Leah Carter’s Point of View
Caleb’s blood was warm on my hands, too warm. I pressed down harder, trying to stop the flow, my heart pounding loud enough to drown out the chaos around us. The Iron Pelt traitor lay dead beside the river, his lifeless eyes staring at the sky that was still red from the burning Veil. But I couldn’t look at him, not when my brother’s breath came shallow and quick.
“Stay with me,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Caleb, please.”
Kael was already there, kneeling beside us. He tore a strip from his cloak and pressed it against the wound. “Hold it tight, he’s losing too much.”
The Oracle limped toward us, her face pale, her silver eyes wide. “What happened?”
“The traitor tried to send a message,” I said quickly. “Varul knows we’re here, and.. ” I swallowed, gla
