Chapter 6

 Moiraine stepped carefully over the cracked stone, her blue cloak billowing behind her. Rand and Egwene walked ahead, their steps cautious, while Lan prowled at her side, hand on his sword hilt. And just behind them, as ever, was Lanfear—silent, watchful, unreadable.

Then the shadows moved.

Lan reacted first. His sword was free before the first creature lunged. A Trolloc, its bestial snout twisted in a snarl, raised a massive axe. Lan severed its arm at the elbow before the thing could blink, then spun to decapitate another. The air filled with the shrieks of Shadowspawn as more poured from the crumbling alleyways.

"A trap!" Egwene gasped, weaving fire instinctively. A burst of flame incinerated a cluster of Trollocs, their dying screams cutting through the din.

Moiraine did not hesitate. She reached for saidar, and the One Power flooded her—cool and sharp, like a rushing river. She wove fire and air, sending a lance of white-hot flame into the enemy ranks. Shadows leaped and twisted as creatures burned.

Then the sky cracked.

A bolt of golden lightning slammed into the ground, scattering stone and bodies alike. Moiraine barely threw up a shield in time. Dust choked the air, and through it, a figure emerged, cloaked in an aura of barely restrained power.

Sammael.

The Forsaken stood tall, golden-haired, his smirk one of cold amusement. "Did you really think you could move unnoticed?" His voice was a blade in the dark. "You have something that belongs to the Great Lord."

His gaze locked on Rand. Another weave formed—lightning, deadly and sure. Moiraine wove a counter, barely deflecting the strike before it reached the boy. The force of the clash sent her stumbling.

And then Lanfear was there.

She stepped forward as if she owned the battlefield, her dark hair streaming in the wind, her white dress untouched by dust or blood. "Sammael, you arrogant fool," she purred. 

Sammael's smirk faltered. " You're playing a dangerous game, Lanfear."

"I am the game," she snapped, and in the next heartbeat, the air around them exploded.

Sammael's counterstrike came fast—shards of hardened air hurled toward her, but Lanfear's shields flared, deflecting them with a contemptuous flick of her wrist. Then she struck back, weaving fire and spirit with ruthless efficiency. The ground cracked beneath Sammael's feet as he leapt aside.

Moiraine had no love for Lanfear, but there was no time for hesitation. While the Forsaken dueled, the Trollocs surged forward again. Moiraine turned, throwing walls of fire to hold them back. Egwene screamed as a Myrddraal lunged toward her, its black blade cutting the air. Lan met it head-on, their blades ringing like church bells in the chaos.

Rand stood frozen, the weight of too much power in his veins. "We have to go!" Moiraine shouted, shoving him back toward the ruins. But Sammael had no intention of letting them escape. His next weave sent a shockwave of air that hurled her to the ground.

Lanfear snarled. "Enough!" She wove with impossible speed, and suddenly, Sammael screamed. His own weave turned against him, his skin burning with silver light. He staggered back, snarling, but Lanfear did not give him the satisfaction of death. She merely smirked and flicked her fingers. "Run, Sammael. Before I tire of this."

Sammael hesitated, but then the air twisted—and he was gone.

Silence fell over the battlefield. The few remaining Trollocs, leaderless, fled into the night. Moiraine pushed herself to her feet, her body aching, and found Lanfear watching her with unreadable eyes.

"You saved me," Moiraine said before she could stop herself.

Lanfear tilted her head. "Perhaps." Then, with a slow smile, she added, "Or perhaps I just wanted to deal with you myself."

Moiraine's breath caught. Lanfear stepped closer, too close. The scent of jasmine and something darker, headier, curled in the air between them. "You're trembling, Aes Sedai," Lanfear murmured, her voice like silk against steel. "Is it fear... or something else?"

Moiraine swallowed hard, refusing to step back. "I don't have time for your games."

Lanfear reached out, tracing a gloved finger along the edge of Moiraine's sleeve, just barely touching her skin. "You always make time for me."

Lan cleared his throat, stepping between them with an unreadable expression. "We should move before more come."

Moiraine tore her gaze away, turning briskly toward Rand. But she could still feel Lanfear's presence, still hear the lingering amusement in her voice.

The battle had ended, but another war—one far more dangerous—had only just begun.

Moiraine walked ahead, keeping close to Rand, but Lanfear's presence behind her burned like a brand. She was too aware of every movement, every glance the woman sent her way.

"That was reckless," Moiraine murmured at last, speaking over her shoulder. "You could have gotten us all killed."

"And yet, we're alive," Lanfear countered smoothly. "You should be thanking me. Or do Aes Sedai lack basic manners now?"

Moiraine turned just enough to meet her eyes. "I thank those I trust."

Lanfear smiled, slow and knowing. "A pity. I rather like hearing you say my name."

Lan made a sound low in his throat, but kept his silence. Egwene, though, glanced between the two of them, brows furrowed. Rand, mercifully, seemed too lost in his own turmoil to notice.

They walked on, tension thick in the air, until at last they reached a sheltered clearing. Lan took first watch, positioning himself between them all, while Egwene and Rand settled into uneasy sleep.

Moiraine did not sleep. She sat by the dying embers of their fire, lost in thought. Lanfear sat opposite her, legs crossed gracefully, her dark eyes gleaming in the firelight.

"What are you thinking, Aes Sedai?" Lanfear asked softly.

Moiraine hesitated. Then, before she could stop herself, she said, "I am wondering why you're still here."

Lanfear chuckled, leaning in, just enough to make the space between them feel smaller than it should. "Perhaps I enjoy your company."

Moiraine should have looked away. Should have ignored the way Lanfear's voice curled around her like a whispered spell. But she didn't.

Because, Light help her, she wasn't certain it was a lie.