Chapter 289: They’re sleeping?

Chapter 289: Chapter 289: They’re sleeping?

Nilo sat upright.

His golden eyes narrowed.

"Eira?"

The little girl looked toward the eastern side of the settlement.

Then pressed herself against Soren.

"No."

Swanly stopped laughing.

Kael noticed.

"What is it?"

Nilo looked at Eira.

Then toward the doorway.

His expression became thoughtful.

"Mama."

Swanly turned.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Eira did that before."

Swanly blinked.

"Before what?"

Nilo frowned.

"When that sick baby was crying."

The room grew quiet.

He continued.

"Eira kept looking at the floor before the baby got worse."

Soren’s silver eyes narrowed.

Swanly leaned forward.

"When?"

Nilo thought carefully.

"Before the big attack. When the healers were carrying the baby."

Swanly slowly looked toward Eira.

The little snake girl was still gripping Soren’s clothing.

Her expression was troubled.

Swanly’s stomach tightened.

Then hurried footsteps sounded outside.

A guard appeared.

"My lord!"

Soren immediately stood.

"What?"

"Nahla needs you at the eastern medical shelter."

The guard swallowed.

"The fever patients are getting worse again."

Swanly went cold.

Kael rose immediately.

Nilo looked at Eira.

Then whispered:

"I knew it."

By the time Swanly reached the medical shelter, the healers were struggling to keep three patients stable.

Soren had insisted that the children remain in the family shelter.

Kael stayed with them until Tilla and Ena arrived to help, then joined Swanly and Soren at the treatment area.

Kairo had objected at first.

But when Nilo explained that Eira had become frightened before the sick people worsened, the eldest triplet immediately changed his mind.

He gathered his brothers and sisters onto the raised sleeping platform.

"Mama needs to help."

Miko frowned.

"But..."

Kairo looked at him.

"Remember training?"

Miko stopped.

Then nodded.

"Stay safe."

Nilo settled Sira beside Eira.

"And don’t follow danger."

Miko sighed.

"Fine."

He crawled beside his sisters.

Then spread his little arms.

"I’ll protect you."

Eira looked at him.

Then leaned against his side.

Sira immediately hugged his arm.

Miko froze.

His little chest puffed with pride.

Kairo smiled.

Then sat on their other side.

For the first time that evening, the twins seemed calmer.

At the medical shelter, Swanly entered to find Nahla pressing a cloth against a patient’s nose.

"Swanly"

The old healer looked furious.

"You’re supposed to be resting!"

Swanly stared.

"PEOPLE ARE SCREAMING!"

"And I don’t want you joining them!"

Soren stepped forward.

"Nahla. What happened?"

The healer’s expression changed.

"Three relapses."

Kael frowned.

"After the medicine?"

"Yes."

Nahla looked toward the patients.

"Two were recovering. One had nearly returned to normal."

Swanly’s ears lowered.

"Then why are they getting worse?"

Nahla pointed toward the floor.

"I think the problem is beneath us."

Swanly went still.

The old healer continued.

"Every patient who suddenly worsened was sleeping near the eastern water channel."

Soren looked toward the rear wall.

The water channel ran just beyond it.

Swanly’s expression tightened.

"You think it’s the water?"

"Possibly."

Nahla shook her head.

"But that alone doesn’t explain everything. Some of them haven’t drunk from that channel."

Kael frowned.

"Then how are they affected?"

Nahla looked toward the floor.

"I don’t know."

Swanly slowly crouched.

She pressed her palm against the wooden boards.

Nothing.

Then a faint vibration passed beneath her fingers.

She froze.

It was subtle.

So faint she might have imagined it.

But it was there.

"System."

The fairy appeared within her vision.

YES, HOST?

Scan the area.

A golden light spread across the floor.

SCANNING.

Swanly waited.

The System’s expression changed.

UNUSUAL ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY DETECTED.

Her ears lifted.

From where?

SIGNATURE APPEARS STRONGEST NEAR THE EASTERN WATER CHANNEL.

Swanly swallowed.

