“I was just wishing I had some straw to cover my head,” I said with more bitterness than humor.

Her hand, as callused as mine, touched my temple and trailed down my sweat-streaked cheek. “Oreg says that you should feel better in a few days.”

“He told me,” I said.

“After I found where they had you, Oreg tried to get you out.” She took her hand away suddenly, as if she had just noticed she was touching me.

Though the king’s men had scrubbed and soaped, and I’d done it again here, maybe the smell of the Asylum still clung to me. “I know he did.” I remembered the call of Hurog magic as I tried to drown myself—had it been this morning or last night? “The Tamerlain couldn’t get me out, either. The part of the Asylum I was in was designed to hold mages.”

“The Tamerlain?” she said.

She would know what the Tamerlain was, of course, but I doubted she really believed in it. I shouldn’t have said anything about the creature—not coming out of an asylum for crazy people. I glanced around the room, but the Tamerlain, having done what she could, was gone.

“You really saw the Tamerlain?” she asked, but more in wonder than if she truly doubted me.

“She made it possible to carry out that little farce in Jakoven’s court,” I said.

“Who are you that Aethervon takes an interest in your deeds?” she asked.

I wasn’t ready for undeserved admiration. I felt fouled and small, so I snorted and told the truth. “A pawn. Don’t get your hopes up, Aethervon has done all he intends to.”

Tisala crouched beside my bed and looked hard into my eyes. “Tell me again what you feel about Alizon’s rebellion.”

I sat up and rubbed my face wearily. “If this is a serious conversation, would you mind lighting a few more candles so I can see you when I’m talking?” The shadows in the room reminded me of the cell in the Asylum.

When she was through I made her drag a chair over near the bed. Between the candle lighting and the rearranging of furniture, I bought myself enough time to decide I didn’t have to be entirely honest with her, but I was going to do it anyway.