rj.thepathofdaggers-第133章
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r truth。 〃No！〃 Zerah practically shouted。 〃No； I am not Black Ajah！ Now take this oath from me！ Free me！〃
Seaine slumped dejectedly； resting her elbows on the table。 She certainly had not wanted Zerah to answer yes； but she had been sure they had found the other woman out in a lie。 One lie found； or so it had seemed； after weeks of searching。 How many more weeks of searching lay ahead？ And of looking over her shoulder from waking to sleeping？ When she managed to sleep。
Pevara stabbed an accusing finger at the woman。 〃You told people that you came from the north。〃
Zerah's eyes went wide again。 〃I did；〃 she said slowly。 〃I rode down the bank of the Erinin to Jualdhe。 Now free me of this oath！〃 She licked her lips。
Seaine frowned at her。 〃Goldenthorn seeds and a red cockle…burr were found on your saddlecloth； Zerah。 Goldenthorn and red cockleburr can't be found for a hundred miles south of Tar Valon。〃
Zerah leaped to her feet； and Pevara snapped； 〃Sit down！〃
The woman dropped onto the bench with a loud smack； but she did not even wince。 She was trembling。 No； shaking。 Her mouth was clamped shut； otherwise Seaine was sure her teeth would have been chattering。 Light； the question of north or south frightened her more than an accusation of being a Darkfriend。
〃From where did you start out；〃 Seaine asked slowly； 〃and why …？〃 She meant to ask why the woman had gone roundabout … which plainly she had … just to hide which direction she came from； but answers burst from Zerah's mouth。
〃From Salidar；〃 she squealed。 There was no other word for it。 Still clutching the Oath Rod； she writhed on her bench。 Tears spilled from her eyes； eyes as wide as they would go and fixed on Pevara。 Words poured out； though her teeth truly did chatter now。 〃I c…came to m…make sure all the sisters here know about the R…Reds and Logain； so they'll d…depose Elaida and the T…Tower can be whole again。〃 With a wail she collapsed into openmouthed bawling as she stared at the Red Sitter。
〃Well；〃 Pevara said。 Then again； more grimly； 〃Well！〃 Her face was all posure； but the glitter in her dark eyes was far from the mischief Seaine remembered as novice and Accepted。 〃So you are the source of that。。。 rumor。 You are going to stand before the Hall and reveal it for the lie it is！ Admit the lie； girl！〃
If Zerah's eyes had been wide before； they bulged now。 The Rod dropped from her hands to roll across the tabletop； and she clutched her throat。 A choking sound came from her suddenly gaping mouth。 Pevara stared at her in shock； but suddenly Seaine understood。
〃Light's mercy；〃 she breathed。 〃You do not have to lie； Zerah。〃 Zerah's legs thrashed beneath the table as if she were trying to rise and could not get her feet under her。 〃Tell her； Pevara。 She believes it's true！ You've manded her to speak the truth and to lie。 Don't look at me that way！ She believes！〃 A bluish tinge appeared on Zerah's lips。 Her eyelids fluttered。 Seaine gathered calm with both hands。 〃Pevara； you gave the order so apparently you must release her； or she will suffocate right in front of us。〃
〃She's a rebel。〃 Pevara's mutter invested that word with all the scorn it could hold。 But then she sighed。 〃She hasn't been tried； yet。 You don't have to。。。 lie。。。 girl。〃 Zerah toppled forward and lay with her cheek pressed against the tabletop； gulping air between whimpers。
Seaine shook her head in wonder。 They had not considered the possibility of conflicting oaths。 What if the Black Ajah did not merely remove the Oath against lying； but replaced it with one of their own？ What if they replaced all Three with their own oaths？ She and Pevara would need to go very carefully if they did find a Black sister； or they might have her fall dead before they knew what the conflict was。 Perhaps first a renunciation of all oaths … no way to go about it more carefully without knowing what Black sisters swore … followed by retaking the Three？ Light； the pain of being loosed from everything at once would be little short of being put to the question。 Maybe not short of it at all。 But certainly a Darkfriend deserved that and more。 If they ever found one。
