He raced through the same fields Grishen had tried to burn. The rain was still falling lightly. Grishen, panting, clutched at her chest. Her heart—but the man was getting away. She aimed—and hurled her mace.

The enchanted weapon spun through the air, hit the undead horse’s leg. It snapped the bone, and the man went down with a cry. Grishen stumbled. She saw a Draug swinging its arms and fell back as her retainers surrounded her. The [Duchess] howled at her protectors.

“He cannot escape! Kill him! Forget me!”

He was getting away.

——

The [Necromancer] ran through the Ashwheat, scrambling on all fours at first. He’d dropped his staff.

But he had to run. To run from the madness! Afiele could summon the ghosts of the past? Ailendamus had not told him about that! The Baron of Voleir would—

The [Necromancer] saw a shape moving through the wheat and flung himself backwards. But—then he saw the burning eyes.

A zombie. He relaxed.

“Ward my retreat! Attack anything that—”

He froze. The zombie was looking at him. It swung a slow arm, and the [Necromancer] backed up.

“Wh-what are you doing? Obey me.”

He looked around. But he’d dropped his staff. And he realized—there were more figures moving in the field of wheat.

Undead.

Feremont backed up. He tried to control them. But he was exhausted from the battle with the ghosts.

And without his staff—he heard a voice. Singing that wordless melody.

“Necromancer. You’re not the only one who can talk to the dead.”

There she was. Sidheag stood behind the shambling figures closing in on the [Necromancer]. He backed away.

“You. You—how are you doing this?”

The [Singer] looked at him. She broke off singing, for a moment.

“A song. I found a song to bring some justice into the world. To kill you, monster.”

Feremont stared at Sidheag. His lips moved. He laughed, mirthlessly.

“Me. Me, a—?”

The man hesitated. He turned and stared. At the dead. Then back at Sidheag. His eyes looked—dead.

“I have done all of this to punish them. You understand that. All of this.”

“All I hear are excuses. You…they didn’t do anything to you. Who are you punishing? You don’t know what justice is. You’re nothing more than a murderer.”

Feremont blanched. He began to speak, and one of Afiele’s dead reached for him. The [Necromancer]

battered the hands away. He snarled.

“This isn’t…this isn’t where I will die! I will bring every kingdom to ruin! No matter what it takes!

[Command Undead]! Slay her!”

The dead bodies jerked, swung around. Sidheag saw them reaching for her. She began to sing a countermelody to his magic—but the zombies kept stumbling towards her.