Rees selected ten of their best men. On Edwin's orders, they went to the place where Edwin and Lester had smelled the scent of the rogues.
The Sun blazed above their head. The wind was absent and thus any relief from the Sun's scorching heat. Ten men, their foreheads glistening with the thin layer of perspiration, stood in line behind Rees.
After searching the place, one of the guards found droplets of dried blood. Rees crouched down and picked the dry leaf that had bloodstains on it. His movements were careful.
He brought it near his nose and sniffed. His brows furrowed in confusion.
"This is not a familiar scent. Does anyone of you recognise it?"
Rees passed the leaf to all his men. Every one of them sniffed it, shook their head in negation and, passed the leaf to the next man until all of them had the same answer.
None of them recognised that scent.