Pevara glared down at the gasping woman without the slightest touch of pity on her face。 〃When she stands trial for rebellion； I intend to sit on her court。〃
〃When she is tried； Pevara；〃 Seaine said thoughtfully。 〃A pity to lose the assistance of one we know isn't a Darkfriend。 And since she is a rebel； we need not be overly concerned about using her。〃 There had been a number of discussions； none to a conclusion； about the second reason for leaving the new oath in place。 A sister sworn to obey could be pelled … Seaine shifted uneasily； that sounded entirely too close to the forbidden vileness of pulsion … she could be induced to help in the hunt； so long as you did not mind forcing her to accept the danger； whether she wished to or not。 〃I cannot think they would send only one；〃 she went on。 〃Zerah； how many of you came to spread this tale？〃
〃Ten；〃 the woman mumbled against the tabletop； then jerked erect； glaring in defiance。 〃I will not betray my sisters！ I won't …！〃 Abruptly she cut off； lips twisting bitterly as she realized she had done just that。
〃Names！〃 Pevara barked。 〃Give me their names； or I will have your hide here and now！〃
Names spilled from Zerah's unwilling lips。 At the mand； certainly； more than the threat。 Looking at Pevara's grim face； though； Seaine was sure she needed little provocation to stripe Zerah like a novice caught stealing。 Strangely； she herself did not feel the same animosity。 Revulsion； yes； but clearly not as strong。 The woman was a rebel who had helped break the White Tower when a sister must accept anything to keep the Tower whole； and yet。。。 Very strange。
〃You agree； Pevara？〃 she said when the list concluded。 The stubborn woman gave her only a fierce nod for agreement。 〃Very well。 Zerah； you will bring Bernaile to my rooms this afternoon。〃 There were two from each Ajah excepting the Blue and the Red； it seemed； but best to begin with the other White。 〃You will say only that I wish to speak to her on a private matter。 You will give her no warning by word； deed； or omission。 Then you will stand quietly and let Pevara and me do what is necessary。 You are being recruited into a worthier cause than your misguided rebellion； Zerah。〃 Of course it was misguided。 No matter how mad with power Elaida had bee。 〃You are going to help us hunt down the Black Ajah。〃
Zerah's head jerked unwilling nods at each injunction； her face pained； but at mention of a hunt for the Black Ajah； she gasped。 Light； her wits must have been totally unhinged by her experiences not to see that！
〃And you will stop spreading these。。。 stories；〃 Pevara put in sternly。 〃From this moment； you'll not mention the Red Ajah and false Dragons together。 Am I understood？〃
Zerah's face donned a mask of sullen stubbornness。 Zerah's mouth said； 〃I understand； Sitter。〃 She looked ready to begin weeping again from sheer frustration。
〃Then get out of my sight；〃 Pevara told her； releasing the shield and saidar together。 〃And pose yourself！ Wash your face and straighten your hair！〃 That last was directed at the back of the woman already darting from the table。 Zerah had to pull her hands away from her hair to open the door。 As the door squeaked shut behind her； Pevara snorted。 〃I wouldn't put it past her to have gone to this Bernaile like a sloven； hoping to warn her that way。〃
〃A valid point；〃 Seaine admitted。 〃But who will we warn if we scowl right and left at these women？ At the very least； we will attract notice。〃
〃The way matters are； Seaine； we wouldn't attract notice kicking them across the Tower grounds。〃 Pevara sounded as if that were an attractive notion。 〃They are rebels； and I intend to hold them so hard they squeak if one of them so much as has a wrong thought！〃
They went round and round about that。 Seaine insisted that care in the orders they gave； leaving no loopholes； would be sufficient。 Pevara pointed out that they were letting ten rebels … ten！ … walk the Tower's halls unpunished。 S
