Selene drew herself up straight in her saddle。 Suddenly she reminded him of Moiraine； and of Queen Morgase； when they were angry。
〃There was a book written about these worlds；〃 she said tightly。 〃Mirrors of the Wheel。 You see； the alantin has not seen all the books that are。〃
〃What is this alantin you call him？ I've never heard … 〃
〃The Portal Stone beside which I woke is up there；〃 Selene said； pointing into the mountains； off to the east of their path。 Rand found himself wishing for her warmth again； and her smiles。 〃If you take me to it； you can return me to my home； as you promised。 We can reach it in an hour。〃
Rand barely looked where she pointed。 Using the Stone … Portal Stone； she called it … meant wielding the Power； if he were to take her back to the real world。 〃Hurin； how is the trail？〃
〃Fainter than ever； Lord Rand； but still there。〃 The sniffer spared a quick grin and bob of his head for Selene。 〃I think it's starting to angle off to the west。 There's some easier passes there； toward the tip of the Dagger； as I recall from when I went to Cairhien that time。〃
Rand sighed。 Fain； or one of his Darkfriends； has to know another way to use the Stones。 A Darkfriend couldn't use the Power。 〃I have to follow the Horn； Selene。〃
〃How do you know your precious Horn is even in this world？ e with me； Rand。 You'll find your legend； I promise you。 e with me。〃
〃You can use the Stone； this Portal Stone； yourself；〃 he said angrily。 Before the words were out of his mouth he wanted them back。 Why does she have to keep talking about legends？ Stubbornly； he forced himself to go on。 〃The Portal Stone didn't bring you here by itself。 You did it； Selene。 If you made the Stone bring you here； you can make it take you back。 I'll take you to it； but then I must go on after the Horn。〃
〃I know nothing about using the Portal Stones； Rand。 If I did anything； I don't know what it was。〃
Rand studied her。 She sat her saddle； straight…backed and tall； just as regally as before； but somehow softer； too。 Proud； yet vulnerable； and needing him。 He had put Nynaeve's age to her … a handful of years older than himself … but he had been wrong； he realized。 She was more his own age； and beautiful； and she needed him。 The thought； just the thought； of the void flickered through his head； and of the light。 Saidin。 To use the Portal Stone； he must dip himself back into that taint。
〃Stay with me； Selene；〃 he said。 〃We'll find the Horn； and Mat's dagger； and we'll find a way back。 I promise you。 Just stay with me。〃
〃You always 。。。〃 Selene drew a deep breath as if to calm herself。 〃You always are so stubborn。 Well； I can admire stubbornness in a man。 There is little to a man who's too easily biddable。〃
Rand colored； it was too much like the things Egwene sometimes said； and they had all but been promised in marriage since they were children。 From Selene； the words； and the direct look that went with them； were a shock。 He turned to tell Hurin to press on with the trail。
From behind them came a distant； coughing grunt。 Before Rand could whirl Red to look； another bark sounded； and three more on its heels。 At first he could make out nothing as the landscape seemed to waver in his eyes； but then he saw them through the widespread stands of trees； just topping a hill。 Five shapes； it seemed； only half a mile distant； a bare thousand paces at most； and ing in thirty…foot bounds。
〃Grolm；〃 Selene said calmly。 〃A small pack； but they have our scent； it seems。〃
Chapter 17
（Portal Stone）
Choices
〃We'll run for it；〃 Rand said。 〃Hurin； can you gallop and still follow the trail？〃
〃Yes； Lord Rand。〃
〃Then push on。 We will … 〃
〃It won't do any good；〃 Selene said。 Her white mare was the only one of their mounts not dancing at the gruff barks ing from the grolm。 〃They don't give up； not ever。 Once they have your scent； grolm keep ing； day and night； until they run you down。 You must kill them all； or find a way to go elsewhere。 Rand； the Portal Stone can take us elsewhere。〃
〃No！ We can kill them。 I can。 I already killed one。 There are only five。 If I can just find 。。。〃 He cast around for the spot he needed； and found it。 〃Follow me！〃 Digging his heels in； he set Red to a gallop； confident before he heard their hooves that the others would e。
The place he had chosen was a low； round hill； bare of trees。 Nothing could e close without him seeing。 He swung down from his saddle and unlimbered his longbow。 Loial and Hurin joined him on the ground； the Ogier hefting his huge quarterstaff； the sniffer with his short sword in his fist。 Neither quarterstaff nor sword would be of much use if the grolm closed with them。 I won't let them get close。
〃This risk is not necessary；〃 Selene said。 She barely looked toward the grolm； bending from her saddle to concentrate on Rand。 〃We can easily reach the Portal Stone ahead of them。〃
〃I will stop them。〃 Hastily Rand counted the arrows remaining in his quiver。 Eighteen； each as long as his arm； ten of them with points like chisels； designed to drive through Trolloc armor。 They would do as well for grolm as for Trollocs。 He stuck four of those upright in the ground in front of him； a fifth he nocked to the bow。 〃Loial； Hurin； you can do no good down here。 Mount and be ready to take Selene to the Stone if any get through。〃 He wondered whether he could kill one of the things with his sword； if it came to that。 You are mad！ Even the Power is not as bad as this。
Loial said something； but he did not hear； he was already seeking the void； as much to escape his own thoughts as for need。 You know what's waiting。 But this way I don't have to touch it。 The glow was there； the light just out of sight。 It seemed to flow toward him； but the emptiness was all。 Thoughts darted across the surface of the void； visible in that tainted light。 Saidin。 The Power。 Madness。 Death。 Extraneous thoughts。 He was one with the bow； with the arrow； with the things topping the next rise。
The grolm came on； overreaching one another in their leaps； five great； leathery shapes； triple…eyed； with horny maws gaping。 Their grunting calls rebounded from the void； barely heard。
Rand was not aware of raising his bow； or drawing the fletching against his cheek； to his ear。 He was one with the beasts； one with the center eye of the first。 Then the arrow was gone。 The first grolm died； one of its panions leaped on it as it fell； beak of a mouth ripping gobbets of flesh。 It snarled at the others； and they circled wide。 But they came on； and as if pelled； it abandoned its meal and leaped after them； its horny maw already bloody。
Rand worked smoothly； unconsciously； nock and release。 Nock and release。
The fifth arrow left his bow； and he lowered it； still deep in the void； as the fourth grolm fell like a huge puppet with its strings cut。 Though the final arrow still flew； somehow he knew there was no need for another shot。 The last beast collapsed as if its bones had melted； a feathered shaft jutting from its center eye。 Always the center eye。
〃Magnificent； Lord Rand；〃 Hurin said。 〃I 。。。 I've never seen shooting like that。〃
The void held Rand。 The light called to him； and he 。。。 reached 。。。 toward it。 It surrounded him； filled him。
〃Lord Rand？〃 Hurin touched his arm； and Rand gave a start； the emptiness filling up with what was around him。 〃Are you all right； my Lord？〃
Rand brushed his forehead with fingertips。 It was dry； he felt as if it should have been covered with sweat。 〃I 。。。 I'm fine； Hurin。〃
〃It grows easier each time you do it； I've heard；〃 Selene said。 〃The more you live in the Oneness； the easier。〃
Rand glanced at her。 〃Well； I won't need it again； not for a while。〃 What happened？ I wanted to 。。。 He still wanted to； he realized with horror。 He wanted to go back into the void； wanted to feel that light filling him again。 It had seemed as if he were truly alive then； sickliness and all； and now was only an imitation。 No； worse。 He had been almost alive； knowing what 〃alive〃 would be like。 All he had to do was reach