Liam flicked the dagger once to clear it, then let the weapon remain in his hand as he turned toward them.
His gaze landed on Tovan first.
"You are an idiot," Liam said, voice cold.
Tovan's face flushed despite the fear still clinging to him. "I was trying to—"
"Die?" Liam interrupted. "Because that was the only thing you were about to accomplish."
The scared girl flinched.
Liam looked at the panicked boy. "And you. In mimic territory, a voice is not a person until verified. Chasing screams blindly is how idiots become warnings in guidebooks."
Ren swallowed hard, eyes flicking toward the dead creature. "I thought…"
"No, you reacted. Thinking would have saved me the effort."
The injured girl stared at him, pain and relief mixed tightly across her face. "Hunter?"
"Yes."
"You followed us?"
"No. You made enough mistakes for the forest to point at you."
Tovan's grip tightened on his spear. "You do not have to talk like—"
Liam's eyes cut to him.
Tovan stopped.
