Book Eight: Chapter 135

The dullahan said nothing, his eyes scanning the town square. She leaned against him and he turned to look at her. They weren’t technically siblings. In fact, they were opposites, created at the same time. There had never been any affection between them in the past, yet something new had bloomed within Cecilia, a yearning to be part of a proper family.

She smiled when Sulyvahn leaned into her embrace. “I finally spotted it,” he said.

“Spotted what?” she asked.

“What’s buggin’ me.” He gestured toward the villagers. “Their souls be weaker than normal,” he said.

“And?” she asked. “What else?”

“They be young.” He looked at Cecilia. “Not a lick of them be of old age.”

“I can see their spirits much farther than you can,” she said. “And I have yet to spot a soul older than...” In fact, she wasn’t entirely certain what number to use. Human ages could be tricky. “There’s nobody elderly,” she finally said. “And there be plenty of food and water. Unless ther