The next hours for Kaid felt like a fever dream. He didn't know if it was the exhaustion, anxiety, or truth revealed to him that made his skin damp with sweat and head incapable of putting proper thoughts together. It could've just been severe dehydration, but he had a feeling this was something no physical matter could fix. No amount of rubbing his forehead removed the soreness. No amount of swallowing helped his sore throat. And no amount of looking away removed the truth of his half brother sitting across from him.

"Silvanus, despite all of Payne's interrogations refuses to accept guilt, yet all evidence points to the old necromancer," Vrah explained, "execution is set for tomorrow morning before we all return to our homes. I never like to start something good on a death, but maybe this will reunite us both."

"What do you know of necromancers?" Jessamine glanced across to Kaid. No amount of makeup or powder could conceal the tiredness in her eyes, nor the bruises. Despite Arilla being a rather conservative empire, wanting women to wear dresses and the like, nobody made a comment this morning about Empress Jessamine covered up in a dress shirt and pants. By now the whispers of the evening were the ripe gossip of the day, and who knows what kinds of terrible rumors were being spread.

"Well, there's not a lot. It was primarily one of the pushes for limiting Oblivion, given necromancy can be used for so many...taboo and dark means. It's just reanimating the dead. It was most common to use on a battlefield if numbers dwindled. A mutilated corpse on your side is better than none and it was effective against a tired enemy. There's not much about it presumably because those that possess such nature would rather keep it discrete, and those that do know about it, would rather not be associated with such," Kaid explained, forcing himself to take another sip of juice,

The juice was full of pulp, his memory dwindling to Christine, who absolutely hated any amount of it in her orange juice. She was alive. Somewhere, somehow. If Payne knew that, then they'd have to get her back, even if it interrupted their meeting with the Emperor of Lungor. No. His father.

No. That man would never be his father. One second of pleasure did not determine such in Kaid's life, not when a woman had to raise him alone for eight years, and the next thirty he had to do on his own. That man could never be considered his father and Kaid knew it best to dismiss that existence in his life.

"How do you know all this?" Vrah asked out of curiosity.

"He reads. A lot," Jessamine responded, a hint of pride in her voice. She liked a man who read, who yearned for knowledge and understanding. It's why she knew that she hurt him so badly by removing him from the political squander. Kaid wanted to help, and to help he needed to be involved. When there was a problem, his first instinct was to eradicate the problem. Sometimes there were problems that never had solutions, though. They were too far gone for that; Jessamine had taken it too far.

"It's too simple," Kaid shook his head. Maybe he was used to elaborate schemes and motives. But this just didn't sit right with him. Silvanus had plenty of evidence of hating royal figures, Jessamine especially. He was stated to have numerous writings and articles voicing his rhetoric of hate against the Kruzicka family in general. Panye deduced Silvanus himself had been a victim of some sort of policy that sent him to Arilla, at some point. Whatever the policy was, it didn't matter. It was enough to hate anyone on that throne and wish death.

"Not everything needs to be some drawn out reason. A crazed, old man finds out that two royal subjects, both from a family he despises, are in the same place at the same time. That's his opportunity. His means, well, he can revive the dead, demand them to assassinate and that's all he needs. Reasons to commit acts of violence or crime are useless, as everyone tries to justify or abuse that reason for their shitty political opinions," Vrah shrugged, as if used to it, "I've studied law and psychology. An Oblivion like that shouldn't exist and anyone who possesses it needs to be under direct scrutiny and observation."

Meaning Caladin.

"Oblivion is a tool. When it is used in acts of evil, that is because of the person possessing it and using it for their will. Just because someone can revive the dead temporarily does not inherently make them an evil person," Kaid retorted, finding his voice laced with frustration. Jessamine squirmed in her seat slightly, but only to let her foot press against his leg underneath the table, trying to reassure him to remain calm.

"Some tools are more dangerous than others. Ever have those intrusive thoughts when you pick up a knife? Ever hold it and wonder what it would be like to stab the person next to you? It's grotesque, yet everyone's minds let those violent thoughts in every once in a while," he shrugged, picking up a spoon, "nobody, however, picks up a spoon as a tool, and wonders what it would feel like to plunge into someone's chest and scoop their heart out. Both tools...both have very different purposes, but one is inherently more dangerous than the other."

