It took him a few minutes. Ser Dalius could move through the walls and ground with ease. And—when not visible, he could apparently move far faster than she could imagine.

“Aha. Two hundred and three rows ahead and sixteen left! Not far!”

She just swore at him and rubbed at her aching feet. The [Knight] looked so hurt that Cara hobbled onto her feet.

“Okay. Okay, I’ll sit on the damned empty coffin. But I’m thirsty. Got any more water? Food?”

Her throat was parched from their talk, and she was growing faint again. Ser Dalius nodded and sped off, calling over his shoulder as he flew upwards.

“I will get the bowl for water and more of the roots! Two hundred and three rows ahead and sixteen left, Miss Cara! My thanks!”

She scowled at his back.

“You try walking, you lazy ghost.”

But she did walk, hobbling on feet that felt like they might be soon blistering. Rather than disrespect the dead, or her companion. Ser Dalius might be all pomp, but he seemed like a good man.

Or he had been. What a world. After a moment, Cara began to hum a song.

And the light lit her way.

——

She was experimenting with her new Skills when Dalius found her again. Cara had three.

[Echo Voice], [One True Falsehood], and [Commanding Presence]. Well—one of those didn’t work when she tried it.

But [Echo Voice] turned out to have a dopplering effect on her voice. And more—Cara sang experimentally. A song that had just come out. Pop.

Hers was not the voice of a legendary pop star. But still, the ghost of Ser Dalius halted, holding a few objects in his hands. He listened, closing his eyes. And then two voices—one female, the other deeper—

came from the young woman’s mouth.

He started. But the [Echo Voice] was just that. Cara could—sing. Like some people could sing with two voices, she could do that. But so much more.

The song trailed off as she looked up and saw the ghost. He was just a shimmer in the air. Almost invisible. She started, and Ser Dalius came into view. As if he had forgotten he existed for a moment as he listened.

His appearance defined itself. He stepped out of the air. The [Knight] bowed, deeply. For the song. And his eyes were longing.

“What…what was that, Miss Cara?”

“Shallow. By a woman called Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. From my world.”

She smiled at him. The [Knight] hesitated. He closed his eyes, searching for words.

“It is a beautiful song.”

His tone said it was far more than that. Cara wondered how long it had been since he’d heard the like.

She realized—she had no idea of his past. She shifted on the empty coffin. Then motioned for him to sit on the coffin opposite hers.