"It's good that we're alone," Jules looked around the old cemetery. The sun was setting, and its last rays burned on the tombstones that cast long, deep shadows.

Jules clenched his fingers on the little box he carried and looked over his shoulder. He still could see the smoke rising from sir Lenster's funeral pyre.

"I'm glad I didn't have to be at the execution," the boy admitted. He tried not to think much about the treacherous knight, but during the week he'd spend in the infirmary he'd heard gossip about him being sentenced to death. He'd heard his oldest son, Jerry, tried to plead with the Lord, but eventually had sworn loyalty to the Arvers as the new head of the Lensters' house. No one dared to say it aloud, but many whispered about Lord Kedmon having a perfect opportunity to get rid of his main rival and replacing him with a youth east to control. Jules was the only witness of sir Lenster treason, and most people found the fact quite suspicious.

"The execution wasn't public," Ravin led the way between the graves. There was a row of freshly dug tombs between the old ones: some belonged to the warriors who had fallen during the fight with the wraith, some to the few ones that Lara and Evionell hadn't managed to save and one to the Ackers' family.

There should be one more grave, Jules thought. Melissa hadn't been properly buried. The boy didn't know what exactly had happened to her body after her soul had been destroyed. He was sure Lord Kedmon wouldn't have agreed to bury her; he seemed to have easily forgotten that his father had wronged Melissa and pushed her to the path of revenge.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this?" Ravin stopped by a deep hole dug by the fence. There was a heap of fresh soil and a shovel by it. "I would rather not have to dig it out tomorrow."

"I think I am."

Jules sat on the grass just by the hole's ridge and lifted the box's lid. Inside, three white stones rested on a piece of an old tablecloth. The boy touched lightly the smallest of them, the one he had taken from his sister's grave.

"You know, before I woke up in the infirmary, I saw Maya. She took my hand, and she was happy..." he inhaled deeply and shook his head. "Maybe it was just a dream, but I think that she... and my mom and father found peace long ago. That's silly, but..."

"No, it's not silly," Ravin squatted by the boy and posed a hand on his shoulder. "If you think it'll help you, then it isn't silly at all."

Jules closed the box and scratched the back of his neck. His hand roamed by the pocket of his cloak before he finally decided to take out the little bundle that he had hidden inside.

"That's good because I thought that maybe we could do it together..." he handed it to Ravin. He bit at his lower lip as he forced himself to look into the hunter's eyes. "I don't know what happened to your wife, Vivienne, but..."

Jules stopped short as Ravin unwrapped the bundle. Inside, there was the little red sock. The hunter's face twitched at the sign of it.

"I just thought that maybe you, too, blame yourself for something that you shouldn't..." the boy played with his fingers. "I mean that you've been always telling me to accept the past and move on. But you've never done it yourself. I understand now. You're still grieving your wife, aren't you? This is why you never date. And this..." Jules pointed at Ravin's hands hesitantly. He remembered how upset the hunter had been when they'd found the sock. "Vivienne and you... Did you have a child?"

Ravin clenched his hand around the sock. It was so small it disappeared in his balled fists. Pain broke in his dark eyes. His facial muscles twitched, his jaws pressed together.

"Vivienne died when she was pregnant," Ravin said slowly, each out breaking painfully from his lips. "My child would be about your age now, Jules."

"I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have asked," Jules shook his head violently. "I thought it would be a good idea, but..."

The hunter took the box from him, opened it and put the sock inside. He closed his eyes and sat still for a few long seconds. Jules didn't dare to disturb him. But then the man took a deep breath and motioned at the hole.

"Let's bury the past together, shall we?" he waited for the boy to nod, then lowered the box to the bottom of the pit.

Jules stood up and took the shovel, scooped out some the fresh soil and gave Ravin a hesitant glance.

"Should I?"

"Do it," the hunter waited for the lumps fall into the hole, and then took the shovel from Jules and filled the pit back. They beat the soil flat. "How do you feel?"

"Good," Jules wiped his dirty hands against his trousers. "You?"

"Alright," the hunter leaned the shovel against the fence and motioned at Jules to follow him toward the cemetery gate. "Let's go back home."

Opal and Grumbler waited at them just outside the cemetery, cropping grass and nudging each other with their muzzles. The horses had grown fond of each other. Jules watched them with a smile. It was good they'd made friends, especially now when they shared the small stable by the cottage.

"It's a bit strange, you know," he mounted Grumbler and looked around at the cemetery hill. "I didn't see any ghosts. Not even one. Do you think I lost my ability to see them too?"

A whole week had passed since Jules had woken up in the infirmary, and while his body had healed, his Sixth Sense showed no improvements.

"I didn't see any, either," Ravin's voice pulled Jules out of thoughts. "But I don't miss them. I think we've earned a break."

The shortest way back led through the town. It hadn't changed much over the past days. The ragdolls remained at the doors and windows, and although more people walked the streets, they were still distrustful and insecure. The rumour that Lord Harald had been murdered spread over the fief and people repeated stories about a demonic woman who had killed guards and knights before she had been slain. Lord Kedmona had finally made public that his father had died, and the lords of neighboring fiefs had come to take part in the funeral - which should have been impossible since Lord Harald had been long buried, and the priests who should conduct the rituals had been exiled from the fief. There was only one thing that sugared the bad news for Arvene's people: Lady Guinevere had given birth to a baby girl. She'd named her Lily Rose, after her late daughter.

They left the town behind, rode down the road that led to the forest, and turned into the side path before the bridge. Jules smiled at the sight of the wooden roof visible between the spruces' tops. He reached under his shirt - now, just by his badge, there was also a single key. It opened both the front and the back doors.

When they rode into the front yard, Jules saw a brown horse pasturing by the stables, and two people sitting on the porch stairs.

"Raimont!" the boy jumped off Grumbler's back and ran toward his friend, but then he froze at the sight of a young woman accompanying him.

Raimont grinned widely, showing all his teeth, and offered her a hand. When she stood up, he kissed her palm and pulled her along toward Jules and Ravin.

"You're finally back! I started considering going to the inn, but I'm a bit short of money -"

Jules only stared at him. He didn't notice Ravin approaching until the man stopped right by his side and put a hand on his shoulder.

"So you're finally back?" the hunter's eyes shone menacingly as he gazed at his oldest apprentice. "What has taken you so long?"

"Well, I..." Raimont scratched the back of his head. "Well, I was offered a job, and I considered taking it, but then Amelia..."

"I told him he'd better retake the exams next year rather than give up," the woman cut in the conversation. Light brown hair framed her heart-shaped face and slim body. It waved gently as she walked. "I'm happy to meet you, Master Blake, and you, Jules."

"Ravin, Jules, I'm happy to introduce Amelia, my fiancé," Raimont put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Your what?!" Jules nearly choked, but Rai ignored him.

He turned to the hunter, a bit red-faced.

"I'm sorry for what I did, Ravin. I shouldn't have left without a word of explanation, but I'd like to... I mean if you let me, I'd like to continue my apprenticeship..."

"You failed the theory, didn't you?" Ravin took a key from his pocket and walked up to the porch. He opened the door and gestured at Amelia to get inside. "Take care of the horses, boys. And Rai," he stopped on the threshold. "You're doing the dishes for the rest of the summer.