Jessamine dropped her fork at the comment, sighing loudly at the fact she couldn't finish the rest of her breakfast with that thought in her head. Not like she was going to finish it anyways, but she didn't appreciate the loss in her already fragile appetite.

"I think the Empress is right. This isn't the time and place for such talks, nor is it proper in front of a lady," Vrah excused himself, standing up, "Thank you, for the past twelve hours or so. And I appreciate us having breakfast together to discuss this. Now, I am going to lock myself in a room with six guards and try to get some sleep. If I don't see you at the execution tomorrow, or at a party tonight, I will see you both in Uhkhtar."

"Thank you Vrah, for assisting in the arrest and investigation," Jessamine nodded. Vrah smiled at them both, noticing Kaid's blank, emotionless expression. Right. It was probably best for them to have some time to themselves. He supposed if Kaid wanted to politely debate such matters it was probably best without the Empress in the room. But, Vrah wouldn't dare deny he wasn't impressed with Kaid. He held a good head on his shoulders, was rather intelligent, and very good in conversation.

Such a shame he seemed to be on the wrong side. But Vrah knew that hadn't been his brother's choice to make.

Kaid got up to try and assist the servants in taking the plates, which resulted in frustrated glances, grunts, and refusal for him to help. Kaid didn't know why it was such a huge deal, one where they seemed to hate him for it. He was only trying to do them all a favor and help out. It didn't help his already dampened mood.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, looking at Jessamine. Of course so many people this morning asked how she was, how she was doing. They didn't actually mean it though. They asked out of politeness and could care less about her answer. Kaid was the first and only, besides Cadize, to ensure she was doing okay.

"It hurts to walk, hurts to sit, might as well stand for the rest of my life," she sighed, standing from her chair, "but I'm okay."

"I meant...how are you, not including the bruises?" he asked, walking over to assist her if needed.

"Worse than the bruises, then," she answered, "I nearly got assassinated and had to claw my way out of a fight, thinking my lover and guardian were dead. Christine is in Uhkhtar just waiting for someone to rescue her and we have to go there to try and make peace with an Emperor that probably hates the both of us. How do you think I feel, Kaid? I'm terrified."

It was the first time he's ever truly seen her, heard her admit to being afraid. It's what she meant about the storm inside her. She let too much in. All that debris swirling around was making it all worse. She knew it would happen and yet she did it anyway. But if there was an eye in that storm, it was the man beside her.

"I'm sorry," she shook her head, Kaid gently touching her backside, "I'm just sick of the schemes."

"Don't apologize," he insisted, "I'm scared too, if that means anything."

"You don't look it, though," she smiled softly at his honesty, taking a deep breath, "one of us has to stay strong, though, to encourage one another, to help the other back up and vice versa."

"Nobody said we can't be broken together, temporarily," he replied.

"How romantic," she scoffed playfully.

"I can be romantic."

"You?" she feigned surprise, "I'm afraid you've created a new definition of romance. Flowers whenever you feel like giving them, hidden notes in my paperwork, listening to me play piano for hours on end, hell, even after sex you hold me instead of turning your back to fall asleep."

"That's the best part though: the embracing," he teased, seeing her laugh. There. That could make his day a bit better, was hearing that soft laugh of hers.

"You've soiled me, you rotten bastard."

"I believe the term is 'spoiled'," he jested.

"No, Kaid, you've soiled me. Ruined me, exterminated my soul and lifted it to the heavens like death itself. You haunt my very dreams, my own existence. And I wouldn't want it any other way," she whispered, "I wouldn't go back and change a thing, if I had your power. All the pain and suffering you've taken away with the rest of me."

Kaid was just about to respond to her affection before the doors opened. Bridger stood there, fixing his short brown hair that seemed slightly dampened by the snow. What that man did in his free time with nobody around the palace, nobody really knew. He liked to keep to himself, or maybe in the company of women from time to time. Still, Kaid didn't mind him being quiet as long as he did his job.

"I'm just about to take Payne back before preparing for Uhkhtar. I've never been so I will have to portal him as close as possible before we trek on foot. Depending on the situation, we will get in contact before arranging your arrival. Do you need anything else, Empress?"

"Payne won't wait for the execution tomorrow?" she questioned.

