One by one the families rise from their chairs to stand in front of the urn that holds their son. All except Evan’s parents, who must stand before an empty vessel.

“Death walks beside our Legendborn Scions and Squires. We know this. We are not strangers to memorials, and yet these ceremonies never get easier and are never to be taken lightly. The loss of Fitzsimmons Baldwin, Russell Copeland, Evan Cooper, and James Whitlock is a blow to our chapter forces, multiplied four-fold. The sacrifices of your children will never be forgotten, nor were they in vain,” Regent Aldrich says, his sonorous voice flowing easily over the hundred people in attendance. “I honor them as my brethren and as sacred members of this Table. I honor them for their clear hearts and dedication, and for their commitment to the vanguard against the evil we all must face. Scions serve a sacred role in our Order, and those who support and surround them serve sacred roles as well. As parents, you brought a child into the world knowing that they might be Awakened to power—and to risk. I am certain, too, that our fallen Squires felt responsibility for their Scions, and gave their lives so that their Scions could live. In this way, their will was done.”

Behind him, the Legendborn manage to keep their blank faces, but Felicity flinches. Russ adored Felicity and loved being Oathed to her. If Rhaz had gone for her instead of him, Russ would have torn himself to pieces out of guilt, but that doesn’t mean it was his will to die. The very idea makes my head swim for them both. So much death, so much blood… and more to come if I can’t control these powers and lead as I should.

Aldrich gestures to Gabriel while gazing down at the families. “As with prior services, Regent Gabriel’s Merlins are here to offer support to the families of the deceased. Our mesmer specialists will provide the relief of forgetting to any who desire it, without judgment or censure.”

The relief of forgetting… I shudder.

Not long after Nick was taken, Vaughn Schaefer, a Page who’d aimed to become Nick’s Squire during the tournament, announced he’d be meeting with a mesmer specialist. He didn’t want to remember what he’d witnessed in the ogof. He’d seen a lot that night; we all did. Murders. A small army of demons. Rhaz, a walking nightmare. My Awakening and possession. I don’t know exactly which part of that night was too much for him to remember. Don’t know and never asked. And no one’s seen Vaughn since.

Good riddance; there’s a war on the horizon.

But now… I wonder if that specialist was one of Gabriel’s Merlins.

When I see a few of the family members murmur among one another, discussing Aldrich’s offer, any sympathy I feel is washed away with disgust.