Chapter 224 - 225: Stay back!

Chapter 224: Chapter 225: Stay back!

The red warning hung in front of Swanly’s eyes.

POTENTIAL DISEASE OUTBREAK.

For one second, she forgot how to breathe.

Kael noticed first.

His golden eyes sharpened.

"Swanly?"

She did not answer.

The System floated beside the warning panel, and for once there was no stupid expression on its tiny face.

Swanly slowly stood.

"What does that mean?"

The cubs looked up.

The System hesitated.

Swanly’s heart sank harder.

"What does that mean?"

"I don’t know exactly."

"Don’t say that."

"I’m not going to lie to you."

"Then scan again."

"I already did."

"Scan everyone."

"Swanly."

"SCAN EVERYONE."

Kael stood now.

Soren had entered only moments earlier, and the moment Swanly raised her voice, his silver eyes moved from her face to the empty air she was staring at.

He could not see the System.

But he knew that look.

Something was wrong.

The System’s wings moved faster.

"The number of abnormal symptoms is increasing too quickly."

Swanly swallowed.

"How quickly?"

"Too quickly for coincidence."

Her fingers curled.

The System continued carefully.

"The fever cases. The old injuries reacting. The auditory disturbances. The animals. The sleepwalking. The timing after the underground pulse."

Swanly went still.

"No."

"I said I do not know."

"You’re saying the thing below us is making people sick?"

"I’m saying there is now enough correlation that I cannot dismiss it."

"Can it spread?"

"I don’t know."

"Can it kill them?"

"I don’t know."

"Can my children get it?"

The System stopped.

Swanly’s face changed.

"Answer me."

"Potentially."

Everything inside her dropped.

She looked at the five little bodies around her.

Miko had stopped eating.

Kairo’s face had gone serious.

Nilo watched his mother carefully.

Eira had begun playing with the end of Swanly’s clothing.

Sira was staring at her with curiosity.

Perfectly healthy.

For now.

Swanly’s voice came out lower.

"If this is coming from that creature..."

"It may worsen as whatever is below becomes more active."

"How many people?"

"I cannot predict that."

"Ten?"

"No prediction available."

"Fifty?"

"No prediction available."

"The whole settlement?"

The System said nothing.

That was answer enough.

Kael crossed the distance.

His hand closed around her wrist.

"Swanly."

She finally looked at him.

"What did it say?"

Soren was already approaching.

"Swanly."

She opened her mouth.

A scream tore through Ironwood.

Every head snapped toward the door.

It came again.

Louder.

Raw.

"HELP!"

Kael released her.

Soren was already moving.

Swanly shoved the System warning aside and ran after them.

"Stay here!" she shouted back at the cubs.

Miko immediately stood.

Kairo grabbed him.

"Mama said stay."

"But..."

"Stay."

Nilo had already pulled Eira closer.

Sira stared after Swanly.

"Mama?"

Tilla appeared at the entrance at exactly the right moment, breathless, brown mink ears standing high.

"I have them."

Swanly barely slowed.

"Tilla, nobody leaves this shelter."

Tilla took one look at Swanly’s face.

Her own smile vanished.

"I won’t let them."

"Not even Miko."

Miko gasped.

Tilla pointed at him.

"Especially Miko."

"Why am I always named?"

"Because everyone knows you."

Swanly would have laughed any other day.

She ran.

The scream had come from the northwestern path.

Again.

Of course.

People were pouring out of shelters.

Nahla shoved through them with a bundle of herbs and clean cloth tucked beneath one arm.

"Move! If you are not helping, move!"

Sari followed carrying a wooden basin.

Raku was farther ahead.

One of the night guards had someone by the shoulders.

A male.

Barefoot.

Eyes open.

Walking.

Or trying to.

His body kept pushing forward even while the guard dragged him backward.

"Wake up!"

Nothing.

The male’s feet scraped over rough stone.

Skin peeled beneath his toes.

Blood marked each step.

"Doran!"

A female shoved through the crowd.

"My mate! Doran!"

Swanly caught her before she reached him.

"Wait!"

"He’s awake!"

"No, he isn’t."

The female looked again.

Doran’s eyes were open.

But there was nothing in them.

No recognition.

No focus.

His lips moved.

Swanly leaned closer.

"What is he saying?"

The guard grunted as Doran pulled again.

"Don’t know."

Doran whispered:

"Down."

Swanly froze.

He pulled.

"Down."

The guard tightened his hold.

"Stop fighting me!"

Then his hand landed hard against Doran’s shoulder.

Doran screamed.

Not shouted.

Not cried out.

Screamed.

His entire body arched so violently the guard nearly dropped him.

The sound ripped across Ironwood.

Children began crying in nearby shelters.

Doran clawed at his own chest.

"GET IT OUT!"

His mate screamed his name.

"DORAN!"

"GET IT OUT!"

His fingernails dug into his skin.

Four bloody lines opened across his chest.

Raku lunged and caught both wrists.

Doran thrashed.

Blood from his torn feet smeared the stones.

"IT’S INSIDE!"

Nahla dropped to her knees.

"What is inside?"

Doran’s head snapped toward the ground.

His pupils were enormous.

"The beating!"

Swanly’s stomach twisted.

"What beating?"

"MAKE IT STOP!"

His head jerked sideways.

A sick cracking sound came from his neck.

His mate sobbed.

"No, no, no..."

Nahla caught his jaw.

"Doran! Look at me!"

He did.

For half a second.

Recognition flooded his face.

Pure terror.

"Nahla?"

His mate cried harder.

"I’m here!"

Doran looked toward her.

Then his gaze dropped.

His face emptied.

"Down."

Raku swore.

Doran suddenly lunged toward the drainage trench with such strength that Raku actually slid a step.

Kael joined him.

The two males forced Doran back.

The instant Kael touched him, Doran screamed again.

His nose began bleeding.

Then one ear.

A thin red line spilled down the side of his face.

The crowd recoiled.

"Rot!"

Someone shouted it.

That single word detonated panic.

"Rot!"

"Get the cubs inside!"

"He’s turning!"

"Don’t let his blood touch you!"

A female stumbled backward and knocked over a basket.

Another male drew a stone knife.

Soren turned.

"Put that down."

The male hesitated.

Soren’s voice dropped.

"Now."

The knife lowered.

"Nobody touches his blood bare-handed."

That was all Swanly needed.

She snapped into motion.

"Nahla, cloth over your hands."

The old healer looked at her once.

Understood.

Sari ripped strips from a thick boiled hide-cloth bundle.

They wrapped their hands several times, tying the ends tight around their wrists.

Primitive.

Ugly.

Better than skin.

Swanly pulled another strip over her nose and mouth.

Tilla came running from the cub shelter entrance but stopped when Swanly threw up a hand.

"Stay back!"