She watches him looking, waiting for his expression to betray information to her. Are his eyes different? Does he see things she can't see? Whatever he's gleaned is satisfying enough to permit movement — Abby nods and steps forward. It feels better if she keeps a hand resting lightly on the handle of her mace.

"Yuck." Re: the river of blood. "But I've waded through worse."

And Talin is free to imagine exactly what that might mean if he feels like it.

"Is there a reason we're going further in? Past the potential river of blood, I mean, couldn't we just... go?"