He could not grant them all that mercy. Lantal was lying down. He stared up at them, smiling. Smiling now. His head fell back. He closed his eyes, fearing no more toils. No more burdens.

For when he lay down—he left them nothing to bring back. Not enough of a body to steal. He had always given everything for his home.

The Lord of Afiele died. And his son and daughter—

——

Ran. Culin couldn’t see for the tears in his eyes. He knew something hurt. But it didn’t matter. He couldn’t breathe properly.

“Hurry. Hurry. You’re so slow. Move!”

Sasi pushed him. She was limping. Her ankle was all funny. Her foot…looked wrong. Culin kept staring at it. Feet didn’t twist that way. He looked at Sasi as she pushed at him. Didn’t she feel it? He pointed.

“Your leg.”

“Never mind that. Here. Here—”

Sasi fussed, pushing him to run. She had caught him as they fell. Something was wrong with her breathing. Yet she ran on her bad foot, pushing him. They both ran because they were being followed.

There were figures moving in the darkness. Lurching towards them. The girl pushed Culin at something, fumbling with rocks.

The hole in the keep’s wall. It was so small you could get stuck in there. Sasi and Culin knew because they snuck out. And they loved playing hide and seek. Meltain had never found them, ever.

“This is good. Just—just stay there. Don’t say anything? Understand? I’ll—”

Sasi started coughing. It sounded like choking. She looked at Culin. He stared back, crammed into that tiny little space.

“Sasi. You’re bleeding.”

She wiped at her mouth. Culin’s big sister closed her eyes. She looked around, then reached down.

There was a terrible look in her eyes. Like his father’s.

“Don’t say anything.”

She hugged him. So tightly her fingers cut into his arm. Culin choked, reaching for her, trying to hold her, but Sasi was pulling away.

“Don’t. Stay here.”

She laughed at him like she always did, a catch in her voice.

“Only one person fits, stupid.”

She looked at him. Then she crawled back. The bush covered Culin. He heard her coughing. Choking again. He saw, through the leaves, her stumbling. Then a bounding shape flew across the ground, making a snarling sound.

Sasi turned to run. She was so fast. He never caught her when she played tag, not when she didn’t want to be. She—

Fell down. The Ghoul landed. Sasi was trying to move. She said something.

“—quiet.”

The Ghoul advanced. Then another voice spoke. Culin almost cried out—until he saw the dark robes. A figure with white hair lifted a hand and the undead monster froze.

“Hold.”

Culin heard Sasi inhale. He saw a second figure walk across the ground, pausing before her. For a long time, the man said nothing. Then he murmured.