Chapter 17

Tommy hadn’t noticed anything, and as usual, I woke up early. In the countryside, we had risen with the sun, but that wasn’t the case in the royal palace.

Rudolph had never opened his eyes before the eleventh bell. What was I to do? Have a stroll around the castle, of course. Maybe I could find some food?

Tom offered to take me to the city with him, but I refused. I would find time for that later; right then, I wanted to have some alone time and think about the previous night. Was it a dream?

The silver-black bracelet was cold on my skin and the only way to remove it was to cut my arm off. The symbol of Radenor was painted on it with simple, practiced strokes—my country, my responsibility—and one word, Alethar. The one who had created it, who had worn it, who had given himself and his family all for its sake.

How did that bracelet get there after the death of its wearer? I didn’t know, but I was ready to believe in any miracle.

Necromancy was capable of so much more than simply raisin