Damien stood quietly as he looked up at the Luceras family, then back at the body of Lord Warin. There were no tears in his eyes either. The only show of emotion was the way he gripped her hand tighter.

Time ticked along as the assembly stood quietly within the great hall. Every so often, Lady Adalyn hid her face and dabbed at her eyes. A sliver of pity entered Selene’s heart. She would not want to stand in front of a crowd while grieving for her own father. What were they waiting for? Weren’t they there to say farewell to Lord Warin? It seemed torturous to make the family wait in front of all of these people.

Selene kept her gaze to the side. She wasn’t ready to look at Lord Warin yet. An undefined fear seemed to hover across her spirit, and she was afraid it would break upon her the moment she finally looked at the body.

Minutes later, a priest dressed in white crossed the dais and stepped down near Lord Elric to stand before the pedestal. His bald head glistened in the sunlight. He gazed across the room before lifting his hands. Then he spoke, his voice breaking the silence of the room.

The corner of Selene’s lip lifted in scorn. His words were rote with no heart. Not like the emotions she witnessed when Damien spoke of the Light. It made her wonder if he really followed the Light, or if it was simply a duty to him.

She tuned the priest out, his voice a buzz inside her ears. Her eyes kept roving back toward the pedestal, but she resisted. She had never seen a dead body in real life, only in dreams. But it was like there was a tether between her and the body, and before she knew it, her eyes were upon Lord Warin.

The dead man lay on the stone, dressed in his full regalia of gold and white, with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. His grey hair and beard were combed back. He looked like he was sleeping, save for the pale color of his skin and lips.

The growing chill inside her swept across her body, as if the claws of death had grabbed her by the throat. She could sense the absence of his soulsphere. All there was before her was an empty shell. There would be no more dreams, no more living for Lord Warin.

So where was he now? The real Lord Warin? What was on the other side of the veil? Where did the soul go when the body died? Who was there? The Dark Lady? Another shudder rippled down her back as the image of a lady dressed in black filled her mind. Was that who was waiting for her?

She suddenly realized the priest was reciting the benediction while he made some strange motions with his hands. She let out her breath, ready to leave this place.

But as the priest walked away, a woman dressed like the priest took his place. Selene clenched her free hand. Would they have to endure more empty words?