She wrote Gregorin a firm letter, giving a promise like the one she’d given Darlin. Perhaps she could arrange to keep Mattin away—something both men might want, though she wouldn’t let Gregorin know that—in exchange for him bringing his armies northward.

Obliquely, she realized what she was doing. She was using Rand’s proclamation as a beacon by which to gather and tie the monarchs to the White Tower. They would come to support her arguments against breaking the seals. But in the end, they would serve humankind in the Last Battle.

A knock came at her door. She looked up as Silviana peeked in. The woman held up a letter. It was curled tightly from having been carried in by pigeon.

“Your expression is grim,” Egwene noted.

“The invasion has begun,” she said. “Watchtowers across the Blightborder go silent, one at a time. Waves of Trollocs advance beneath clouds that boil black. Kandor, Arafel and Saldaea are at war.”

“Do they hold?” Egwene asked with a spike of fear.

“Yes,” Silviana said. “But news is uncertain and piecemeal. This letter—which is from an eyes-and-ears I trust—claims that an assault this massive has not been seen since the Trolloc Wars.”

Egwene took a deep breath. “What of Tarwin’s Gap?”

“I don’t know.”

“Find out. Call Siuan in here. She might have more. The Blue network is the most extensive.” Siuan wouldn’t know everything, of course, but she would have her fingers in it.

Silviana nodded curtly. She didn’t say the obvious—that the Blue network was the Blue Ajah’s, not to be preempted by the Amyrlin. Well, the Last Battle was at hand. Some concessions had to be made.

Silviana closed the door softly, and Egwene picked up her pen to finish her screed to Gregorin. She was interrupted by another knock, this one much more hasty. Silviana threw open the door a second later.

“Mother,” she said. “They’re meeting. As you said they would!”

Egwene felt a stab of annoyance. She calmly put down her pen and stood. “Let us be to it, then.”

She walked from her study, pace hurried. In the Keeper’s antechamber, she passed a pair of Accepted—Nicola, who had just been raised, and Nissa. She’d like them both raised to the shawl before the Last Battle. They were young, but powerful, and every sister would be needed—even one who, like Nicola, had proved to have terrible judgment in the past.

These two had brought the news about the Hall; the novices and Accepted were among the most loyal to Egwene, but were often ignored by the sisters. For now, they remained behind as Egwene and Silviana hurried toward the Hall.

“I can’t believe they would try this,” Silviana said softly as they walked.

“It’s not what you think,” Egwene guessed. “They won’t try to depose me. The division is too fresh in their minds.”

“Then why meet without you?”

“There are ways to move against an Amyrlin without deposing her.”

She’d been expecting this for some time, but that didn’t make it any less frustrating. Aes Sedai would, unfortunately, be Aes Sedai. It had only been a matter of time before someone decided to try wrenching power from her.

They reached the Hall. Egwene pushed open the doors and stepped in. Her appearance was met with cool Aes Sedai gazes. The seats weren’t all filled, but two-thirds of them were. She was surprised to see three Red Sitters. What of Pevara and Javindhra? It appeared that their extended absence during this time had prompted the Red to action. They had been replaced by Raechin and Viria Connoral. The sisters were the only siblings in the White Tower, now that Vandene and Adeleas were dead; an odd choice, but not unexpected.

Both Romanda and Lelaine were in attendance. They met Egwene’s gaze evenly. How strange to see them here with so many sisters who they had been at odds with. A common foe—Egwene—could heal any number of rifts. She should have been pleased at that, perhaps.

Lelaine was the only Blue, and there was also only one Brown: Takima, who looked sick. The ivory-skinned Brown wouldn’t meet Egwene’s gaze. There were two Whites, two Yellows—including Romanda—two Grays, and all three Greens. Egwene gritted her teeth when she saw that. That was the Ajah she would have joined, but it gave her the most grief!

Egwene did not chastise them for meeting without her; she simply strode down between them, Silviana announcing her. Egwene turned and sat down on the Amyrlin Seat, her back to the huge rose window.

There, she sat quietly.

“Well?” Romanda finally asked. Her gray hair up in a bun, she looked like a mother wolf sitting atop the ledge out front of her den. “Are you going to say anything, Mother?”

“You did not inform me of this meeting,” Egwene said, “so I assume you do not want my words. I have come merely to watch.”

That seemed to make them more uncomfortable. Silviana walked to her side, brandishing one of her best expressions of displeasure.

“All right, then,” Rubinde said. “I believe we were going to hear from Saroiya next.”

The blocky White was one of the Sitters who had left the Tower when Elaida was raised, but she had made her share of trouble in Salidar. Egwene was not surprised to see her here. The woman stood, pointedly not looking at Egwene. “I will add my testimony. During the days of…uncertainty within the Tower”—that would mean the division; few sisters liked to speak of it outright—“the Amyrlin did exactly as Romanda indicated. We were taken by surprise when she called for a declaration of war.

“Within the law, there are provisions that give the Amyrlin almost total power when official war is declared. By being goaded into making war with Elaida, we gave the Amyrlin the means to subject the Hall to her will.” She looked around the room, but did not turn to Egwene. “It is my opinion that she will try something similar again. That must be prevented. The Hall is meant to be a balance upon the Amyrlin’s power.”

She sat down.

Hearing the words actually relieved Egwene. One could never be certain what kinds of scheming were happening in the White Tower. This meeting meant her plans were proceeding as hoped, and that her enemies—or, well, her reluctant allies—hadn’t seen what she was really doing. They were busy reacting to things she’d done months ago.

That didn’t mean they weren’t dangerous. But when a person anticipated dan