Mikhailis didn't think. He didn't hesitate.
The moment the masked figures disappeared into the swirling smoke, he turned swiftly, eyes immediately searching for his injured companions. The scene before him was grim, the aftermath of their battle written plainly across their faces and bodies. Rhea leaned heavily against a crumbling wall, her leg trembling as blood soaked steadily through the makeshift bandage they'd hastily tied around her thigh. Cerys stood rigidly nearby, a fresh bruise blossoming darkly along her jaw, one hand pressed tightly to a wound on her side. Her stoic expression barely concealed the pain beneath.