The Heart?

THE SIGNATURE IS NOT AN EXACT MATCH. FURTHER ANALYSIS REQUIRED.

Swanly slowly stood.

"There’s something wrong with the water channel."

Soren turned.

"How do you know?"

She hesitated.

Then tapped her foot lightly against the floor.

"I felt something moving beneath it. And Nilo noticed that Eira became restless before the patients worsened."

Soren’s expression sharpened.

"My daughter?"

Swanly nodded.

"She did it before another patient got worse too."

Kael looked troubled.

"Is she sensing something?"

"I don’t know."

Swanly rubbed her forehead.

"But I don’t think she’s imagining it."

Nahla looked toward the eastern wall.

Then called for Sari.

"Move the patients farther from the channel. Use the raised western shelter."

Sari nodded immediately.

"And the water?"

"Stop using that channel until we know what’s wrong with it."

Soren turned toward a guard.

"Find Raku."

The male bowed.

"At once!"

Raku was eating when the message arrived.

For once, he had managed to sit down.

For once, nobody was screaming his name.

He had a large bowl of roasted meat.

A cup of water.

And approximately three peaceful breaths remaining.

"COMMANDER!"

Raku slowly closed his eyes.

The guard hurried over.

"Lord Soren needs you!"

Raku stared at his food.

Then at the guard.

"What happened?"

"The eastern water channel. Something may be disturbing the old roots."

Raku put down his bowl.

His appetite disappeared.

"Gather two guards."

"Yes, Commander!"

"And bring long spears."

The male hurried away.

Raku stood.

Then noticed Mora approaching.

The brown bear female was carrying a thick wooden beam over one shoulder.

She looked at him.

"Where are you going?"

"Eastern channel."

"Why?"

"Possible underground activity."

Mora immediately dropped the beam beside the storage platform.

"I’ll come."

Raku frowned.

"You’ve been working all day."

"So have you."

"I am on duty."

"And I’m bored."

He stared.

Mora smiled.

"Come on, crocodile."

Raku sighed.

"You’re annoying."

She walked past him.

"You’ve mentioned that."

He followed.

Because somebody had to make sure that stubborn female didn’t get herself killed.

Obviously.

That was the only reason.

The eastern water channel was quieter than either of them expected.

Too quiet.

The narrow stream ran beneath a line of ancient roots before disappearing into a stone culvert.

Its water looked ordinary.

Clear.

Cold.

But the ground around it had changed.

Pale root fibers covered the stones.

Some hung from the bank like wet hair.

Others stretched beneath the surface.

Raku stopped several steps away.

His reptilian eyes narrowed.

Mora followed his gaze.

"What is that?"

One guard lifted his lantern.

The light revealed something lying beside the water.

Long.

Pale.

Covered in roots.

At first, Mora thought it was an old tree trunk.

Then she noticed the limbs.

Six of them.

Folded beneath a narrow body.

Her expression changed.

"Raku."

"I see it."

The creature was motionless.

Its face was buried beneath the roots.

Only a narrow slit near its head suggested where its mouth might be.

Farther along the bank lay another.

Then another.

Three pale shapes.

All completely still.

Mora’s bear ears flattened.

"Dead?"

Raku watched them.

"No."

One guard swallowed.

"How do you know?"

Raku pointed toward the nearest creature.

Its body was rising.

Barely.

Then falling.

Breathing.

The guard’s face drained of color.

Mora tightened her grip on the long wooden pole she carried.

"They’re sleeping?"

"Maybe."

Raku slowly raised one hand.

"Everybody stay still."

The guards obeyed.

For several seconds, nothing moved.

Then a small stone slipped beneath one guard’s foot.

Tik.

It struck the bank.

The nearest pale creature twitched.

Raku’s eyes widened.

"Don’t move."

The guard froze.

The creature’s limbs slowly unfolded.

Its head lifted.

No visible eyes.

Only a narrow mouth beneath layers of pale root fibers.

Mora held her breath.

The creature turned toward the place where the stone had fallen.

Then stopped.