“What exactly do you think I have in mind, Jere?”

“I think… you want to use me to get you into that temple. You want to ‘act’ like a priest to give you access and defile those bodies without anyone the wiser.”

Appo wasn’t deterred. “I’m not going to ‘defile’ anything. I’ll treat them with care and dignity, and I’ll leave them the same way they were before. If it helps, I only need Mena’s body. I won't touch Duncic.” He pointed to the dirty brown robe on the floor. “I only need you to get me in and get me out. You won’t have to do anything else.”

“First of all, sneaking into a temple will get you exiled. Tearing open a body in the temple? They'll throw you in the cells with the screamers. Also,” Jere pointed to his robe, “you’re not going to put me in a costume to do it.”

Appo sighed. “I know the risks, Jere. I’m not asking you to help. I just need your robe. I was once a priest too, remember?”

Jere shook his head. Appo wondered why he thought Jere would be willing to help him. He knew Jere had good common sense, but that didn’t mean that he could understand the scientific importance of an autopsy. Personally, Appo believed that after death, the soul was removed from the body. Its subsequent dissection would bring no harm to the soul. It was frustrating to be surrounded by ignorance, but he could understand why autopsies were so loathed. Especially when the autopsy in question involves friends or family.

“I don't have much time. If we wait until tomorrow, we lose the last lead we have. We can avenge Duncic if this goes right. We can avenge all those who died.”

Jere pondered for a moment. “You're not a bad person, healer. But this is still a fascinatingly awful idea.”

Appo gestured again to the robe. “In that case, I’ll let myself in. Let me take the robe and I can figure out where to go next.”

Jere walked over to the robe, picked it up, and examined it. It was worn and dirty. Despite their high social status, priestly robes were rarely lavish. The plain brown robes were indistinguishable from one town to the next. Jere patted off the sand as he turned to Appo. “If you plan on doing this, you’ll have to act the part, right? Do you know what you say to the guards? What if you encounter another priest? Will you know what to say then? Do you know the customary greeting priests share with each other on the eves of the Day of Akkavan?”

Appo hadn’t considered any of that. He had no idea. He kept silent.

Jere continued. “It’s not just a matter of putting on a costume. You have to play the part if you want to get anywhere near those bodies.” He threw the robe on his bed and began dusting it off. He was intricate, as though he had cleaned it thousands of times before.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“I have to try, Jere. This may be our only chance.”

“I know, I know. You’re a persistent one, healer. You feel the need to defy authority every chance you get, and as much as I enjoy it, I’d rather not see you get killed… You’re going to need all the help you can get, and I don’t want to be the one who has to examine your corpse.”

Appo smiled. “So, you’ll help then?”

Jere shrugged. “It doesn’t make sense to me, but if you think looking at a dead body can help us beat this plague, I’ll do what I can. I hope you have a plan to get yourself in there though.”

“I have an idea or two... Thanks, Jere.”

Jere chuckled. “Don’t thank me yet. There’s still the matter of the guard. I doubt he’ll be okay with me breaking their protocol.”

A third voice broke between Jere and Appo. “I don’t think that he’d be okay with that.” The two turned towards the door: Adok was coming through. He looked saddened. “Is this how you treat me? After all I’ve done?” Appo had completely forgotten about the guard, and it was very possible that he had heard everything. They could be in serious trouble.

“There is a time and a place, guard,” Jere said. “What have you heard?”

“Enough. I know you’re leaving, and I don’t think it’s a smart idea. Penzer is already upset with me for letting the healer through, but he would be livid if he found out you left under my watch.”

“Whew” thought Appo. He didn’t hear about their plan, or the guard would’ve reacted far more harshly. Still, he was becoming an obstacle.

Jere stepped forward. “Here’s a solution: don’t tell Penzer. Save yourself a lot of talking and let us go on our way. I ask again: what have you heard?”

Adok flustered. “Please, don’t do this. If you two get caught, I’m going to be in major trouble. I could be expelled from the Corps.” He tried to act strong, but Adok was clearly intimidated by Jere, who was about a head taller and far more muscular. Adok's skinny frame and his nervous demeanor stood in stark contrast to Jere’s stoic bravado.

“I’ll make this simple, Adok. You got two options: making this a problem with Penzer or making this a problem with me. Neither of those is good for you. I’m offering you a third way: let me and the healer go about our business for the night, and you write a boring report to your superiors. Sound okay to you?”

Appo repressed a laugh. Jere knew how to build tension when he needed to. He saw Adok fold almost immediately to the pressure. “I guess Penzer isn’t quite as scary as Jere.”

“I’m going to ask one more time: what have you heard?” Jere spoke with resounding finality, as though he was no longer asking a question.

“… I heard nothing.”

Jere patted Adok on the shoulder, making him jump with fright. “Excellent answer. Don’t worry. We’ll be good boys.” Jere pushed past Adok and went out the door. Appo did one last sweep of the room, grabbing the robe before he left. He leaned to Adok as he passed, who looked as though he had just been given a death sentence.

“I wouldn’t worry so much. It spreads by blood, not by touch.” Appo, too, left the house.

Adok, now the lone occupant of the house, let out a sigh of relief.