How to Make a Sinner Sleep - Chapter 77: Chapter 77

The clouds covered the moon, wisping around the white to make its hue dull and faded. Fog curled around the damp cobbled streets, emptied from life hours earlier.
Kaden walked up the pathway to the cathedral, a short carriage from the city.
It was more secluded to allow for privacy, the building standing tall in its simple yet intricate architecture. Here, the devoted came to pray for their families and health, for riches and power, for the blessing from the celestial beings above.
He slipped inside through the doors, a small creak echoing in the large hall. The followers that lived here resided further in, and a small sound wouldn't disturb them.
It was a sight to behold even in the darkness, with towering arches that ran along the sides and rows of seats faced to the front. Stained glass windows that depicted a story formed from crafted hands.
He approached the alter that was lit with five slender candles held by gold. Three large statues surrounded it, winged creatures immortalized in human vision.
A gust of wind blew behind him, brushing the back of his neck.
"I wonder, why did you choose this place?"
An ugly laugh came from the entrance, something heavy dragging closer to him. "Is this not where humans pray to the holy beings above? To the Gods that do not answer? I thought you'd feel the safest here."
He tilted his chin to the statues, gazing at the carved eyes that stared at their audience. He smiled, shoulders pulled back.
"Unfortunately, I've been long abandoned by Them, by any that one could pray to. If anything came for me, it could only be Death."
"Abandoned?" She sneered, stopping directly behind him. "Can one with of the Blessed say that?"
"I considered it. However, is a blessing really a gift?"
She didn't respond to his question, narrowing her gaze at the statues with disdain. If praying could revive the decease, she would've sliced off her tail and placed it on the alter. But it couldn't—and so she abandoned her devotion.
"You were timidly clinging to your friend at the circus, and now you have a backbone? I  suppose weakness reveals itself in those you trust most. Is he dear to you, that dragon blood?"
Kaden sighed, closing his eyes helplessly. "The dearest."
The woman slithered closer, her bare flesh pressed against him as he felt her long hair brush against his covered arms. He tensed, but didn't react.
She huffed in irritation. "Even if my appearance is hideous, I have pride in my body. Right now, you cannot see my face. Alas, young man, do you have issues down there?"
"...I'm certain it works just fine. And the issue isn't your body or your face, but the very nature of your soul."
"Is it because I'm not a man?"
"It's because you're not him."
The snake woman swooned mockingly. "Ah, he was dear to you in that way, I see. A pity, it's  easier to work with somebody who I can satisfy with my body. Fine. Tell me, boy, what do you want to tell me?"
Kaden turned around, meeting the woman's slitted eyes. "I have information regarding the person you seek."
Her eyes widened as he continued. "I found documents relating to one of that man's suppliers. That supplier is dead. However, after learning of the relationship, I requested one of my sources to listen closely for his name. I shall name him R."
He revealed a stack of papers from his cloak—the boy at the Inky Tavern had been of great use. Knowing which name to listen for allowed for a greater extent of information.
Of course, it was limited, and Kaden had warned the youth to retreat if necessary, and to not put himself in danger.
The youth had also inquired about Niklas, so Kaden also made a mental note to bring Niklas to the Tavern. He'd intended to, but it was often that his plans didn't end up occurring.
"R is seeking the blood of other species for unknown reasons. However, he seems to be involved in trafficking and harvesting parts."
The snake woman snarled and lunged for the papers as Kaden smoothly tossed them into the air, paper scattering all around them. He sidestepped, twisting her scaled arm and pinning her to the ground.
His cloak fell of his shoulders, pooling onto the ground as he adjusted his collar, frowning. The woman jerked underneath him, her strength immense, but Kaden didn't budge.
"I happen to be looking for a partner. I won't reveal his name until you agree to my demands. We'll work together, or not at all."
She hissed viciously. "And you think I cannot find what a mere human like you can? Don't be arrogant!"
"I'm aware. However, in the time it takes you to find more, how behind will you be? How many will be dead, how many will be dying?" Kaden pushed back his pink hair, emerald eyes gleaming under the shadows of the cathedral.
"What's your intention? If you merely wish for a partner, why not involve the ones you actually trust? That dragon is no weakling."
Kaden smiled, swinging his legs over as he stood up, patting his clothes. He swooped down and readjusted his cloak over his shoulders. "I'm looking for a disposable partner. He is not an option."
"You're really not charming!"
"I'm plenty charming to the men around me."
"......" She spun around, baring her sharp fangs with an intent to kill. "I'll tear you to shreds, human."
Kaden jerked in realization as she opened her mouth, a familiar song slithering into his ears like velvet. He doubled over, pain flaring in his bodies as the shadows begun to move around him.
Her smile was brilliant and hideous. "Fool. You are not the only one who can—"
Then her eyes widened as she raised her slender arm, the scaled flesh peeling apart to reveal bulbous eyes, dozens opening and closing along the expanse of her skin like a spreading disease.
She fell back in horror, tilting her head back as the three statues matched her earlier smile, the slits of their mouth stretching wide.
Kaden staggered, clutching his head as he tiredly looked up. "Don't be mistaken. My Reversal doesn't affect only me."
"I can endure it," The ghost of a smile twisted his lips. "But can you?"
The world spun into madness around him, distorting and blinking at him with bulging gazes, wicked grins. The floor underneath him wrinkled like skin and movement came from underneath the rows of seats.
If he accepted this madness, it could be a powerful tool.
If he sacrificed his mind, what could he accomplish? It was a temptation difficult to resist.
The woman clamped her mouth shut, the song abruptly cutting off as Kaden gasped, slowly blinking at the ground as the shadows receded again into a state of normalcy.
