Everyone turned to look at him.
Valen's eyes were distant, as though he were seeing something far away. "The Leo-kin have hunted my people for decades. They know elf survivors when they see them. When I joined your group, I became a marker, like a signal that your tribe had something worth watching. The shadow didn't need to track Kael or Lira or Thran. It just needed to track me."
Elena spoke softly from the edge of the firelight. "That's why the tailing started after Valen joined. Not before."
Valen nodded slowly. "I brought the shadow's attention to this village. I didn't mean to. But I did."
Kael stepped forward, his voice firm. "You didn't bring anything. The shadow was already watching. You just gave it a reason to look closer. That's not your fault."
"Then whose fault is it?" Braka's voice was rough, strained. "If the dagger is a plant, if the visions are bait, if everything we've been doing has been telegraphed—"
