The others divided themselves.
Rin stood at the edge of the alcove, her hands still red with Elara's blood, her face still wet with tears. She looked at Markus. She looked at the girl, the young maid who was still crying, still holding Elara's hand, still whispering words that no one could hear.
"I will stay," Rin said. Her voice was quiet but steady. "Someone needs to watch them. Someone needs to be here when she wakes up."
"Rin-"
"I know the risks. I accept them." She looked at Markus, and her eyes were the eyes of someone who had already lost too much to lose anything else. "Bring him back, I will keep her alive until you do."
Markus wanted to argue. He wanted to tell her to stay with the group, to stay safe, to not take unnecessary risks. But he looked at her face, at the set of her jaw, at the way her hands had stopped shaking, and he knew that arguing would be pointless.
