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I decided not to answer that. “You knew Inarus?”

“All necromancers find themselves here. Eventually.”

He took another step. Taller than seemed natural, he curled his back to stare down at me. The sound of a deep inhale reverberated against the stone walls as threads of his magic probed me. Annoyed, I waved them away.

“I smell the death of Inarus on you,” he said.

I reached for the shadows.

“Do not fear it. You are not the first of your kind to kill their teacher. It is the way of our world.”

I braced to shadow-step. Speaking with the skeleton no longer seemed worth the risk.

He tilted his skull with a creak. “Inarus said you would visit. That you would need the black diamond shard.”

I stilled.

“He also left a present for you. I will show you.” The skeleton turned around and began walking down the stairs, his boney feet clattering upon the stone steps.

I didn’t budge.

His skull swiveled fully around while his feet continued the descent. “Call me Guardian. Please follow.”

The skeleton carried no weapon, but however limited his link to life, I kept my senses sharp, looking for traps as I took my first step down the stairs.

“Youarea skeleton, right?” I asked.

“I am. Inarus never spoke of me?”

“We, ah—it’s complicated. I read that all the skeletons were gone.”

The guardian laughed, a chortle that echoed ominously in the dark stairway. “Those who remain prefer to be left alone.”

“Were you a necromancer, before?” I asked.

“Long ago.”

“Before Pyrian?”

He was quiet for several long seconds, the click of his feet his only answer for quite some time. “Yes. Before Pyrian.”

He led me further into the vault, the stairwell silent except for the clatter of his feet. Deeper, we journeyed into the earth, approaching the shade army, its enormity now too great to ignore. The black diamond shards in my cloak glowed brighter as we approached the one hoarded here.

When we reached the final steps, Guardian stepped aside, arm raised in presentation of the vast chamber beyond. “Your present.”

An undead army sprawled before me.

Shades. Thousands of them. Fae, humans, gnomes, trolls, and more. They lay upon the stone floors beneath a tall arched ceiling, dimly lit in the fae lights.

I stepped closer, soothing my urge to burn the whole place down.

Their bodies were arranged in a military formation, the Gray Generals laid to rest at the front of their troops. Not a single shade stirred, but their silent presence flooded my mind.

“Inarus said you would value his gift.”

My fingers curled at the thought. I had no need for a shade army—I wasn’thim.

“Perhaps today is not the day for appreciation. I will show you to the shard.” Walking nonchalantly between the dead, Guardian pointed to the far side of the chamber. “It is in the study.”