The figure turned to face her.  He held the picture of Rathine up to his
face.  "An excellent likeness, no?"  He cast back his hood and regarded her
with cold violet eyes.  "I am Dremora Rathine.  I believe that you were
expecting me."

"You would be the one Imago Storm has sent to help?" asked Kriella.

"Indeed. And if you have read this journal you will know that Nyxalinth and
myself were once quite … close."

"Yes, I read about your 'closeness'. Why you?"

A worried look briefly flashed on his face, but it was gone so quickly that
Kriella would not have sworn that it had ever been there. "I do not know,"
he replied finally. "The Prince Regent simply sent me. Mine is not to
reason why. I assume it is because I am one that the Shadowalker can trust
and I have been known to hold a certain rivalry with Emerald Vex, her
captor. Now it is my turn to ask a question. Exactly who are you?"

Kriella made her own worried look at this. Should she tell a Daedra about
the Dreadarmies? Could she tell a Daedra about them? If he already knew
that they existed then the knowledge that she was a Dreadmaster would not
help him to trust her but if she lied then he would probably recognise her
uniform. If he did not, then the old adage that ignorance is bliss would be
suitable. She took a deep breath.

"I am Kriella Khan. I met Nyx in some caverns close by where we defeated a
Spider Daedra. Nyx told me of her problems and I agreed to help her kill
Red and Blackie – I assume you know of them." She took his nod as an
affirmative. "As I said, I helped her kill Red and Blackie and then Vex
took her. I am currently waiting for my husband to return from his quest so
that I can go and rescue her."

"Interesting. Made even more so by the fact that the two Spider Daedra that
you know as Red and Blackie are not actually dead."

"What? They have returned from the Darkness already?"

Rathine put on a pained expression at the mention of the Darkness. "No.
They were never there. At least not recently. As Vex took Nyxalinth, in the
same way he substituted Red and Blackie for two other Daedra – magically
disguised of course."

"Could you take us to Oblivion?"

"Yes, and no."

"Yes and no?"

"Mostly no. You see, I could take you to the lands of the Dremora, but Vex
will have taken Nyx to his land – a part of Sanguine's realm. I cannot take
you there."

"Then we must still await Tenaka."

"What can this mortal do?"

Kriella worried again. She clearly could not mention that Tenaka, and
indeed herself, were not mortal. Such comments would make him curious as to
why. She would also have to be very careful about her explanation of how to
visit Oblivion. She wracked her mind for a way to visit Oblivion that would
not involve his being the Dreadlord. But she could not think of one. She
decided to risk telling the truth.

"Rathine, this must go no farther than these four walls."

"Of course."

"My husband is the Dreadlord. He has been given certain powers by the God,
Ebonarm. One of these is to go to places he has seen before. He has been to
all the realms of Oblivion in the past and thus can take us there."

Kriella watched Rathine closely. His thoughts flickered quickly on his
face, none visible for long enough to fully understand. First was surprise
– probably that any mortal could visit Oblivion. Next came disbelief and
then satisfaction. Finally was curiosity.

"Well then, Kriella. Perhaps we should become better acquainted."

"In what way?"

"In any way you choose."

"Very well. But remember that I have a husband, and he is perfectly capable
of killing you. Have I made myself clear?"

"Ah yes, my dear. Very clear."