Page 101 of A Crown of Lies

“You’ve already fought bravely in enough battles to earn your place in the Hall of Our Fathers,” Ieduin said with a nod. “You can rest proudly, Ellisar.”

“Make sure that I do?” Ellisar’s shaky hand shot out and grabbed Tofi’s hand so firmly that Tofi’s knuckles cracked under his grip. “Don’t let me come back as one of them. Don’t let me wander forever.” His whole body stiffened, eyes widening, a terrible tremble running through him.

Tofi put his free hand over Ellisar’s and nodded. “Tofi swears it.”

It was as if he’d been waiting for the necromancer’s promise. As soon as Tofi gave it, Ellisar’s grip relaxed, and his muscles went slack. He closed his eyes, let out a final, rattling breath, and died.

A beat of silence followed before Tofi’s eyes widened and he yanked his hand away from Ellisar’s limp body. “Nobody touch him!”

“Mother’s mercy,” Giza hissed through their teeth and slid back a step.

“What’s happening?” Ieduin’s eyes jumped from the healer to the necromancer, searching for answers.

“The curse from the crossroads. It’s here. With him.” Tofi drew a blade from his side. It was shorter than a traditional sword and curved. “If you touch him, you will die as he has.”

“I don’t understand,” Rixxis said. “How—”

Before she could finish her question, Tofi brought the sword down against Ellisar’s neck, severing his head from the body in one blow. Then he freed a pouch from his belt and began sprinkling what looked like a mix of herbs and ashes over the body.

“Necromancy commands the dead,” Tofi explained as he worked. “But more nefarious people, who do not deserve to be so gifted, can twist the art. They make curses that move from the dead to the living. But it is worse than that. Something is keeping the dead trapped on this plane. Ellisar’s spirit cannot move on without direct intervention. Please step back and allow Tofi to work. It must be done quickly, before the tether is too strong.”

Rixxis exchanged a look with Ieduin, who shrugged, and they both stepped back to watch the necromancer work.

“I thought necromancers just animated corpses,” Rixxis whispered to Ieduin as they stood against the far wall.

Ieduin shook his head. “In elven society, they’re revered and respected. They prepare the dead, and act as liaisons between the living and the dead. Their job is to comfort the dying, reassure the living, and… Well, it’s taboo for anyone but a necromancer to cut the heads off the dead. People will wait weeks for one to arrive to do it, paying fortunes to preserve the bodies in the meantime. Death follows those that break the taboo.”

“What’s he doing now?” Rixxis asked.

“No idea,” Ieduin said with a shrug. “I don’t pretend to understand magic. But if Tofi says it needs to be done, I trust him to do it.”

They were silent for some time, watching as Tofi sprinkled a variety of herbs over the body, waved a lit candle over it, and carefully placed what looked like two small bones over Ellisar’s chest.

“I never should have sent him,” Ieduin said.

Rixxis put an arm around him. “It’s not your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” He looked up at her, eyes full of despair. “He was following my orders, Rixxis. All of them are. How many people are going to die in the Wytchwood because of me?”

“Because of Trinta,” she corrected, squeezing his shoulder. “Because they chose to fight. To stand up against tyranny. The Crows are here to fight for you, Ieduin. They understand the risks.”

“Does Rowan?” Ieduin asked, voice tight. “What if something happens to him? Or to you, Rixxis? What if that’s one of you next time? I can’t…”

Rixxis took his face in her hands and turned him to face her. “Listen to me. We’re going to be fine, Ieduin. You and I are going to protect Rowan, even if that means we must do it from himself. I’ll look out for you while you look out for me. Understand?”

He swallowed and nodded.

She pulled him into an embrace and kissed the top of his head. “We’re going to get through this together.”

Tofi cleared his throat, and they looked up to see him clutching his sword again. “Tofi hates to be the bearer of bad news, but Commander Rixxis… Ellisar was not the only one bitten by the dead.”

Rixxis’s stomach dropped.Father. Oh, Divine have mercy!

She pulled away from Ieduin and dashed from the room, running through the barracks at full speed and not caring who or what she bumped into.

She raced through the courtyard, shoving her way through marching lines of Greymarkers and Crows alike, rushing into the castle. Her lungs burned and her legs ached from the frantic speed, but still she took the steps up to the guest tower two at a time.

How long had it been since her father had been bitten? Was it the same day as the scout? After? Did that even matter? He hadn’t been feeling well, and she hadn’t looked in on him yet that day. What if she was already too late?

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