An unbreakable bond

Chapter 34

Nynaeve didn't lie. She didn't leave Moiraine's bedroom and kept a close eye on the warder and the Aes Sedai. The Amyrlin had offered to stay with her as well, but the wisdom only had needed one look to see that the woman had needed to rest. So, she had sent her to bed. But she had to promise to inform her if anything should change.

Egwene came and stayed with her, while they tried their best to fight the fever. They covered their bodies with cold towels, but the fever didn't turn down. Nynaeve was sure that they wouldn't survive the night, but when the sun rose, both of them were still breathing. Still sick, but breathing. This was the first time, she actually thought that they could beat the poison.

It took two days until the shaking stopped and another day for the fever to get down. When Lan finally opened his eyes on the fourth day, Nynaeve fell to her knees and started to cry. Egwene rejoiced with tears in her eyes, then she left to get fresh water.

Quickly, the wisdom pulled herself together and brought Lan a glass of water. He couldn't take much, but it was better than nothing. Meanwhile, she gave him a short report about what he had missed. Lan was shocked when he heard that he had been asleep for three days, but was glad that he had been able to save Moiraine. Finally, they had found a solution for one poison of the Black Ajah. An Aes Sedai with a warder was able to survive.

Egwene returned with Siuan, who had to see the miracle with her own eyes. She was relieved to see that Lan was awake. He was weak but alive. And since Moiraine's fever was gone as well, it was only a matter of time until the woman of the Blue Ajah would open her eyes as well.

Siuan ordered Nynaeve to get some sleep. Of course, the young woman protested, but the Amyrlin made it clear that she wouldn't discuss this. Even Egwene wasn't allowed to stay. Apparently, Alanna had offered her warders to stand watch, in case, if Nynaeve and Egwene would have wanted a break – which never had happened. But Siuan hadn't forgotten about the offer and saw this as the perfect opportunity to let the two exhausted women sleep. She left Moiraine's bedroom too, as soon as Maksim and Ihvon arrived. This way, Lan was able to close his eyes again.

Moiraine opened her eyes slowly. It was the only thing she was able to move. Her whole body felt like it had been stretched, and she couldn't move a muscle. And although she was lying in a bed, her head was lying on someone's chest.

"Welcome back." She knew this voice.

"Lan." His hand appeared on the back of her head and stroked over her hair.

"How do you feel?"

"I don't understand. The poison... why am I...?"

"Still alive?" Lan sounded angry, and she also felt it through the bond. This was rare. Normally, Lan was better at hiding his emotions, even from her. "Well, the two of us proved that there is a way to survive the poison."

"How so?"

"The woman needs a warder, who has to take half of the pain."

Moiraine groaned. She hadn't wanted him to feel the pain. He had been through enough. She should've masked the bond in time. This way, he would have been...

"Wait. I did mask the bond. How have you been able to share the pain with me?"

She didn't get an answer, but she was still feeling his anger, which had increased when she had mentioned the masked bond. But she remembered now, how Siuan had said that Lan was feeling the pain because of the bond. And then she had masked it immediately. Well, and lost her consciousness.

"It seems that you've forgotten that I have my experience with ripping your barrier to pieces."

"You forced the bond open!" Moiraine was shocked. He hadn't just done it once, no, now he had forced himself back into her mind a second time! "How could you...?"