Chapter 71: The Cost of Blood

“We’ve all been touched by sorrow,” Amia murmured as she pressed Zande into a sitting position, her movements firm but filled with tenderness. “How could anyone emerge unchanged after what Clent did to us? He shattered more than just bodies, Zande. He broke spirits. But Dedari would never abandon us. Not even when struck by a wound so cruelly delivered.” Zande’s heart stuttered in her chest. "Do you think he was careless?" The thought left her cold with dread. If Dedari had truly been careless, perhaps her fears were far more valid than she wished to believe. Amia’s gaze softened as she knelt beside Zande, her presence a constant comfort. “Take my blood, Zande. It is offered freely to both you and Dedari. I hope it brings you strength, and perhaps even a little peace.” She swiftly sliced her wrist with a sharp nail, extending her hand toward Zande’s mouth. “If not for yourself, then for Dedari.” Zande hesitated only for a moment before she took what was offered, feeding as the warmt