Mat POV#

With news of Seanchan soldiers near the circus, Mat sends Noal to warn Egeanin and Olver to warn the Aes Sedai and sul'dam. Egeanin now only answers to Leilwin Shipless. He leaves Tuon and Selucia in their wagon though he thinks about setting Harnan to guard them. Outside several hundred Seanchan have arrived at Jurador. There are native Seanchan as well as Tarabon and Amadicians. Three try to enter the circus without paying but the horse handler Bollin will not let them. Luca, Petra and other circus men nearby come over to help. A Seanchan officer comes up and chastises Murel, the leader of the three, and sends them back. The officer tries recruiting among the circus folk and even asks Mat.

Mat goes to the Aes Sedai wagon passing Clarine and her dogs and Miyora and her leopards on the way. Blaeric and Fen are not at the wagon. As he approaches Mat feels the foxhead medallion go cold and knows someone is channeling. Angrily he bangs the door open. Joline, Teslyn, Edesina, Bethamin, Seta and Setalle Anan are there. Joline is slapping Bethamin. Mat stops her and she slaps him. He then paddles her soundly. The other Aes Sedai try to stop him and are shocked when the foxhead medallion blocks them. Setalle asks if she can see the ter'angreal that he must have.[1] She thinks Cadsuane Melaidhrin had one like it.[2] She knows about the test for the shawl as well. Blaeric and Fen arrive but Joline slams the door in their faces. Mat gets the story of what happened. Joline wanted to see the Seanchan. Bethamin and Seta tried to stop her. Edesina bound them with Air. Bethamin channeled a shower of sparks on them. Now she must be trained or run a high risk of dying. While they argue about it Mat leaves. He thinks that at least now he does not have to worry about what happened to the a'dam any more.[3] That evening he wins two games of stones against Tuon. He goes to sleep in the wagon he shares with Egeanin and Domon with the dice still rattling.

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