Vesa looked back. Dorian had changed his position beside the flames, keeping his wounded side away from the next attacker. A pair of soldiers moved with him.
"He has people beside him," she said. "Let her see that leg."
The nurse began opening the damaged boot. He gripped the edge of the cloak beneath him, but his eyes stayed on the corner where Dorian had disappeared again.
Vesa waited until the nurse had him settled, then lifted from the stone.
The voice in the connection broke into a few faint sounds.
With the nurse supporting him, Vesa returned toward the road. Thepes was struggling again, and the familiar trace had nearly vanished beneath the blood rising from below.
"Master?"
"I can still hear you."
He was still there. Vesa let herself listen for a moment before forcing her attention back to the battlefield.
"I missed what you said."
"Find a clear length of the blood feeding him. Keep Arachne's strand outside the space where you cut."
