Sabine did not resist Marcaille's push. She had intended to keep the embrace quick, though even just that much was enough to help her calm a little more.

"Thank you, Marcaille," Sabine said. She breathed in to say something else, but Julan's fearful words interrupted.

Janius gently eased Julan out of the way of their path while he responded. "She struck on her head, son. I need you to run ahead to the healers and tell them that the champion's pack needs a bed for her immediately. Can you do that?" Janius forced an encouraging smile. It was hard for him to see Julan so distressed.

"What happened?" Rhazii repeated. "I saw the fire through the portal. I saw..." He gasped and twisted his head to look at Ahnasha. "Mother, you were shot!"

Now that he remembered what he saw, the gathered blood around her chest was much harder to hide.

Fendros raised a hand to calm Rhazii down. "We all got out of there alive. That's the important part. We'll tell you more later, pay attention to where you're stepping for now."

"Marcaille," Sabine said with a stilted voice. She was looking ahead while walking beside her. "I did what you suggested with the taproot. To make a spriggan angry where the essence was spilt. It...saved my life."