"No. Not to worry. The man is locked up, nobody in or out, and he will be led straight to the rope tomorrow morning. He stated Christine is his primary objective," Bridger answered.

"Very well, thank you Bridger for arriving on short notice. Feel free to take some Arillian wine or luxuries with you back on the palace tab," Jessamine nodded, seeing him smile about that.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Of course, Lady Jessamine. Thank you," he nodded to her, then Kaid, "Safe travels."

"You as well," Kaid nodded, taking a deep breath. Well, there went his idea. Silvanus was already being executed, but Kaid did have an inkling to go speak with him. However, if nobody was allowed in or out then there was no chance of that happening. If anyone could know something about that knife, it could be him.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Jessamine asked softly, crossing her arms.

"You're the mind reader," Kaid smiled, glancing over at her, "I'd like to speak with him, the prisoner. It's not that I don't trust Payne-"

"You don't trust him," Jessamine retorted, seeing him agree slightly.

"I just think there's something he's not telling us with how quickly he handled this," Kaid sighed, not sure how to explain it without making a treasonous comment.

"How much time do you need?"

"I'm not sure. Think you can try for twenty minutes?"

"Doable," she agreed. Very doable.

—-------------------------------------------------------------

Jessamine had dismissed the Guards with relative ease. Arillian Guards weren't particularly strong, mentally or physically. Not a lot of the typical crime resided in a rich, bank filled Empire such as this. Of course the crime of fraud, exploitation, and possibly slavery of business natures persisted. But it wasn't the robbery these guards were looking for. So penetrating their minds to relieve themselves temporarily was easier done than said.

"Twenty minutes, maximum, otherwise the next rotation might come and that will be a bigger problem," she whispered.

"You don't want to come with me?" he asked.

"The man hates me, I don't think it's a good idea," she reminded him, "besides, out here I can sense anyone coming down this way. If I knock on the door twice, and only twice, you'll have to cut the conversation short."

"Right, okay," he swallowed, feeling stupid for thinking she could join him. He supposed just having her in there would make things easier, but he understood it could cause problems within the conversation.

"You'll be fine, my love," she assured him, squeezing his hand gently. He squeezed it back momentarily before entering inside the cell door. Jessamine leaned against it as it closed, taking a deep breath herself. If Kaid found anything of suspicion, then maybe her faith had been put in the wrong place this entire time.

The room was dark except for one small light illuminating one corner of the cell. Silvanus sat on the small bench, given he couldn't do anything else. He was forced into a straightjacket, arms and legs crossed, tied together with enchanted chains. It wasn't like he could use his Oblivion of necromancy to escape, but they weren't going to take any chances. Kaid stepped forward, momentarily looking down to see a rough cleanup of blood on the floor. It no longer stuck or coagulated, in fact it looked mopped up but not entirely to remove all evidence.

When Kaid glanced back up as he grabbed a chair from the side, he noticed Silvanus' eyes had been removed, forcibly. Fingers were cut from his hands, covered horribly by a batch of cloth completely bled through. Shit. This wasn't torture of waterboarding nature like Kaid had experienced. It was the work of the devil himself, a man who created physical pain and probably took pleasure in it. Kaid clenched his fist to withhold any nausea, sitting down.

"Who's there, is that you, Payne?" the man laughed, "Told you, won't get a confession out of me."

"Payne isn't here any longer, he's returned to Vitross," Kaid explained, seeing the inquisitive tilt of the prisoner's head, "my name is Kaid."

"Kaid! I know that name, I know you: Jessamine's lapdog," he snickered.

"You could say that," Kaid cleared his throat, not feeling offended, "I want to help, Silvanus."

"Help? Little too late, unless you want to lend a 'hand'," he shook his head, "No, there's no helping me. You're here to help yourself."

"Necromancy, I want to know how it works, what you do," Kaid insisted.

"I see. Silvanus Silver Hand, does it ring a bell?" he asked, his long silver hair draped over his nonexistent eyes, hearing no response, "Medicineman by day, necromancer by night. Healer of the wounds with the sun, healer of the soul with the moon. I used to live near Uhkhtar, you know. That's where they say you stem from, right? I witnessed some atrocities there, you wouldn't believe it."

"Try me."

