The cell was cold, but Kai's brain seethed.
Hours ticked by, or maybe more. Time lost all sense in the wet darkness of the dungeon, interrupted by the occasional drip of water or the clang of far-off guards. Kai sat cross-legged against one end of the wall, eyes half-closed, brain whirling.
Memories crept back in, pieces and scraps but persistent. He fitted them together where he could.
This world wasn't his own. The mana in the air was real, soft and thrumming like a heartbeat under the stone. Even the lowest peasant probably had more raw potential here than he had ever accessed in his previous life.
But the knowledge that came with this body felt sharp, heavy with context he didn't fully understand.
Kai Morel—the name held history, aristocratic blood sullied by scandal. Son of a lesser house, now dishonored, his family name spoken in reverence like a curse. And then the charge: treason.
The facts were maddeningly vague, like smoke that eluded his grasp.
Yet one fact burned bright: he was to be executed in two days.
And Kai had no desire to die twice.
Footsteps came. Not the heavy, plodding gait of guards. Lighter. Intentioned.
The lock clicked open with a soft metal sound.
A tall man came in, wearing fitted dark clothes—a uniform of some kind, sharp-edged, clean but worn. His features were angular, his eyes sharp, the color of polished stone.
Kai watched him closely, every detail registered, every move measured.
You asked for parchment, the man stated, holding a folded sheet and a quill.
Kai leaned forward, voice calm. And I'm receiving it so quickly. Veyron's justice system is outstanding.
The man didn't grin. I'm not here for small talk.
Kai took the items without looking away.
Your name? Kai asked.
Marshal Rhys Calder, was the response. I am an Empire servant. And I am a servant of the truth.
A virtuous cause, Kai said. He opened the parchment, its surface slightly bumpy. But truth comes in many faces.
Calder's face didn't change. Then I want to see yours.
Kai's pen scribbled on the paper. He wrote nothing important, just symbols to make time pass. His brain whirlwind. Calder's being there affirmed his suspicions—the trial was more than show. They wanted something. Answers? Confessions? Or to gauge him.
Why am I allowed this? Kai inquired innocently, gesturing toward the paper.
Each doomed noble is allowed final words, Calder had said. Even those whose bloodline lies in tatters.
Kai's hand hesitated, quill suspended.
My family's fall is on record, I take it?
Enough that your name means nothing in protection here, Calder replied calmly.
But there is interest, Kai said. Or you'd not be here in person.
Calder took a step closer, eyes narrowing. Your trial is nigh. The proof is damning. But there are… gaps.
Kai laid the quill down, standing relaxed.
Let me guess, Kai said, the gaps unsettle you more than the allegations.
Calder's silence was revealing.
Kai went on, I think even you, Marshal, feel when a puzzle's borders don't fit.
Calder's lips compressed. You're smart. Hazardous, maybe. But words won't alter the charges.
Then maybe actions will, Kai retorted.
A risk, but for the time being, it had to be done.
I provide facts, Kai said. Buried truths your Empire has most probably lost. In return, I ask for temporary reprieve from execution.
Calder's brow furrowed. Empty threats.
Kai inched forward a little, voice lowering. The Ashmarked.
The impact was instant.
Calder's face hardened, his hand curling at his side.
You talk in parables, Calder cautioned.
Do I? Kai smiled weakly. Or do I just know more than I should?
There was a tense silence between them.
Finally, Calder stood up.
Your words have procured you a shard of time, Calder conceded. But lying has consequences on both sides.
So does truth, Kai said softly.
Calder turned, leaving with deliberate strides.
The cell door closed.
Kai breathed slowly, the strain coiled within him relaxing ever so slightly.
Information. Power. Survival. All strands of the same fabric.
He required more time. More information.
And when the trial arrived, he'd be prepared.
Even under the ash shroud, his mind was keen.
The mask he wore was only just settling into place.