Orhan was almost nose-to-nose with Maslakhat, and so close he could see the individual hairs on his face even in the darkness of twilight. He was the picture of fury as he stared the stallion down, remembering faintly what A'idah had said about him: that she did not like or trust him after their run-in on the crossing. Orhan had never trusted him either, but at least now, in his grief-ravage mind, his suspicions had been affirmed.

Then Valve spoke a name that changed everything. El Halin. Orhan's ears twitched and his expression faltered; after a moment he stepped backwards, away from Maslakhat, and whipped his head around to look for the horse the Akhal-Teke mare addressed. But no one new had joined their group, and Valve's dark, solemn face was pointed straight at Nasmat. Orhan's brow furrowed. He stared at his lead mare in confusion.

“It was her,” Maslakhat added from behind him. Whatever else Valve and Maslakhat added after that, it was lost to the sound of Orhan's blood rushing in his ears. The memory of Nasmat expressing a desire to murder Ava's foal flashed in his mind. He could not feel his legs. I have been a fool.

She denied it, of course. She even showed him her hooves, which were unmarred of any blood. With his lips parted in dumbfoundment, Orhan forced himself to look at the body of his mother one more time. But there is no blood, he thought. Whatever his mother had died of, it was not a flesh wound. Nasmat's words, therefore, meant nothing... And what's more, she did not make any effort to refute Valve's wrongful address of her.

Orhan scrambled backwards again, flinging sand in the air as he distanced himself from the group a few strides, putting them all in his field of immediate vision. Regardless of whoever was – or wasn't – responsible, he didn't trust any of them. He wanted them all where he could see them. The stallion took a moment to shut his eyes, tucking his chin to his chest and heaving a heavy breath to try and collect his thoughts. He was on the verge of losing control.

Finally, in an almost eerily calm manner, he opened his eyes and addressed the grey mare. “Nasmat... Are you lying to me? ...Is your name even Nasmat?”