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in his saddle； one hand on his sword； man and horse were tensed； as if on the point of charging back through if Moiraine did not appear。
The Waygate stood in a jumble of stones at the base of a hill； hidden by bushes except where the falling pieces had broken down the bare； brown branches。 Alongside the carvings on the remains of the gates； the brush looked more lifeless than the stone。
Slowly the murky surface bulged like some strange； long bubble rising to the surface of a pond。 Moiraine's back broke through the bubble。 Inchmeal； the Aes Sedai and her dim reflection backed out of each other。 She still held her staff out in front of her； and she kept it there as she drew Aldieb out of the Waygate after her； the white mare dancing with fear； eyes rolling。 Still watching the Waygate； Moiraine backed away。
The Waygate darkened。 The hazy shimmer became murkier； sinking through gray to charcoal； then to black as deep as the heart of the Ways。 As if from a great distance the wind howled at them； hidden voices filled with an unquenchable thirst for living things； filled with a hunger for pain； filled with frustration。
The voices seemed to whisper in Rand's ears； right at the brink of understanding； and within it。 Flesh so fine； so fine to tear； to gash the skin； skin to strip； to plait； so nice to plait the strips； so nice； so red the drops that fall； blood so red； so red； so sweet； sweet screams； pretty screams； singing screams； scream your song； sing your screams 。。。
The whispers drifted； the blackness lessened； faded； and the Waygate was again a murky shimmer seen through an arch of carved stone。
Rand let out a long； shuddering breath。 He was not the only one； he heard other relieved exhalations。 Egwene had Bela alongside Nynaeve's horse； and the two women had their arms around each other； their heads on each other's shoulders。 Even Lan seemed relieved； though the hard planes of his face showed nothing； it was more in the way he sat Mandarb； a loosening of the shoulders as he looked at Moiraine； a tilt of the head。
〃It could not pass；〃 Moiraine said。 〃I thought it could not； I hoped it could not。 Faugh！〃 She tossed her staff on the ground and scrubbed her hand on her cloak。 Char； thick and black； marked the staff for over half its length。 〃The taint corrupts everything in that place。〃
〃What was that？〃 Nynaeve demanded。 〃What was it？〃
Loial appeared confused。 〃Why； Machin Shin； of course。 The Black Wind that steals souls。〃
〃But what is it？〃 Nynaeve persisted。 〃Even with a Trolloc； you can look at it； touch it if you have a strong stomach。 But that 。。。〃 She gave a convulsive shiver。
〃Something left from the Time of Madness； perhaps；〃 Moiraine replied。 〃Or even from the War of the Shadow； the War of Power。 Something hiding in the Ways so long it can no longer get out。 No one； not even among the Ogier； knows how far the Ways run； or how deep。 It could even be something of the Ways themselves。 As Loial said； the Ways are living things； and all living things have parasites。 Perhaps even a creature of the corruption itself； something born of the decay。 Something that hates life and light。〃
〃Stop！〃 Egwene cried。 〃I don't want to hear any more。 I could hear it； saying。。。 〃 She cut off； shivering。
〃There is worse to be faced yet；〃 Moiraine said softly。 Rand did not think she meant it to be heard。
The Aes Sedai climbed into her saddle wearily and settled there with a grateful sigh。 〃This is dangerous；〃 she said； looking at the broken gates。 Her charred staff received only a glance。 〃The thing cannot get out； but anyone could wander in。 Agelmar must send men to wall it up； once we reach Fal Dara。〃 She pointed to the north； to towers in the misty distance above the barren treetops。
Chapter 46
Fal Dara
The country around the Waygate was rolling； forested hills； but aside from the gates themselves there was no sign of any Ogier grove。 Most of the trees were gray skeletons clawing at the sky。 Fewer evergreens than Rand was used to dotted the forest； and of them； dead； brown needles and leaves covered many。 Loial made no ment beyond a sad shaking of his head。
〃As dead as the Blasted Lands；〃 Nynaeve said； frowning。 Egwene pulled her cloak around her and shivered。
〃At least we're out；〃 Perrin said； and Mat added； 〃Out where？〃
〃Shienar；〃 Lan told them。 〃We're in the Borderlands。〃 In his hard voice was a note that said home； almost。
Rand gathered his cloak against the cold。 The Borderlands。 Then the Blight was close by。 The Blight。 The Eye of the World。 And what they had e to do。
〃We are close to Fal Dara；〃 Moiraine said。 〃Only a few miles。〃 Across the treetops； towers rose to the north and east of them； dark against the morning sky。 Between the hills and the woods； the towers often vanished as they rode； only to reappear again when they topped a particularly tall rise。
Rand noticed trees split open as if struck by lightning。
〃The cold；〃 Lan answered when he asked。 〃Sometimes the winter is so cold here the sap freezes； and trees burst。 There are nights when you can hear them cracking like fireworks； and the air is so sharp you think that might shatter； too。 There are more than usual； this winter past。〃
Rand shook his head。 Trees bursting？ And that was during an ordinary winter。 What must this winter have been like？ Surely like nothing he could imagine。
〃Who says winter's past？〃 Mat said； his teeth chattering。
〃Why this； a fine spring； sheepherder；〃 Lan said。 〃A fine spring to be alive。 But if you want warm； well； it will be warm in the Blight。 〃
Softly Mat muttered； 〃Blood and ashes。 Blood and bloody ashes！〃 Rand barely heard him； but it sounded heartfelt。
They began to pass farms； but though it was the hour for midday meals to be cooking； no smoke rose from the high stone chimneys。 The fields were empty of men and livestock both； though sometimes a plow or a wagon stood abandoned as if the owner meant to be back any minute。
At one farm close by the road a lone chicken scratched in the yard。 One barn door swung freely with the wind； the other had broken off the bottom hinge and hung at an angle。 The tall house； odd to Rand's Two Rivers eyes； with its sharp…peaked roof of big wooden shingles running almost to the ground； was still and silent。 No dog came out to bark at them。 A scythe lay in the middle of the barnyard； buckets were overturned in a heap beside the well。
Moiraine frowned at the farmhouse as they rode by。 She lifted Aldieb's reins； and the white mare quickened her pace。
The Emond's Fielders were clustered with Loial a little behind the Aes Sedai and the Warder。
Rand shook his head。 He could not imagine anything growing there ever。 But then he could not really imagine the Ways； either。 Even now that he was past them； he could not。
〃I don't think she expected this；〃 Nynaeve said quietly； with a gesture that took in all the empty farms they had seen。
〃Where did they all go？〃 Egwene said。 〃Why？ They can't have been gone very long。〃
〃What makes you say that？〃 Mat asked。 〃From the look of that barn door； they could have been gone all winter。〃 Nynaeve and Egwene both looked at him as if he were slow…witted。
〃The curtains in the windows；〃 Egwene said patiently。 〃They look too light for winter curtains； even here。 As cold as it is here； no woman would have had those up more than a week or two； maybe less。〃 The Wisdom nodded。
〃Curtains。〃 Perrin chuckled。 He immediately wiped the smile off his face when the two women raised their eyebrows at him。 〃Oh； I agree with you。 There wasn't enough rust on that scythe for any more than a week in the open。 You should have seen that； Mat。 Even if you missed the curtains。〃
Rand glanced sideways at Perrin； trying not to stare。 His eyes were sharper than Perrin's … or had been； when they used to hunt rabbits together … but he had not been able to see that scythe…blade well enough to make out any rust。
〃I really don't care where they went；〃 Mat grumbled。 〃I just want to find someplace with a fire。 Soon。〃
〃But