The cathedral returned to a quiet still.
Kaden straightened himself out, ignoring the throbbing in his mind from the aftereffects. "If you'd like to try again, be my guest. This is nothing to me, but I wonder, did you have a pleasant experience?"
The snake woman patted her arms, twisting it around. They had returned to their normal scaled appearance, without the gaping flesh and eyes staring up at her.
"An ability like yours must lose control often. How tragic for you."
"I have means of calming it."
She slithered closer, smiling. "Ah, you don't mean that dear friend of yours, do you? If threatening you doesn't work—"
"Go ahead." Kaden turned his head. "If the likes of you can do anything to him, I'll have to praise you instead. I do not doubt his ability."
"Oh but of course," Kaden snapped his fingers with a gentle smile. "I still have to provide a little warning."
The snake woman jerked backwards as the illusion of blinking eyes scattered across her skin again before disappearing. She sneered as Kaden shrugged indifferently. She moved away, sitting at the edge of one of the rows.
Kaden walked to the seat opposing her, separated by the long aisle between.
"You're a hindrance. Tell me, what do you want from me?"
Kaden gazed ahead at the three statues, all bowed towards the center alter. "I'm investigating R to find out his other involvements. He happens to have been a long time target of mine, so I'm pleased. But I'm also looking for his buyers."
"And if I say I'd like to kill them all?"
"Then I'll walk away right now, and you'll be on your own."
The snake woman ran her fingers through her seaweed hair, bringing it over her narrow shoulders. "You may have a cute face for a human, but your personality is terrible."
"At least I have a cute face."
".....tell me at least why you don't wish to kill them, human. If revenge isn't your purpose, why bother?"
"R is somebody who I've been researching to begin with." said Kaden calmly, recalling the awful crimes that those around him had been involved with due to Richard Halls. "I'm investigating to determine whether they need to be eliminated or not."
"So you will kill them."
"It would depend on the worth of their lives. Death does not come without consequence. No matter how terrible the sinner."
She chortled with laughter. "You're not completely useless, after all. Very well. So long as our goals align, I will work beside you. I will definitely kill R. That is not something that can be changed."
"I can agree with that."
Kaden's curiosity were in the experiments, the withered creatures he saw in Bernard's basement. The abnormal purpose of harvesting bodies and blood, what was it for?
There were many things that Kaden could ignore in the world—he could not fix every issue presented to him—but this could drag his friends into the mess.
"It'll take a while to find those behind R. I'll need you to devote your time."
The woman laughed sharply. "You worry about me being devoted? Human, I'm prepared to stake my life on ending his life. That isn't something you should worry your pretty head about."
"Of course. There's to be another meeting in Corpus in a week's time. I expect to see you there."
"I was already planning to, boy."
Kaden nodded, pushing himself off his seat. He stared ahead, bowing his head slightly to the Gods that didn't answer, and turned down the aisle, toward the towering double door.
The clouds had dispersed, and the moonlight spilled through the stained glass windows, scattering prisms of coloured light against the seats.
The woman called out to him before he left, "Say, boy, that dragon of yours. Does he always wear his human skin?"
Kaden froze. "What do you mean?"
"I'm sure you're aware of his traits—a humanoid form is adapted to fit into human society, to appear more regular. My kind, his kind, we are far from the typical appearances. It's more natural to be in a half-humanoid form."
"He... does not reveal his traits."
"Ah, is that so? What a fool. Does he fear that his value is diminished by the constructed belief of beauty, written by a human society? That if he became something of less value, that would be detrimental to his living? Does he want to fit in so badly he fears being seen?"
"You—"
"You wouldn't understand, human." She smiled, flashing her teeth. "When the state of your appearance at birth is feared and despised."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm simply wondering. Does that dragon of yours fear being seen? Or perhaps what he fears specifically, is being seen by you. Being seen yet not being seen."
Kaden pushed the door open a crack, slipping outside into the chilling night air without responding. He glanced back and saw her throw her head back, laughing loudly without fear of being found.
Her words rang in his mind.
He stepped inside the Night Carriage with haste, feeling a need to return.
And a wave of frustration tided over him, that the vicious woman understood more about the depth of Noah's mind than he.
He wanted to hurry, to cram all these underground meetings into a week, determine those behind everything, bring an end to it all. He hadn't felt so urgent before, knowing that urgency wouldn't make things happen before they should.
Kaden stepped out of the carriage, briefly meeting the driver's shadowed eyes before they disappeared into the night.
Past the gates and the garden, through the pathways and into the dormitories.
Kaden breathed, stopping before the door to his room; their room. He thought back to the chapel, to his forsaken faith. If there were a being he had to believe in, to devote his soul and trust to, there could only be one.
Kaden had long forsaken his faith, but that dragon could make him a believer again.
His hand that had been about to tap the door backed away as it was swung open, a sleepy Noah leaning against the frame with his white-black hair hanging over his dark eyes.
He didn't ask any questions, yawning. "You're back."
"...I'm back." said Kaden, stepping inside as the door closed behind them.
Noah tugged him close, wrapping his arms around him like a sleepy beast as he bent his head in the crook of Kaden's neck. "I'm tired." Then, he dragged Kaden to their bed and fell into it, feeling the warmth of the person in his arms.
Kaden couldn't help but laugh, struggling to find a gap to stretch out and turn off the dim lamp as Noah reluctantly loosened his hold slightly.
"Sleep." commanded Noah in a low murmur, eyes already closed.
Kaden felt helplessly trapped and had no choice but to oblige the demanding dragon.
And sleep, that had once taken hours to arrive, came within seconds—the exhaustion slipping away from his mind and into the early morning.