The Gathering Storm Read Online Free PDF Page A

forever! But this man’s expression allowed no argument. Falendre would find a way. “I will deliver your message to her,” Falendre continued. “I will tell her that . . . that you bear her no malice for this attack, and that you desire a meeting.”
    “I
still
desire one,” the Dragon Reborn said.
    As far as Falendre knew, the Daughter of the Nine Moons had never known about the original meeting. It had been arranged in secret by Anath. And that was why Falendre
knew
for certain that this man must be the DragonReborn. For only the Dragon Reborn himself could face one of the Forsaken and not only survive, but come out the victor.
    Was that really what she had been? One of the Forsaken? Falendre’s mind reeled at the concept. Impossible. And yet, here was the Dragon Reborn. If he lived, if he walked the land, then the Forsaken would, too. She was muddled, her thoughts going in circles, she knew. She bottled up her terror—she would deal with that later. She needed to be in control.
    She forced herself to meet those frozen gemstones this man had for eyes. She had to preserve some dignity if only to reassure the four other surviving
sul’dam
. And the
damane
, of course. If the
sul’dam
lost composure again, there would be no hope for the
damane
.
    “I will tell her,” Falendre said, managing to keep her voice even, “that you
still
desire a meeting with her. That you believe there must be peace between our peoples. And I am to tell her that Lady Anath was . . . was one of the Forsaken.”
    To the side, she saw some of the
marath’damane
push Anath through the hole in the air, maintaining a stately bearing despite her captivity. She always
had
tried to dominate above her station. Could she really be what this man said she was?
    How was Falendre to face the
der’sul’dam
and explain this tragedy, this terrible mess? She itched to be away from it, to find someplace to hide.
    “We
must
have peace,” the Dragon Reborn said. “I will see it happen. Tell your mistress that she can find me in Arad Doman; I will quell the battle against your forces there. Let her know that I give this as a sign of good faith, just as I release you out of good faith. It is no shame to bemanipulated by one of the Forsaken, particularly not . . . that creature. In a way, I rest more easily, now. I worried that one of them would have infiltrated the Seanchan nobility. I should have guessed that it would be Semirhage. She always preferred a challenge.”
    He spoke of the Forsaken with an incredible sense of familiarity, and it gave Falendre chills.
    He glanced at her. “You may go,” he said, then walked over and passed through the rip in the air. What she would give to have that traveling trick for Nenci. The last of the
marath’damane
passed through the hole, and it closed, leaving Falendre and the others alone. They were a sorry group. Talha was still crying, and Malian looked ready to sick up. Several of the others had had bloodied faces before they washed, and faint red smears and flakes of crusted blood still marred their skin. Falendre was glad she had been able to avoid accepting Healing for them. She had seen one of those
men
Healing members of the Dragon’s party. Who knew what taint it would leave on a person to be beneath those corrupt hands?
    “Be strong,” she commanded the others, feeling far more uncertain than she sounded. He had actually let her free! She’d barely dared hope for that. Best to be away soon. Very soon. She chivvied the others onto the horses he had given, and within minutes they were riding south, toward Ebou Dar, each
sul’dam
riding with her companion
damane
at her side.
    The events of this day could mean having her
damane
stripped from her, being forbidden to hold the
a’dam
ever again. With Anath gone, punishment would be demanded of someone. What would High Lady Suroth say?
Damane
dead, the Dragon Reborn insulted.
    Surely losing access to the
a’dam
was the worst thatcould happen to