Qishtea nodded, as if Varshab had just confirmed something he already knew. Who had betrayed them? Who had stolen hope before the warriors had trained together long enough to begin to care for each other independently of their affection for Mikhail?
Pareesa followed behind them like a dog begging for a bone. She glanced at her little brother, Namhu, always lurking, pretending to not listen so he could eavesdrop on the adults. Without her perceived position as Mikhail's protégé, she was little more than a pesky kid.
Word must have gotten there before them, because Immanu met them at the door. From Qishtea's determined expression, they would not dissuade him for seeing Mikhail's condition for himself.
"Qishtea," Immanu said. He held out his arm in the forearm-to-forearm greeting of men of
