Brand immediately turned back, raised his index finger to his lips, and signaled Faina and Funiya to be silent. Andesa's voice scared the noble lady so much her face turned pale, almost crying out, until she saw Brand's gesture and covered her mouth in relief.
Thus the forest fell silent—
Except for some kind of insect in the nearby bushes, emitting a monotonous chirping sound, and a few small rodents quickly darting through the tall grass, rustling as they went.
Faina could almost hear her own heartbeat powerfully pounding in the eerie silence, the tension speeding up her blood flow, yet her fingers and face grew increasingly pale.
"What should we do?"
She mouthed the words. The previously arrogant young lady seemed to have vanished, leaving only a girl, no different from an ordinary person, looking at Brand with eyes full of fear and trembling—she realized now that he was her only support.
Brand glanced at her.
