I felt amazing after our kiss. I am not sure if the Necromancer's lips bear a healing touch or not but my bruised ribs weren't grinding my spirits into the dust and I could think.. actually think without fear or pain weighing me down. Of course, on the advent of such a change for the good, my stomach rebelled and I got violently ill in front of the man I would like to be pretty for.

Warrick drew me outside for cooler air and a walk in the graveyard which surrounds Priam's house. He had my hand in his and he was marching us through all those tombstones and cairns, intent on finding something.. or someone. It turned out to be the executioner who was frantically reopening a grave with only his shovel and a fair amount of sweat. He had some making up to do.. which was the message he received from the board any ways.

I felt so good. Confident. Strong. Easily prone to grin in sardonic amusement.. and of course surprised when Warrick tossed his witch board and planchette in the fresh hole the Executioner was digging.

Priam balked. He couldn't believe this was the Nercomancer's intention any more than I could. Why all this time, those two items were lovingly cared for and never left out in view for very long at all. Still, Warrick demanded those precious relics of his to be buried in an unmarked tomb before turning back to me.

"Be mine."

"But Alexandra.. your wife."

"She's been dead.. a really long time, Bryony. You will be mine, yes?"

With this act, the man buried his wife for with the board gone, any hope of contacting her spirit went with it. Finally, he was letting go of Alexandra after many many years of clinging to her memory and he was doing it.. for me.

"Warrick, teach me tonight to be a woman and come morning light, how to be your wife."

[0 petals fell]