“It’s not much. I’m a Level 4 [Warrior] now. I might become a [Spearmistress], who knows? I wanted to be a [Cellist], but here we are.”

Violetta joked. Cara tried to smile in reply.

“You’re braver than I am. I can’t even use a weapon. They gave me a spare hatchet—I’d just kill myself if a zombie came at me.”

“Huh. Most Noelictus children have to kill at least…rabbits or squirrels.”

Anything else was odd to Violetta. Rather like a farm girl meeting a city slicker who’d never seen a chicken being killed. Cara shook her head.

“I guess you’re just tougher than I am. But you’re fighting. When in the house…”

The young woman shook her head.

“That was different. We have to fight. This is our home. Father’s at the gates. I—I should eat before I get there. In case the gates break or…”

She trailed off. Her gaze was blank. She was doing that thing where she literally passed out for a moment or two before jerking awake. And if Violetta was this bad…

Morale was flagging. The defenders were exhausted, hence the Ghoul getting up. Cara was worried. She took her spoon.

“Here. Have a bite.”

“I can eat!”

Violetta protested, but she actually did let Cara feed her a bite or two. She was that tired. She looked at Cara, her face bleak.

“I’m so tired, Cara. I feel like I don’t get enough sleep—and I slept for ten hours!”

“You were working nearly nonstop for twelve. Maybe you need more sleep?”

The [Cellist] shook her head weakly.

“I can’t. And you shouldn’t feed me your share, Cara. Duchess Grishen says that soon everyone will have to fight on the walls because the others are so tired—even the elderly. Even…”

Her voice trailed off. Cara looked at her, wishing there was something she could do. Stamina potions existed. But Afiele’s people had burnt through most of them in the first two days.

But maybe there was. Cara suddenly recalled something.

Her latest Skill. She hadn’t used it until now because no one had wanted to hear anything Cara sang. And this surely wasn’t a time for singing. The keep had a well and no one needed fire. But—the Skill was

[Song of Rejuvenation].

That seemed useful. Cara’s eyes flickered. Was it just as simple as…?

“Violetta. I’m—I’m sorry it’s turned out like this. Believe me. I never meant to…”

Violetta’s face froze over. Then she relaxed. She regarded Cara sadly.

“Lord Lantal says you didn’t mean to. You didn’t know. It’s the [Necromancer]’s fault.”

That was true. But it was also true that Cara felt responsible. Since two things could be true at once, she just ducked her head.