"You're hardly going to receive a reprimand from me," William replied. Just the thought made him feel nauseous. "The less blood spilled, the better. We may still be able to find a cure or counterspell for whatever is affecting them."
He wasn't sure he actually believed that, but he still needed to say it. To consider otherwise was too much like admitting that they might have to slaughter hundreds of sentient magical beings, and William hadn't reached that point. Not yet. "Where are you heading?" he asked, checking both ways as they rounded the corner. "Bellamus the Bard?"