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.In his effort to communicate, Sem had closed his eyes tightly.Feeling no response, heopened them, only to see a figure leaning over him in the darkness.Despite his terror, heremembered the way to communicate with a Rand and raised his hand to touch its body.Who are you? he asked.Who I am doesn t concern you.Who are you and who is the man sleeping on the otherside of the room?The power of the command was irresistible.I am Sem, the son of Alf.And he is Axor, son of the Empress Zoë.Sem sensed the Rand s surprise at what he d just told him, but before he couldcommunicate further the Rand pulled away, breaking the contact between them.The figuremoved across the room to where Axor was sleeping and reached down to touch him.Axor gave aconfused cry, but was then silent.In the darkness, Sem could make out only vague shapes, but itseemed that the Rand was lifting Axor s body.He must have been very strong to do that, Semobserved, but that didn t prevent him from leaping up and flinging himself on the intruder. Take your hands off of him, Sem shouted.A single stroke of the Rand s arm sent him across the floor, striking his head against thedoorframe.As he pulled himself up and looked around the dark room, Sem saw flashes of lightbefore his eyes.But the Rand had gone, taking Axor with him.***He could wait until morning and attempt to follow the Rand, but that would be a hopelesseffort.Even if he found them, the Rand was too strong to oppose.Yet he had to do something.Itwas his fault, wasn t it? If he hadn t told Axor the story of his meeting with Klei and Saash if he hadn t agreed to show Axor the way to this place they d be safe at Bent Lake.Axor hadbeen insistent, but he should have been able to convince him against making this absurd journey.He simply hadn t tried hard enough.But why would one of the Rand want to kidnap Axor? They were friends, not enemies.What had happened made no sense.But it was difficult to think clearly his head throbbed fromthe blow it had received, and a trickle of blood still ran down his scalp although not enough toworry him.He wasn t going to bleed to death.He remembered the spring behind the house.When the sun rose, he d wash himself in the cold water, but for now there was nothing to do butwait.Eventually he d fallen asleep.When he woke, it was broad daylight and Klei and Saashwere kneeling on either side of him. How did that happen? Klei asked, pointing to his head. Someone took Axor.I tried to stop him, but he threw me down.I hit my head on thedoorframe over there. Klei looked at Saash.They must have been communicating something. Do you know who took Axor? Klei asked. It was dark all I could see was a form.But he was strong able to lift Axor withouteffort, and his blow was powerful. Again, Klei and Saash looked at one another.Then Saash shifted closer to Sem andexamined the wound on his head.Suddenly, Sem felt himself being lifted gently by the Rand andcarried out the door into the morning light.In a moment they were at the spring, which had beendammed to flow into a pond.Saash had lowered him to a place next to the flowing water andwashed the blood from his hair.Sem reached his hand up and touched Saash s chest.You know who it was, don t you? It was one of your people.I know that because I spoketo him the way I m speaking to you now.Yes, I know who it was, and I m afraid he is not the right word.The person who tookAxor must have been my own sister.Fila was to have met us here, and I know of no one elsewho would have visited this house.But I can t understand why she would have done this thing. A woman! I didn t realize. You said it was dark, Klei pointed out. And Rand women are as strong as Rand men.But of course you had no way to know that. Fila, you called her.She didn t know Axor was here until I identified us to her, Semsaid. Whatever her intentions in taking him, she couldn t have planned to do it in advance. Yes, if what you say is correct, she could not have had a plan.It was just an opportunityshe took but she must have had something in mind. Fila doesn t think the way we do, Klei observed. It s difficult to know what sheintends. What will we do now? Sem asked.I think it s best that you return to your home in the valley.But Klei and I shall follow Filaand see if we can persuade her to give up Axor. Could I go with you? No we ll travel fast, and you wouldn t be able to keep up with us. I think I should go back with Sem, Klei announced. Someone must tell Zoë what hashappened, and it s not fair to Sem to make him the sole bearer of this news.Moreover, there snothing I could say that would persuade your sister to change her mind about anything.She maybe more willing to listen to you if I m not there, Saash. Saash looked at Klei sadly.I wanted you to be a part of our family, but Fila could never see you as someone who wasnot a stranger.I fear this action of hers is intended to create strife between the People and theNew Men. If that s the case, then the sooner Sem returns to Bent Lake the better. For the first time, Sem realized that Klei was speaking aloud, although he could just aseasily have communicated in silence, since Sem was still in contact with Saash s body. Do you feel like walking? Klei asked him. Sure I feel much better now.Perhaps the cold water. But Sem knew it had been more than the cold water.Saash s touch had brought a feelingof well-being it was as if his wound had been healed. Then we should go at once. Like that? Klei laughed. No, I have clothing hidden here
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