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halter made every step momentous； every rock underfoot potentially fatal。 He walked with muscles tense； scanning the ground with anxious eyes。 Whenever he glanced at Egwene； she was doing the same。 When she met his eyes； her face was tight and frightened。 Neither of them dared take their eyes off the ground long enough for more than a glance。
Usually he collapsed like a wrung…out rag as soon as the Whitecloaks let him stop； but tonight his mind was racing。 His skin crawled with dread that had been building for days。 If he closed his eyes； he would see only the things Byar promised for them once they reached Amador。
He was sure Egwene still did not believe what Byar told them in that flat voice。 If she did； she would not be able to sleep no matter how tired she was。 In the beginning he had not believed Byar either。 He still did not want to； people just did not do things like that to other people。 But Byar did not really threaten； as if he were talking about getting a drink of water he talked about hot irons and pincers； about knives slicing away skin and needles piercing。 He did not appear to be trying to frighten them。 There was never even a touch of gloating in his eyes。 He just did not care if they were frightened or not； if they were tortured or not； if they were alive or not。 That was what brought cold sweat to Perrin's face once it got through to him。 That was what finally convinced him Byar was telling the simple truth。
The two guards' cloaks gleamed grayly in the faint moonlight。 He could not make out their faces； but he knew they were watching。 As if they could try something； tied hand and foot the way they were。 From when there had still been light enough to see； he remembered the disgust in their eyes and the pinched looks on their faces； as though they had been set to guard filth…soaked monsters； stinking and repellent to look at。 All the Whitecloaks looked at them that way。 It never changed。 Light； how do I make them believe we aren't Darkfriends when they're already convinced we are？ His stomach twisted sickeningly。 In the end； he would probably confess to anything just to make the Questioners stop。
Someone was ing； a Whitecloak carrying a lantern。 The man stopped to speak with the guards； who answered respectfully。 Perrin could not hear what was said； but he recognized the tall； gaunt shape。
He squinted as the lantern was held close to his face。 Byar had Perrin's axe in his other hand； he had appropriated the weapon as his own。 At least； Perrin never saw him without it。
〃Wake up；〃 Byar said emotionlessly； as if he thought Perrin slept with his head raised。 He acpanied the words with a heavy kick in the ribs。
Perrin gave a grunt through gritted teeth。 His sides were a mass of bruises already from Byar's boots。
〃I said； wake up。〃 The foot went back again； and Perrin spoke quickly。
〃I'm awake。〃 You had to acknowledge what Byar said； or he found ways to get your attention。
Byar set the lantern on the ground and bent to check his bonds。 The man jerked roughly at his wrist； twisting his arms in their sockets。 Finding those knots still as tight as he had left them； Byar pulled at his ankle rope； scraping him across the rocky ground。 The man looked too skeletal to have any strength； but Perrin might as well have been a child。 It was a nightly routine。
As Byar straightened； Perrin saw that Egwene was still asleep。 〃Wake up！〃 he shouted。 〃Egwene！ Wake up！〃
〃Wha 。。。 ？ What？〃 Egwene's voice was frightened and still thick with sleep。 She lifted her head； blinking in the lantern light。
Byar gave no sign of disappointment at not being able to kick her awake； he never did。 He just jerked at her ropes the same way he had Perrin's； ignoring her groans。 Causing pain was another of those things that seemed not to affect him one way or another； Perrin was the only one he really went out of his way to hurt。 Even if Perrin could not remember it； Byar remembered that he had killed two of the Children。
〃Why should Darkfriends sleep；〃 Byar said dispassionately； 〃when decent men must stay awake to guard them？〃
〃For the hundredth time；〃 Egwene said wearily； 〃we aren't Darkfriends。 〃
Perrin tensed。 Sometimes such a denial brought a lecture delivered in a grating near monotone； on confession and repentance； leading into a description of the Questioners' methods of obtaining them。 Sometimes it brought the lecture and a kick。 To his surprise； this time Byar ignored it。
Instead the man squatted in front of him； all angles and sunken hollows； with the axe across his knees。 The golden sun on his cloak's left breast； and the two golden stars beneath it； glittered in the lantern light。 Taking off his helmet； he set it beside the lantern。 For a change there was something besides disdain or hatred on his face； something intent and unreadable。 He rested his arms on the axehandle and studied Perrin silently。 Perrin tried not to shift under that hollow…eyed stare。
〃You are slowing us down； Darkfriend； you and your wolves。 The Council of the Anointed has heard reports of such things； and they want to know more； so you must be taken to Amador and given to the Questioners； but you are slowing us down。 I had hoped we could move fast enough； even without the remounts； but I was wrong。〃 He fell silent； frowning at them。
Perrin waited； Byar would tell him when he was ready。
〃The Lord Captain is caught in the cleft of a dilemma；〃 Byar said finally。 〃Because of the wolves he must take you to the Council； but he must reach Caemlyn； too。 We have no spare horses to carry you； but if we continue to let you walk； we will not reach Caemlyn by the appointed time。 The Lord Captain sees his duties with a single…minded vision； and he intends to see you before the Council。〃
Egwene made a sound。 Byar was staring at Perrin； and he stared back； almost afraid to blink。 〃I don't understand；〃 he said slowly。
〃There is nothing to understand；〃 Byar replied。 〃Nothing but idle speculation。 If you escaped； we would not have time to track you down。 We don't have an hour to spare if we are to reach Caemlyn in time。 If you frayed your ropes on a sharp rock； say； and vanished into the night； the Lord Captain's problem would be solved。〃 Never taking his gaze from Perrin； he reached under his cloak and tossed something on the ground。
Automatically Perrin's eyes followed it。 When he realized what it was； he gasped。 A rock。 A split rock with a sharp edge。
〃Just idle speculation；〃 Byar said。 〃Your guards tonight also speculate。〃
Perrin's mouth was suddenly dry。 Think it through！ Light help me； think it through and don't make any mistakes！
Could it be true？ Could the Whitecloaks' need to get to Caemlyn quickly be important enough for this？ Letting suspected Darkfriends escape？ There was no use trying that way； he did not know enough。 Byar was the only Whitecloak who would talk to them； aside from Lord Captain Bornhald； and neither was exactly free with information。 Another way。 If Byar wanted them to escape； why not simply cut their bonds？ If Byar wanted them to escape？ Byar； who was convinced to his marrow that they were Darkfriends。 Byar； who hated Darkfriends worse than he did the Dark One himself。 Byar； who looked for any excuse to cause him pain because he had killed two Whitecloaks。 Byar wanted them to escape？
If he had thought his mind was racing before； now it sped like an avalanche。 Despite the cold； sweat ran down his face in rivulets。 He glanced at the guards。 They were only shadows of pale gray； but it seemed to him that they were poised； waiting。 If he and Egwene were killed trying to escape； and their ropes had been cut on a rock that could have been lying there by chance 。。。 The Lord Captain's dilemma would be solved； all right。 And Byar would have them dead； the way he wanted them。
The gaunt man picked up his helmet from beside the lantern and started to stand。
〃Wait；〃 Perrin said hoarsely。 His thoughts tumbled over and over as he searched in vain for some way out。 〃Wait； I want to talk。 I … 〃
Help es！
The thought blossomed in his mind； a clea