Kiel
Varen's voice snapped me out of the trance like a whip. "Kiel! Why did you stop?"
The world around me was a blur — the forest dim under the weight of twilight, the warriors shifting uneasily as the scent of blood lingered in the air. I stared down at the rope in my hand, my knuckles white around it. Josie's scent was fading, but the memory it carried burned through me like fire.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Because…" I breathed, staring at the dark stains seeping into my palm. "This blood — it's hers."
Varen frowned, his voice sharp with disbelief. "You can't possibly know that. It could belong to anyone. You're exhausted, Kiel, you—"
I cut him off, my voice shaking with anger. "Don't tell me I don't know her blood, Varen! I saw her. I saw what happened. She was here!"
His expression faltered, uncertainty creeping into his features. "Saw her? What do you mean?"
