"You may have a point," He concedes, because true: it would have been so much easier, if only he had been able to recover fully. And it might have saved much grief, for himself at least, to do so, "But you are wrong, on two points. That scene, that sight. What was done to her. That was my folly, as I have said."

He feels the ripples of Felassan's movements wash over him, and remembers those same ripples cast through history. He could blame his friend, for forcing his hand, but it was not the same as the truth: he had made a decision, a stupid, desperate decision, and Beleth had paid the price.

"And I did not recover."