or sweep； some fleeing upriver； most trying to beat out to sea。 Scores of other ships swanned into the bay before the wind； great bluff…bowed vessels as tall as any of the rakers； crashing through the rolling waves； throwing aside spray。 His breath caught as he suddenly made out square； ribbed sails。
〃Blood and bloody ashes；〃 he muttered in shock。 〃It's the flaming Seanchan！〃
〃Who？〃 demanded a stern…faced woman crowded next to him。 A dark blue woolen dress of fine cut marked her a merchant as much as did the leather folder she carried for her bills of lading or the guild pin over one breast； a silver quill pen。 〃It's the Aes Sedai；〃 she announced in tones of conviction。 〃I know channeling when I see it。 The Children of the Light will do for them； just as soon as they arrive。 You'll see。〃
A lanky； gray…haired woman in a grimy green vest twisted around to confront her； fingering the wooden hilt of her dagger。 〃Hold your tongue about Aes Sedai； you flaming penny…grubber； or I'll peel you and stuff a Whitecloak down your bleeding gullet！〃
Mat left them waving their arms and shouting at one another； and pushed clear of the crowd； running for the quay。 Already he could see three … no； four … huge creatures circling over the city to the south on great pinions like those of a bat。 Figures clung to the creatures' backs； apparently in some sort of saddles。 Another flying creature appeared； and more。 Below them； flame suddenly fountained above the rooftops with a roar。
People ran now； buffeting Mat as he struggled through the streets。 〃Olver！〃 he shouted； hoping to be heard above other shouts from every side； and the screams。 〃Olver！〃
Abruptly； everybody seemed to be heading the other way； battering past him。 Stubbornly he forced on against the tide。 And came to a street where what all those folk fled from was made plain。
A Seanchan column rushed by； a hundred or more men in helmets like insects' heads and armor of overlapping plates； all riding animals like cats the size of horses； but covered in bronze scales rather than fur。 Leaning forward in their saddles； blue…streamered lances slanted； they galloped toward the Mol Hara without looking to either side。 Though 〃gallop〃 was not quite the word for the way those creatures moved； the speed was right； but they。。。 flowed。 It was time to be gone； past time。 As soon as he found …
As the end of column went by a flash of red； waist high； caught his eye among the crowd in the street beyond the intersection。 〃Olver！〃 He darted across almost on the heels of the last scaled creature； pushing into the crowd in time to see a wide…eyed woman snatch up a little girl in a red dress and ran with the child clutched to her bosom。 Wildly； Mat pressed ahead； shouldering people aside when they Bumped into him； Bumping into more than a few himself。 〃Olver！ Olver！〃
Twice more he saw a column of fire rise briefly above the rooftops； and smoke drifted to the sky in a dozen places。 Several times he heard those booming roars； much closer than the bay； now。 Inside the city； he was sure； more than once the ground quivered beneath his boots。
And then the street was clearing again； people fleeing in every direction； down alleys and into houses and shops； for Seanchan on horses were ing。 Not all were armored men； near the head of that small thicket of lances rode a dark woman in a blue dress。 Mat knew the large red panels on her skirts and bosom were worked with silver lightning。 A silver leash； gleaming in the sun； ran from her left wrist to the neck of a woman in gray； a damane； who trotted beside the sul'dam's horse like a pet dog。 He had seen more of Seanchan at Falme than he wanted to； but unconsciously he paused at the mouth of an alleyway； watching。 The roars and fires had showed that somebody in the city was trying to fight back； at least； and now he was going to see such an attempt。
The Seanchan were not the only reason everyone else had gotten out of sight。 At the other end of the street； a good hundred mounted men swung long…pointed lances down。 They wore baggy white breeches and green coats； and the gold cords on the officer's helmet glittered。 With a collective shout； a hundred or more of Tylin's soldiers hurled themselves toward the city's attackers。 They outnumbered the Seanchan in front of them by at least two to one。
〃Bloody fools；〃 Mat muttered。 〃Not like that。 That sul'dam will … 〃
The only movement among the Seanchan was the woman in the lightning…marked dress raising her hand to point； as one might launch a hawk； or send off a hound。 The golden…haired woman at the other end of the silvery leash took a small step forward。 The foxhead medallion cooled against his chest。
Underneath the head of the Ebou Dari charge； the street suddenly erupted； paving stones and men and horses flying into the air with a deafening roar。 The concussion knocked Mat flat on his back； or maybe it was the way the ground seemed to leap from under his feet。 He pulled himself up in time to see the front of an inn across the way suddenly collapse into the street in a cloud of dust； exposing the rooms within。
Men and horses lay everywhere； pieces of men and horses； those still alive thrashing； around a hole in the ground half as wide as the street。 Screams from the wounded filled the air。 Fewer than half the Ebou Dari staggered to then feet； dazed and stumbling。 Some seized up the reins of horses as wobbly…legged as they； heaving themselves into saddles； kicking the animals into some semblance of a run。 Others just ran afoot。 All away from the Seanchan。 Steel they could face； but not this。
Running； Mat realized； seemed a particularly fine idea right then。 A glance back down the alley showed dust and rubble piled at least a story high。 He darted down the street ahead of the fleeing Ebou Dari； keeping as close to the walls as possible； hoping none of the Seanchan would think he was one of Tylin's soldiers。 He should never have worn a green coat。
The sul'dam apparently was not satisfied。 The foxhead went cool again； and from behind another roar hammered him to the pavement； pavement that jumped up to meet him。 Through the ringing in his ears； he heard masonry groan。 Above him； the white…plastered brick wall began leaning outward。
〃What happened to my bloody luck？〃 he shouted。 He had time for that。 And just time to realize； as brick and timbers crashed down on him； that the dice in his head had just stopped dead。
Chapter 40
（Spears and Shield）
Spears
Mountains rose all around Galina Casban； little more than large hills behind but snowcapped peaks ahead and higher peaks beyond those； yet she really saw none of them。 The stones of the slope bruised her bare feet。 She panted； lungs laboring already。 The sun baked overhead as it had for seemingly endless days； burning the sweat out of her in rivers。 Anything other than putting one foot in front of the other seemed beyond her。 Strange that with all the sweat ing out of her； she could not find any moisture in her mouth。
She had been Aes Sedai fewer than ninety years； her long black hair untouched as yet by gray； but for nearly twenty of those she had been head of the Red Ajah … called the Highest by other Red sisters； in private； considered by other Reds equal to the Amyrlin Seat … and for all but five of the years she had worn the shawl； she had been of the Black Ajah； in truth。 Not to the exclusion of her duties as a Red； but superior to them。 Her place on the Supreme Council of the Black Ajah was next to that of Alviarin herself； and she was one of only three who knew the name of the woman who led their hooded meetings。 She could speak any name in those meetings … a king's … and know that name belonged to the dead。 It had happened； with a king and with a queen。 She had helped to break two Amyrlins； twice helped turn the most powerful woman in the world into a squealing wretch eager to tell all she knew； had helped make it seem that one of those had died in her sleep and had seen the other deposed and stilled。 Such things were a duty； like the need to exterminate men with the ability to channel； not actions she took pleasure in