She nodded but felt disconnected from his statement. And that disturbed her. She walked toward the bed and pulled the covers back. Why wasn’t she feeling anything? Did she not care? Had her heart slipped back behind iron doors without her knowing?

Selene blew out her own candle and climbed into bed. The covers were cool to the touch, colder than she was expecting, so she curled into a ball and pulled the blankets tight around her neck. Moments later, the bed moved and she felt Damien crawl in beside her.

They both lay there quietly. Then Damien moved and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. His breath was warm against the back of her neck, his body like a warming brick, burning away the chill from the bed. He didn’t say anything, just held her.

Slowly she relaxed in his embrace. Maybe he needed this. Maybe he needed her. She snuggled in closer and closed her eyes. Even if she wasn’t experiencing the same grief he was, she could still comfort him in this small way. If there was one thing she never wanted to lose, it was him.

Crowds of people spilled into the courtyard and Palace Levellon the next afternoon in order to pay their respect to House Luceras and former Grand Lord Warin. The sun shone as brightly as ever over Lux Casta, and a warm breeze blew through the city.

Selene held Damien’s hand as they made their way through the crowded halls within the palace and toward the doors to the audience chamber. She caught sight of the scowl on Taegis’s face as he kept close to Damien’s side, his hand no doubt on the hilt of his sword. Karl followed on her right side, his face grim as his eyes moved to and fro across the crowd.

Once they reached the grand hall, the people stood to either side, allowing the nobles and lesser houses to make their way to the front of the cavernous room. As they walked between the crowds of people, she felt their gazes, felt their questions press against her mind, even as a hush lay over the audience chamber. They were here to mourn their leader, and she was not one of them. Selene’s fingers were cold within Damien’s hold, but she wasn’t sure if it was because of a sudden chill within her or because his hands were always warmer than hers.

The Luceras siblings stood below the throne where the light from the high windows along the hall converged onto a stone table, leaving a pool of light around the pedestal where Lord Warin lay.

The chill inside her spread.

Lady Bryren stood to the right of the pedestal, dressed in leather and linen, next to a gruff-looking man wearing a similar fashion. They both nodded toward Damien and Selene as they took their place beside the couple. There were no tears on the fierce lady’s face, no red eyes or puffy cheeks. Only an intense, solemn look. Was Lady Bryren remembering the death of her own father?