Hudson gave a curt nod. "I have indeed made every arrangement for what is to come."

At a sharp flick of Hudson’s wrist, Blake promptly stepped forward, hauling several heavy stone urns and ceremonial shrouds used in the Great Passage rites.

Bennett’s initial shock curdled into a snarl of outrage. "Hudson! What is this supposed to mean? Have you been marking the days until our mother’s spirit departs? She still draws breath, despite her state. How can you be so devoid of a soul?" Bennett’s voice cracked with a manufactured tremor.

Hudson’s gaze grew predatory, his eyes glinting with a frost that could freeze the Ridge. "What is your play,...