"You know, you're much nicer than Payne but I don't appreciate your tone," Silvanus tsked, "want to know why I hate your Empress? The hate of her ancestors is directly passed down onto her, a woman who with the snap of her fingers can force a man to slit his own throat. Just like all Emperors and Empresses, nobody holds them accountable. Why do the likes of me or even you, have to be judged for every single time we use our Oblivion? Who is there to decide what's good, what's evil, when all we do is use what is given to us? They believe themselves to be gods when they sit on their thrones. I wanted to give proof of their mortality.

"We both know necromancy isn't well looked upon, and yet, people came with an abundance of gold to me. Isn't that hypocritical? The type of power I hold is enough to make the bravest of men vomit at the sight, women faint at the very idea...yet I've had lines of desperate people outside my door at night for decades. At least I help people, but the elitists will never see it that way. No, just look at me, look how dangerous I am, a withered old man without anything to live for."

"How do you help people?"

"What's the price of a life, Kaid? Is all life worth the same?"

"Most...I would say yes they are worth the same. There are some that go too beyond worthy of saving," Kaid answered, "But my answer shouldn't be the same for everyone else. Everyone has their opinion. Nobody has the right to make their own standard rule."

"What price would you put for closure? Say it was me that killed your Empress last night, what if it didn't end on good terms? You had a fight, disagreed about something, and she was dead. What would you pay to speak to her again, to beg for forgiveness, to know she didn't die hating you?"

Kaid remained silent.

"I help people. I have never used necromancy to take a life, never once used it for any form of violence. I give peace to grieving parents who lose their child, reunite long lost siblings even after death, or even give temporary life to a dead pet so the owner can hear their fucking cat meow one last time," he sighed heavenly at the thought, "it's not a crime to hate a ruler, to speak out against them. If you saw what I saw, Kaid, knew what I knew, you'd stab that woman too, and all the other cronies at her service."

"How many people can you resurrect at a time?" Kaid asked, not even bothering with taking Silvanus' bait with Jessamine. Kaid had one objective and right now defending her wouldn't help him achieve that.

"Three."

"How far apart can they be from you?"

"No more than a good hundred yards, not like I've experimented with such distance anyways."

"So, you can't demand two corpses to separate completely down an opposite hallway?"

"Too long, and with that many walls it's easy to lose concentration. It's not just reviving a corpse, it's about keeping them alive," Silvanus answered, "and you ask as if these corpses are assassins. Their minds are fragile. To ask that of such a corpse, one would have to be an assassin in the first place, especially if you want it done right. I don't possess them, not like your Empress does. All you do is ask, and it's up to them to answer."

"What happens when you kill the entity when revived?"

"It's already dead, I suppose killing it again would just remove the residual energy and 'kill' it once more. It would just become a corpse, like it always was."

"So it wouldn't disappear upon death?"

Silvanus paused as he asked that, humming softly, "You know I didn't do it."

"Answer the question."

"It wouldn't disappear. But you already knew that."

"I need to know about a blade, a blade that this corpse used," Kaid insisted.

"Oh, I'd be happy to take a glance at it," Silvanus sarcastically remarked. Kaid pulled the blade from his pocket, unfolding it slightly.

"It's curved, emerald hilt with gold lining-"

"Does it have a silver etching on the blade, almost vine-like?"

"I...yes," Kaid answered slowly, "You know what this is?"

"Uhkhtar ritual blade. Very very rare these days. You said it was what the corpse used?"

"Yes, it disappeared but I went back and-I mean, I grabbed it before it could disappear," Kaid tried to correct himself but saw Silvanus already understood.

"Oh so it's true, you can go back. Thought that was just a rumor," he nodded, "I see, this just got very interesting. Someone is toying with you, and more than likely someone very very close to you."

"Where can I learn more about this blade?"

"Uhkhtar."

Kaid sighed in frustration. This was no help at this point. However Kaid got as many answers as he could from the man, some very important answers he would have to think over. Regardless, this man's fate was sealed. Kaid stood up, scraping the chair back to its spot. The sound changed Silvanus' expression, who immediately began to look anxious.

"I can tell you, show you where to go, who to speak to about that blade. But only if you get me out of here," he desperately spoke, no sarcasm left in his voice.

"I can't, I'm sorry," Kaid answered, sliding the blade back into his pocket.

