Chapter 16

Late at night, Henry left his final instructions for Tom and me. We were to avoid needless confrontations, not kill whomever we wanted without thinking through all of the ramifications, not demonstrate all our talents, and not raise the dead wherever I wished. We were to take care of ourselves, too. I gave him a few of my mother’s trinkets as keepsakes.

A small portrait of her which was left on the table—looks like Grandfather had come in here after she had left. A toy from her childhood. Henry still loved her, I saw that, and so I didn’t argue when he said that he would be leaving with the light of dawn. It would be better for him in Torrin.

We went to bed after midnight. I woke before dawn. The hour of the necromancer. The best time for raising the dead and summoning demons. The dark hour, they call it. Tommy was snoring in the next room, while I tried to listen. What had awakened me? Or who? I didn’t know, yet...it felt like a chord singing in the night—a sharp, clear sound... Was