Blood and Blame

The scream was like a knife to my heart.

“Gideon!” someone yelled, their voice laced with panic.

My breath caught. No. No, it couldn’t be.

My body moved before my mind could catch up, pushing through the crowd gathered near the ceremonial grounds. My breaths came in short bursts, and I could hear Darius shouting behind me, but his words were lost in the chaos.

Then I saw him.

Gideon lay crumpled o