“That’s right. The Twins will arrive as fast as they can with a proper army. So will Menorome. They might need time to punch through the undead, but we can hold them off.”

“Exactly. Now—what to do with her?”

Grishen nodded authoritatively. She scowled at Cara. The [Singer] felt every eye turn to her. Slowly, Cara spoke.

“Listen. I don’t know Noelictus. I had no idea how I got into the tomb. I didn’t know. I would have told someone. I should have told someone—but I didn’t know.”

“You just wandered into a tomb. And you met a ghost—who didn’t try to kill you?”

Grishen’s voice oozed skepticism. Seraphel looked around.

“I don’t understand that. I always thought ghosts were like all undead. Hostile. Was this one different or am I wrong?”

Risel hesitated.

“They’re rare. They used to exist; legends tell of them like any undead. Unlike wraiths, ghosts are just…spirits of the dead. I have never met anyone, even a Hunter of Noelictus, who claims to have met one in the modern era. Perhaps an old veteran, but no one I have spoken to personally. They could be friendly, I suppose. But they’re not supposed to form in Afiele’s Tomb. Any more than other undead, like this…Bone Giant made of mice bones?”

Lantal nodded.

“Afiele’s Tomb is meant to never be haunted by undead. I cannot believe…but perhaps it all fits together. Miss Cara.”

She looked at him, uneasily. So did the others. Lantal breathed in and out.

“I—cannot pretend you have done us any service. But I believe you when you say you aren’t lying.”

“No need to believe. We tested her with truth spells. Somehow she’s telling the truth. Or twisting it.”

Grishen glowered. She tapped the pendant that had a jewel embedded in it that glowed black at a lie, white with truth. It had been white the entire time. Lantal nodded.

“Yes. I believe you, Miss Cara. You endangered us. But you could not have broken those seals alone. I think—the ghost who aided you, who forgot his purpose was none other than the Tombwarden of Afiele.”

“Ser Dalius?”

Cara looked at Lantal. The [Lord] bowed his head. He saw Seraphel and Dalimont exchanging a confused glance.

“Yes.”

“Excuse me, what is the Tombwarden of Afiele, Lord Lantal?”

The [Lord] answered slowly.

“Legends and custom of Afiele say that in the past…Noelictus used the dead for more than just our fields. The tombs were both resource and defense. I am Lord of Afiele. By custom, I have two classes.

[Lord of the Fields] and [Deathkeeper]. These days it means just protecting my people. But in the past—

it was said that when the ruler of the land called, the dead would rise in his defense.”

“The undead?”