The ground remained uneven beneath our boots, forcing us to watch where we stepped. Water dripped from the ceiling at irregular intervals, and every sound seemed to echo endlessly through the darkness. The bats above shifted occasionally, disturbed by the light from Ken's spell, but otherwise left us alone.
After several minutes, I suddenly stopped.
"What?" Ken asked quietly.
I didn't answer right away.
A small puddle sat in a depression in the stone near my feet. At first glance it looked like ordinary cave water, but something about its color caught my attention.
"Come here."
Ken stepped beside me and lowered the flame in his palm.
The light reflected off the surface. The water wasn't clear. A faint red tint swirled through it. Blood. Not much, but enough.
"We're on the right track," I said.
"Yeah," Ken muttered. "That's what I was afraid of."
We moved on.
