； and we gentled him。 So can Mazrim Taim； the man in Saldaea。 What if it is him？ There are sisters in Saldaea already； he may be taken by now。 What if we have been wrong since the start？ What happens if the Dragon Reborn is gentled before the Last Battle even begins？ Even prophecy can fail if the one prophesied is slain or gentled。 And then we face the Dark One naked to the storm。〃
〃Neither of them is the one； Siuan。 The Pattern does not demand a Dragon； but the one true Dragon。 Until he proclaims himself； the Pattern will continue to throw up false Dragons； but after that there will be no others。 If Logain or the other were the one； there would be no others。〃
〃'For he shall e like the breaking dawn； and shatter the world again with his ing； and make it anew。' Either we go naked in the storm； or cling to a protection that will scourge us。 The Light help us all。〃 The Amyrlin shook herself as if to throw off her own words。 Her face was set； as though bracing for a blow。 〃You could never hide what you were thinking from me as you do from everyone else； Moiraine。 You have more to tell me； and nothing good。〃
For answer Moiraine took the leather pouch from her belt and upended it； spilling the contents on the table。 It appeared to be only a heap of fragmented pottery； shiny black and white。
The Amyrlin Seat touched one bit curiously； and her breath caught。 〃Cuendillar。〃
〃Heartstone；〃 Moiraine agreed。 The making of cuendillar had been lost at the Breaking of the World； but what had been made of heartsto