Tying off the weave and loosing saidin brought only some relief. The residue of filth that always seemed to remain behind still throbbed; it almost felt as though the ground were throbbing beneath his boots. His teeth and ears ached. He could not wait to get away from here.

Taking a deep breath, he prepared to channel again, to open a gateway—and stopped, frowning. Quickly he counted everyone, then did it again, more slowly. “Somebody’s missing. Who?”

The Aiel took only a moment to confer.

“Liah,” Sulin said through her veil.

“She was right behind me.” There was no mistaking Jalani’s voice.

“Maybe she saw something.” He thought that was Desora.

“I told everybody to stay together!” Rage washed across the Void, waves breaking to froth on a boulder. One of them missing, here, and they took it with that Light-blasted Aiel coolness. A Maiden missing. A woman missing, in Shadar Logoth. “When I find her . . . !” Inch by inch he fought down the fury that threatened to engulf the emptiness around him. What he wanted to do to Liah was shout at her till she fainted, send her to Sorilea for the rest of her life. That rage wanted white-hot murder. “Split up in pairs. Shout, look everywhere, but don’t go inside, not for any reason. And stay out of shadows. You can die here before you know it. You can all die before any of you know it. If you see her in a building, even if she looks just fine, find me unless she comes out to you.”

“We can search faster if we each search alone,” Urien said, and Sulin nodded agreement. There were far too many nods.

“Pairs!” Rand fought the fury down again. The Light burn Aiel stubbornness! “At least that way you have somebody to watch your back. For once do what I say when I say it. I’ve been here; I know a little about this place.”

A few minutes later, most spent in argument over how many should stay with Rand, twenty pairs of Aiel scattered. The one remaining was Jalani, Rand thought, though it was hard to tell with the veil. For once she did not appear to be happy guarding him; the green eyes held a decided touch of sullenness.

“I suppose we could make another pair,” Haman said, looking at Covril.

She nodded. “And Erith can remain here.”

“No!” Rand and Erith said at almost the same instant. The older Ogier turned with faces of grave disapproval. Erith’s ears sagged until they looked ready to fall off.