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s mine； give it to me！〃 She held out her hand； but Therava merely folded her arms beneath her breasts。
〃There have been meetings among the Wise Ones；〃 the stern…eyed woman told Sevanna。 〃We have reached certain decisions。〃 The women who had e with her gathered behind her； all of them facing Sevanna； and Belinde hurried to join them。
〃Without me？〃 Sevanna snapped。 〃Do any of you dare reach a decision without me？〃 Her tone remained as strong as ever； but her eyes flickered to the rod in Therava's belt； and Galina thought there was a touch of uneasiness there。 Another time； she would have been delighted to see it。
〃One decision had to be reached without you；〃 Tion said in a flat voice。
〃As you so often point out； you speak as the clan chief；〃 Emerys added； a mocking light in her big gray eyes。 〃Sometimes； Wise Ones must talk without a clan chief listening。 Or someone who speaks as a chief。〃
〃We decided；〃 Therava said； 〃that just as a clan chief must have a Wise One to advise him； so must you have a Wise One's advice。 I will advise you。〃
Gathering her shawl around her； Sevanna studied the women confronting her。 Her expression was unreadable。 How did she do it？ They could crush her like an egg beneath a hammer。 〃And what advice do you offer me； Therava？〃 she said at last in an icy voice。
〃My strong advice is that we move without delay；〃 Therava replied； as cool as Sevanna。 〃These Seanchan are too close and too many。 We should move north into these Mountains of Mist and establish a hold。 From there； we can send parties to find the other septs。 It may take long to reunite the Shaido； Sevanna。 Your wetlander friend may have scattered us to the nine corners of the world。 Until we do that； we are vulnerable。〃
〃We will move tomorrow。〃 If Galina had not been sure she knew Sevanna inside and out； she would have thought the woman sounded petulant as well as angry。 Those green eyes flashed。 〃But east。 That also is away from the Seanchan； and the lands to the east are in turmoil； ripe for plucking。〃
There was a long silence； then Therava nodded。 〃East。〃 She said the word softly； the softness of silk laid over steel。 〃But remember that clan chiefs have lived to regret rejecting a Wise One's advice too often。 You may； as well。〃 The threat on her face was plain as that in her voice； yet Sevanna laughed！
〃You remember； Therava！ All of you remember！ If I am left for the vultures； so will you be！ I have made assurance of that。〃
The other women exchanged worried glances； all but Therava； and Modarra and Norlea frowned。
Slumped on her knees； whimpering and trying in vain to soothe her skin with her hands； Galina found herself wondering what these threats meant。 It was a small thought； worming its way through bitterness and self…pity。 Anything she could use against these women would be wele。 If she dared use it。 A bitter thought。
Abruptly she realized that the sky was turning dark。 Billowing clouds were rolling down from the north； streaked gray and black； obscuring the sun。 And beneath the clouds fell flurries of snow； swirling in the air。 None reached the ground … few fell as far as the treetops … but Galina gaped。 Snow！ Had the Great Lord loosened his grip on the world for some reason？
The Wise Ones stared at the sky； too； mouths hanging open as if they had never seen clouds； much less snow。
〃What is this； Galina Casban？〃 Therava demanded。 〃Speak if you know！〃 She did not look away from the sky until Galina told her it was snow； and when she did it was to laugh。 〃I always thought the men who ran down Laman Treekiller lied about snow。 This could not hamper a mouse！〃
Galina clamped her jaws shut on explaining about snowfalls； aghast that her instinct had been to curry favor。 Aghast as well at the small pang of pleasure that keeping the information back gave。 I am the Highest of the Red Ajah！ she reminded herself。 I sit on the Supreme Council of the Black Ajah！ They sounded like lies。 This was not fair！
〃If we are done here；〃 Sevanna said； 〃I will take the gai'shain back to the great roof and see her put in white。 You can remain and stare at the snow if you wish。〃 Her tone was so smooth； like butter in the tub； that no one would have thought her at daggers' points only moments earlier。 She looped her shawl over her elbows and adjusted some of her necklaces； nothing in the world concerned her more。
〃We will take care of the gai'shain〃 Therava told her just as smoothly。 〃Since you speak as the chief； you have a long day and most of the night ahead of you if we are to move tomorrow。〃 For an instant； Sevanna's eyes flashed again； but Therava merely snapped her fingers and gestured sharply at Galina before turning to go。 〃e with me；〃 she said。 〃And stop pouting。〃
Head down； Galina scrambled to her feet and scurried after Therava and the other women who could channel。 Pouting？ She might have been scowling； but never pouting！ Her thoughts scrabbled like rats in a cage； finding no hope of escape。 There had to be one！ There had to be！ One thought that surfaced in the middle of that turmoil almost made her begin weeping again。 Were gai'shain robes softer than the scratchy black wool she had been forced to wear so far？ There had to be a way out！ A hasty glance back through the trees showed Sevanna still standing there； glaring after them。 Overhead； the clouds swirled； and the falling snow melted like Galina's hopes。
Chapter 12
（Snakey Square）
New Alliances
Graendal wished there had been even a simple transcriber among the things she had removed from Illian after Sammael's death。 This Age was frightful usually； primitive and unfortable。 Still； some of it suited her。 In a large bamboo cage at the far end of the room a hundred brightly plumaged birds sang melodiously； almost as beautiful in their multicolored flitting as her two pets in transparent robes who waited on either side of the door； their gazes locked on her； eager to serve her pleasure。 If oil lamps did not give the same light as glowbulbs； aided by large mirrors on the walls they produced a certain barbaric splendor with the gilded fish…scale ceiling。 It would have been nice to need only speak the words； but actually putting them on paper with her own hand produced a pleasure akin to that she felt in sketching。 The script of this Age was quite simple； and learning to duplicate another's style had been no more difficult。
Signing with a flourish … not her own name； of course … she sanded the thick page； then folded it and sealed it with one of the signet rings of various sizes that made a decorative line across the writing table。 The Hand and Sword of Arad Doman impressed on an irregular circle of blue…and…green wax。
〃Take this to Lord Ituralde with all speed；〃 she said； 〃and say only what I told you。〃
〃As fast as horses can carry me； my Lady。〃 Nazran bowed as he took the letter； one finger stroking thin black mustaches above a winning smile。 Square and deeply brown in a well…fitting blue coat； he was handsome； just not sufficiently handsome。 〃I received this from the Lady Tuva； who died of her wounds after telling me that she was a courier from Alsalam and had been attacked by a Gray Man。〃
〃Make sure there is human blood on it；〃 she admonished。 She doubted anyone in this time could tell human blood from any other； but she had found too many surprises to take an unnecessary chance。 〃Enough for realism； not enough to spoil what I wrote。〃
His black eyes lingered warmly on her as he bowed again； but as soon as he straightened he hurried to the door； boots thudding on the pale yellow marble floor。 He did not notice the servants with their eyes fixed ardently on her； or affected not to notice； though he had once been a friend of the young man。 Only a touch of pulsion had been needed to make Nazran nearly as avid to obey as they； not to mention certain that he might yet taste her charms again。 She laughed softly。 Well； he believed he had tasted them； just a little prettier； and he might have。 Of course； he would have been useless for anything else then。 He would ride horses to death reachin