Numa regarded him carefully, hands folded over his knees. "Very well." he said evenly. "If that is so, then tell me plainly, why have you come here?"
Deimos frowned slightly, his hand tightening behind him.
"There's blood in the stream.."
-_-
….
"What do you mean there's blood in the stream?"
Deimos shook his head, then lowered it.
Hiding a grin.
"I went to take a bath. Upon getting to the stream, I found a body inside it and the water had gone red.."
The heavy silence that followed Deimos's words was thick enough to choke on.
Numa's face paled, his fingers trembling where they gripped his walking cane.
"A body?" Numa whispered, the word sounding like a curse.
The peace of the hut shattered as a frantic commotion erupted outside.
Shouts of alarm and the heavy, rhythmic thud of running feet echoed against the stone walls.
Without a word, Ayres pushed past Deimos, his massive shoulder nearly knocking the smaller man aside, and surged out into the cool mountain air.
