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So, he thought, take that advantage away

The Queen had begun to create a bond between herself and the great furies of Calderon, a task that Tavi felt was surely well beyond his own abilities But in furycraft, like in everything else, it was far more difficult to create than it was to destroy

"Alera," he whispered He had no idea if the great fury could hear him, or if she would appear if she did But he pictured her intensely in his thoughts, and whispered again, "Alera"

And then the great fury was si silently and without dra into the cloud and , weary She looked around at the situation, her eyes pausing upon the er than upon the spark-flooded battle raging between Kitai and the Queen

"H well for you"

Tavi fought to keep his voice calreat furies to herself?"

"To a degree," Alera replied "They are both held motionless, fury-bound, and are somewhat upset about it"

"She can control them?"

"Not yet," Alera said "But the house of hereven as she does battle It is only a matter of time" She shook her head "Poor Garados He's quiteto keep your folk away, but she's scarcely less psychotic than he is, the past few centuries"

"I need to break her link to Garados and Thana Lilvia," Tavi said "Is it possible?"

Alera lifted her eyebrows "Yes But they are notbound, and they will not show you the least gratitude"

"Binding can be done even by someone like me," Tavi said "I mean, I could make Garados sit still if I had to That's what happened at Kalare and Alera Iree Someone like me bound them not to act"

"Correct," Alera said

"Then show me how to break the bond"

Alera inclined her head and reached out her hand Like the rest of her, it, too, was covered in opaque grey mist that one could mistake for cloth if one didn't look too closely She touched his forehead Her fingertip was damp and cool