He nods and doesn't object. 

That... is probably the best Tholassi is going to get.

"Now, go to bed," Tholassi says. "You'll have duties in the morning."

"Yes, Tholassi." 

There are a lot of things he isn't going to think about, before he falls asleep. 

There are also a lot of things Tholassi is not going to think about, and he doesn't sleep, so he has a lot of time not to think about it in.

(One believer-- one believer in all the world-- it can't be, someone has to have done something, Kirasu at least believes in him, he knows it-- someone in Tarev will be able to explain--)

He doesn't dream, and if he did dream he wouldn't remember it when he woke up. 

He shares his food with Tholassi. 

Tholassi doesn't thank him. 

He wasn't expecting Tholassi to thank him. 

He's not sure how to ask about the duties Tholassi mentioned last night. 

Fortunately for him, Ashka stops by the barracks before he can put his question into words. 

"Deacon Dhavilot wants to see us."

He's just.... not going to think about all of the things he now knows about Ashka. 

He nods and follows him, brings Tholassi with him. 

Great. Now they can get a timeline on heading towards Tarev.

"Enter."

He enters. 

He glances up and down Sataro. Whenever Dhavilot looks at you, it feels like you're being pierced through, like every petty little detail of yourself is being seen and found wanting. 

"You have a salamander."

It's no surprise that this guy isn't a believer. Nothing inside his head but himself.

"Yes," he agrees. 

"Give it here."

I forbid you to get yourself tortured to death for any reason, Tholassi had said. 

Sataro obeys. 

Tholassi is SERIOUSLY RECONSIDERING HIS ORDER RIGHT NOW. 

Dhavilot takes the salamander into his palm. 

"Fascinating animals. I used to play with them when I was a boy."

Ashka's face is very very calm.

So is Sataro's. 

Dhavilot takes a finger and presses it into Tholassi's chest. 

Salamander bodies are weak, and Dhavilot's hands are strong. It is not at all hard for him to crush Tholassi's heart.

Tholassi feels a bizarre sensation. It-- it is unpleasant, it redefines the word unpleasant, he has never felt anything like this before, everything he called unpleasant before pales in comparison to this-- this thing. He can't breathe. His body is reporting damage but, but it's much worse than a simple report, it's a wrongness, a fundamental wrongness in the universe, something is wrong and he has to fix it he would do anything to fix it he--

It-- he gropes for the word from his understanding of human minds-- it hurts.

Dhavilot does not appear to notice the thrashings of the salamander.

"You will be accompanying me to Tarev."

He nods, and his hands are not shaking.