Erik made Chord go back to Elowyn's room and wait for her to return. He seemed hesitant but ultimately had to obey his prince. They then snuck into Erik's bedroom, really Erik snuck there and practically dragged Elowyn with him. She was still feeling faint and the news he just told her of the price on her head wasn't helping. 

Erik flopped Eloywn over on his bed then told her to lay facedown. She was feeling a bit suspicious but was too tired to argue. 

"You can't tell anyone about what I'm about to do." 

This set off an alarm and Elowyn tried to sit up. Erik practically shoved her back down.

"Don't worry I'm not gonna hurt you. People just can't know because... I should be able to do this..."

Elowyn looked up at him. He looked confidant, but under it, she saw a flicker of worry. For who she wondered?

She lay facedown and closed her eyes. A pair of red eyes stared back at her through the darkness. She shivered involuntarily. 

Erik brushed her unruly brown hair aside and placed his hand on the back of her neck. A cold sensation seeped from his hand and through her body. Her head began to ache and more eyes appeared in the darkness. They were angry.

The eyes seemed to come closer. She opened hers to escape them. The room was growing dimmer around her, Erik was using his Necromancy. 

Suddenly a searing pain went through her head and down her spine. She felt paralyzed by it and wanted to scream, but her jaw was clamped shut and spasming muscles kept them that way. She could feel all the muscles in her body tense, her neck arched back against Erik's hand. Her skin felt like it was peeling off.

Just when she thought she would die from the pain, she passed out.

* * * * *

Elowyn woke to the sun streaming across her eyes. She sat up. Erik was asleep next to her. He had passed out too. She tapped his shoulder to wake him. When he saw her he sat up abruptly. 

"Did it work? Do you still see them?"

Elowyn closed her eyes. She saw black, nothing more. The eyes were gone. She nodded.

Erik smiled a smug, self-satisfied look.

"I knew I could."

"But how? What did you even do?" Elowyn rubbed the back of her neck, it was still cold where his hand had been.

"It's called an exorcism. It means to banish demons."

Elowyn recalled the Lumomancers talking about banishing demons. 

"But the healers couldn't do it."

"I know. It's something you are born with. But the last know exorcist died ten years ago."

"Then you should tell the king you can! You can be the new exc... exe..."

"Exorcist."

"Yes."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because exorcists are Lumomancers. There's never been a Necromancer exorcist before."

Erik began to look worried again beneath the confidence.

"I'm sure it's not a bad thing..."

"You don't know that. Necromancers are the least common magic users in the world. Even here in Thana, there are only a dozen or so. The only other one I've ever even met is Lord Cearúil. We're already considered... strange. I don't want to be even stranger."

Elowyn didn't understand, but she nodded her head and promised she wouldn't tell anyone about Erik's ability.