"I'll do more! Surely, Kaid, there must be more I can do. I can help with the blade, but I can also help more. Please. Surely, there must be someone I can revive, someone you wish to speak to? Show me a grave and I will give you all the time to speak with them, free of charge. Just get me out of here,"

Kaid paused at the offer, temptation immediately sinking into his gut. His mother might have a grave. Surely they could try and speak with her, once this was all over. He'd get to see her, hear her voice, ask her anything. He'd get to know her story, know about his own, finally achieve closure. Silvanus didn't do it, that was certain. And he certainly provided some enlightenment to the situation. But it wasn't enough to convince anyone else. Nobody questioned Payne's judgment except one person, and Kaid wasn't enough to reverse this man's guilty verdict. Kaid felt sorry for him, but there was nothing he could do.

"Thank you for sharing, Silvanus," Kaid reached for the door, "I'm sorry you've become victim to the very thing you criticized."

"Oh it's worse than that, my boy," he shivered, "not just my life will be taken tomorrow..."

Kaid paused, wondering what he meant by that. Would more be taken? Or was something, someone else, already taken?

"He didn't just take my eyes out, pluck them with a tweezer, sever the nerve with scissors. He didn't just cut off every index. He pried every nail out first, snipped fingers and toes at their thickest parts. That's not even the worst part. You know what he did, what he said?"

Kaid remained silent.

"ASK IT DAMN YOU!" Silvanus begged.

"What did Payne do, what did he say?" Kaid asked, feeling his heart beat loudly in his throat.

"Now is when I wear your face as a mask..."

Kaid heard those words spoken from Payne's deep, demonic voice, knowing it must've sent shivers down Silvanus' spine.

"What?"

"That's what he said. He took my face, Kaid. He took a dying man's face. What kind of person does that? How many other faces has he stolen? Has he taken yours? Would you even know it if he did?" Silvanus's words turned into quiet sobs.

Kaid swallowed, feeling the lump stuck at the middle of his throat. He didn't know the answer. He knew Payne to be dangerous, but only now did he just realize how dangerous. This was the man being sent to rescue Christine, the man who had whispered in Jessamine's ear as she was a young Empress trying to impress her kingdom, and a man who could infiltrate any council, fortress...anything his mind possessed. Caladin. Vitross. Lungor. He could go anywhere, especially with a portalist as his right hand man.

Kaid walked out, slamming the door to silence Silvanus' sobs. He felt fear overcome his mind, causing him to freeze. His body craved his Oblivion, his reactions kicking in. But what could stopping time do? It wouldn't save him now, wouldn't save anyone at this moment. There was no reason to listen to that instinct, given it was only a waste of strength. He had to embrace the fear, face it, just like any non-Oblivionist would.

Jessamine turned slightly from her waiting spot, a curious look on her face. She wondered about the results of the conversation, but she couldn't exactly read her lover's face.

"And? Did you get anything?" she asked, hoping for something.

"He...he stated the blade was an Uhkhtar ritual blade," Kaid answered, trying to piece through all the information just given to him.

"Well, I hate the fact every answer to our questions seems to be guiding us to that graveyard," Jessamine sighed, but was relieved they got an answer, "to Uhkhtar then, to get our answers. Do you know if he committed the crime?"

"He didn't. I didn't get the impression he did it," Kaid whispered, shaking his head. Jessamine swallowed before nodding, assuming that too. He was a mere scapegoat, and his dangerous speech towards elitists only made him prone to becoming one. It just meant someone else was at work.

"Anything else?"

Should he tell her? How could he? She might already know the danger Payne possessed, hell, she even encouraged it, emboldened it. But did she know just how bad it was? Payne could possess and steal faces. Could he possess a corpse in form? Could he command it to do anything? Was it even possible to transform into one? It was already dead, so killing it didn't necessarily mean killing him.

Did Payne try to kill Jessamine last night? Vrah? Just how many forms could he have to take shape?

Did he already have Kaid's face?

"No, nothing else sadly," Kaid responded, moving to take her hand. He held it tightly, realizing he never wanted to let go of it. He didn't feel guilty lying to her. Just as she had lied to him, maybe this would save her life if he lied to her.

The only thing was, Jessamine was much better at exposing such lies than Kaid was.