The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson Page B

reason!”
    “I am aware of the threat,” Rand said flatly, holding up the stump where his left hand had been. The metallic gold and red tattoo of a dragon’s body sparkled in the lamplight. Its head had been consumed in the Fire that had nearly killed him.
    Nynaeve took a deep breath. “Yes, well, then you
must
see that normal rules shouldn’t apply to her!”
    “I said no!” Rand said. “You will question her, but you will not hurt her!”
Not a woman. I will keep to this one shred of light inside me. I’ve caused the deaths and sorrows of too many women already.
    “If that is what you demand, boy,” Cadsuane said tersely, “then that is what shall be done. Just don’t whine when we are unable to drag out of her what she had for breakfast yesterday, let alone the locations of the other Forsaken.One begins to wonder why you insist we continue this farce at all. Perhaps we should simply turn her over to the White Tower and be done with it.”
    Rand turned away. Outside, the soldiers had finished with the horselines. They looked good. Even and straight, the animals given just the right amount of slack.
    Turn her over to the White Tower? That would never happen. Cadsuane wouldn’t let Semirhage out of her grip until she got the answers she wanted. The wind still blew outside, his own banners flapping before his eyes.
    “Turn her over to the White Tower, you say?” he said, glancing back into the room. “Which White Tower? Would you entrust her to Elaida? Or did you mean the others? I doubt that Egwene would be pleased if I dropped one of the Forsaken in her lap. Egwene might just let Semirhage go and take
me
captive instead. Force me to kneel before the White Tower’s justice and gentle me just to give her another notch in her belt.”
    Nynaeve frowned. “Rand! Egwene would never—”
    “She’s Amyrlin,” he said, downing his cup of wine in one gulp. It was as putrid as he recalled. “Aes Sedai to the core. I’m just another pawn to her.”
    Yes,
Lews Therin said.
We need to stay away from all of them. They refused to help us, you know. Refused! Said my plan was too reckless. That left me with only the Hundred Companions, no women to form a circle. Traitors! This is their fault. But . . . but I’m the one who killed Ilyena. Why?
    Nynaeve said something, but Rand ignored her.
Lews Therin?
he said to the voice.
What was it you did? The women wouldn’t help? Why?
    But Lews Therin had begun sobbing again, and his voice grew distant.
    “Tell me!” Rand yelled, throwing his cup down. “Burn you, Kinslayer! Speak to me!”
    The room fell silent.
    Rand blinked. He’d never . . . never tried speaking to Lews Therin out loud where others could hear. And they knew. Semirhage had spoken of the voice that he heard, dismissing Rand as if he were a common madman.
    Rand reached up, running a hand through his hair. Or he tried to . . . but he used the arm that was only a stump, and it accomplished nothing.
    Light!
he thought.
I’m losing control. Half the time, I don’t know which voice is mine and which is his. This was supposed to get better when I cleansed
saidin!
I was supposed to be safe.
 . . .
    Not safe,
Lews Therin muttered.
We were already mad. Can’t turn back from that now.
He began to cackle, but the laughter turned to sobs.
    Rand looked around the room. Min’s dark eyes were so worried he had to turn away. Alivia—who had watched the exchange about Semirhage with those penetrating eyes of hers—seemed too knowing. Nynaeve finally gave in and tugged on her braid. For once, Cadsuane didn’t chastise him for his outburst. Instead she just sipped her wine. How could she stand the stuff?
    The thought was trivial. Ridiculous. He wanted to laugh. Only, the sound wouldn’t come out. He couldn’t summon even a wry humor, not anymore.
Light! I can’t keep this up. My eyes see as if in a fog, my hand is burned away, and the old wounds in my side rip open if I do anything more strenuous than