“Ghosts are not common to begin with. I suppose I was particularly strong of will, or perhaps lucky. Or unlucky. Mayhap there was too much magic about me as I died? This tomb is meant to discourage the formation of the dead. There are some guardians, but…”

He searched around. So did Cara.

“There are supposed to be others?”

The [Knight] nodded. His silvery arm pointed.

“I call myself a guardian of this tomb. But I self-appointed myself the role. In truth, Miss Cara…you are the first intruder to ever step foot here. Aside from the mice.”

He looked embarrassed at the revelation. Cara almost smiled. But there was a desperate tone to Ser Dalius’ voice.

“Something is wrong. Yes, this tomb is meant to be guarded! In the past…there were more guardians of this crypt. Powerful spirits of the living, sworn to defend this place against despoliation that the dead

might rest. I swore no such oaths, but I hoped to join them. I searched, for…for years, perhaps. But there was no one. And by the time I found my grave again—even my armor was turned to dust. It was meant to be enchanted. I suppose they buried me in ceremonial armor. Hah. Well—well, I hope my successor wore my armor well.”

Steel didn’t corrode that fast. Hair rose on Cara’s neck. Ser Dalius half-smiled. His eyes were lost. He focused on her as she spoke, desperate.

“Dalius. Do you…do you think it might have been longer than three hundred years?”

The man recoiled. Stepping higher into the air, unconsciously. He looked around.

“No. No! It wasn’t that long! I might have been dead only thirty years, you know. Mice breed quickly.

Ten generations a year? That—that makes sense. Noelictus’ dead should have been interred in generations after mine. But no one ever opened the tomb.”

“And the guardians?”

“They should be here. But they’re not—I was always told each tomb was protected by powerful guardians. Ancient [Knights] and [Lords] who were given a chance to serve in death. The living used to consult them. Call upon them in times of need. But they’re gone. Maybe I can’t see them. I thought I couldn’t see—but you can’t—can’t see them either?”

The man’s voice broke for a second. He focused on Cara. And she realized—she had put one of his delusions to flight. She slowly shook her head.

“Dalius. What happened to them? Do you think something happened? Did you check? Maybe—”

“I checked! Don’t assume I didn’t check! I checked every inch of the tomb!”

He cut her off with a wild cry. Cara fell silent as the [Knight] rose higher. And his eyes were wider. His voice louder.