“Altan was not lapsing when he smoked opium. No-smoking opium was the only time when he was not in pain. He had lived his entire life in perpetual pain, always longing to have another dose. She had never understood how horrendously difficult it was to be Altan Trengsin, to live under the strain of a furious god constantly screaming for destruction in the back of his mind, while an indifferent narcotic deity whispered promises in his blood.. That's why the Speerlies became addicted to opium so easily, she realized. Not because they needed it for their fire. Because for horrible god. some of them, it was the only time they could get away from their”