I had been ashamed of my words almost as I’d said them. “I’m sorry,” I said.

“So am I,” she whispered, but I don’t think she was talking about the past few minutes.

She sighed and shook herself like a wet dog. “ ’Tis done now. Know you this, though: I was not the only one chafed by the little we could do. Aethervon was constricted to giving visions and hoping that they allowed the humans to whom He gave them to make better choices. Then you came to Menogue.”

“He gave me back my magic,” I said.

“He saw in you the chance to mend one of the greatest rifts—so He did what He could to help you,” she replied. “When you cleansed the land of the great evil done at Hurog, you released some of the constraints He has to work through. There are monks now at Menogue for the first time in centuries. Through me he can do a little more to help you.”

“I thought Aethervon vowed to support the Tallven kings,” I said. “It was a Tallven king who put me in here.”

“He has sworn to serve the Tallvens, in so much as a god serves man,” she agreed. “It is only that He chooses which Tallven to serve.”

I let one eyebrow creep up. “Aethervon supports Alizon?”

She veiled her eyes with pleasure and purred. “It pleases me, this turn of events. Oh, not you here like this—but that Aethervon stirs Himself against that one, that one who hurts my Garranon. Oh, yes, that pleases me. If it were allowed I would tear the flesh from his bones and leave him to rot . . .”

Her tail twitched like a hunting cat’s. Deliberately she stilled it and wrapped it around her front feet. “But that may come in time. The gods still must leave it to humans to determine their own fate. You might bear it in mind that Aethervon will be inclined to grant favors if He is properly petitioned.” She purred. “Garranon, my friend, asked me to see you, and I will tell him how I find you. But it pleases Aethervon for me to help you as well.

“The king is waiting for your relatives to come so he can present you and them to his court,” she said. “Word has come from Iftahar that your uncle is at Hurog. It will take them time to travel here. When you stand before them, I will take their poison from your flesh—so much I can do. It is for you to keep them from destroying you until then.”

She left. Just vanished, and I thought I might have imagined her except that my thoughts remained clear.

So,I thought.The Tamerlain means to help me .