We walked through the dark passage of the cave, the only light coming from the orb I'd conjured floating above us.
Scarlet took the rear position, her alert emerald eyes constantly scanning behind us.
I walked in the middle with Tessa practically attached to my arm, her fingers gripping my sleeve tight enough that I could feel them trembling slightly.
And Edric led the way.
The silence stretched for maybe five minutes before curiosity got the better of me.
"So," I said, keeping my voice conversational, "Your party went ahead with the mission while they left you behind?"
Edric shook his head without turning around. "No. They didn't leave me behind. I stayed because I had some business to attend to. Things that needed... clarification."
I blinked. "Clarification about what?"
He didn't answer right away. Just kept walking, his boots making no sound on the stone, deliberate.
Then he glanced over his shoulder, his sharp eyes catching the light of my orb.
