NOVEL NEXT Chapter 248: Tainted Blood
"Hey, Revana," Esme called, lifting her voice slightly as she caught sight of the woman passing by. At the sound of her name, Revana halted and turned, her eyes meeting Esme's as she drew near.
"Any news from within?" she inquired, nodding toward the room Revana had just exited, and the room Donovan currently occupied. "Are they still at their work? Has anything of note been uncovered?"
At her question, Revana lifted a hand to her chin in a thoughtful pause. "Nothing conclusive yet," she replied. "However, we did find further traces of that black water-like substance within the siren. The theory everyone has is that its blood turned entirely black– same shade with the infected water, but not nearly as vicious as we had feared."
Esme's brow furrowed. "You mean to say the siren ingested it?"
"Donovan believes so," Revana murmured, her tone grave. "He suspects it may be what lured the creature this far inland. You saw it for yourself, the siren was lost- both in body, mind and soul. A water that can turn both creatures and men into demons?" She gave a slow shake of her head. "If such a thing is true, then not only Illyria, but the neighboring realms as well, stand on brinks. I'm more petrified than I'm willing to admit at this point."
"But it's just a speculation," Esme immediately uttered. "Think about it, this water existed long before now."
"After the war," Revana interjected, her tone sharp. "And knowing the king's insatiable greed, do we truly believe he ordered a thorough inquiry into its nature? Perhaps he was too young then to grasp the gravity of such matters– but what of the royal council? They were far too busy poisoning the king's mind to torment us to concern themselves with matters of graver consequences. Their negligence has born fruit once more, and as always, we are made to pay the price for their folly. Just watch as they blame us for their own problems again."
Esme remained silent.
Revana spoke nothing but the absolute truth. She was glad now that she had severed ties with them and resolved to face the matter with people she trusted. Yet a shadow of unease lingered. How had the black water even come to be? It had not been seen until after the war, and the land had not yet fully healed. Could it be….?
She placed a comforting hand on Revana's shoulder, a soft assuring smile on her lips. "We'll get through this. I'll talk to you later, okay?"
Revana simply nodded, and Esme took her leave.
Revana's words had brought a thousand questions in her mind regarding the royal council's involvement in the dark water, and the only one who should have some information about it was Leonardo. It didn't take long before she spotted them both near the entrance of a certain deck, a parchment in their hands. The two were engaged in a quiet conversation, their expression subdued yet calm.
"Leo, Cora," she called, her voice low but clear. The wind stirred Cora's hair as she turned to see Esme approaching.
"Are you two in the middle of something?" Esme asked, offering them both a small smile, but Cora shook her head.
"We're almost done with the task, is there something you need?" Asked Cora, and Esme nodded before turning her attention to Leonardo.
"I have a question to ask. You remained in the palace longer than most after the war, right? Tell me– was there ever a mention of the dark water? Surely the royal council would not have left such a thing unheeded."
Leonardo's brow furrowed slightly at her question. "It was spoken of– but declared harmless. The council deemed it no threat so long as it brought no misfortune upon the realm. I'm not sure I remember much of it, since I was still a child, but what I just told you is based on things Lennox told me himself."
Esme's gaze sharpened. "So you're saying they chose to turn a blind eye?"
He gave a slow shrug. "It would seem so. But after the war, the dark water became something more of a relic– an aftereffect, they claimed, of bloodshed and ruin. Since it brought no direct harm to the people, they let it be. In time, it became little more than a curiosity. Folks came to gaze upon it, to recall the war they happily believed had been won. You were also captivated by it the first time you saw it during the journey to the fortress."
"But if the water had been harmless all these years," Cora murmured, stroking her chin lightly. "What changed?"
"That's what I'm also trying to figure out," Esme replied. "The affected ones so far are ill, and some near death. But… it turned the siren into a demon."
—-
That evening, Esme sat upon the edge of the bed, her legs folded beneath her. The low light cast shadows across her face, and in her hands were two vials. One contained clear, sea water, while the other was black as pitch.
"You've been studying those vials for quite some time," Donovan remarked, his voice low as he leaned against the doorway. "You suspect it's a trigger of some kind, do you not?"
Esme turned her gaze toward him, surprise lighting her eyes. "How could you possibly know that?"
He offered a faint smile before crossing the chamber and seating himself upon the edge of the bed. With deliberate care, he reached for her legs and settled them across his lap.
"I've no wish to press where I am not welcome," he said, his voice low. "But perhaps you might grant me a glimpse of what weighs so heavily upon your mind?"
Esme sat a little straighter, her gaze fixed somewhere distant. "Very well. But hear me out first– what I'm about to say lacks proof, yet I cannot shake the thought."
She paused, then continued. "What if the dark water isn't water at all, but… tainted blood?"
"Blood?" Donovan echoed, his brows lifting faintly.
"I didn't jump into this conclusion blindly," Esme explained softly, keeping her tone measured. "I have conducted tests on demon blood before. During the last assault on the fortress– when you slew those men– some bore traces of demonic corruption. You swore you had ended them by blade, with no such contact, which I believe. Yet, the evidence within their veins suggests otherwise."
"The true bearer then?"
Esme inclined her head at his inquiry. "He alone possesses the means to commit such a vile act– be it to cast suspicion upon you or serve some darker purpose, but I have a feeling he went there after you killed them. I'd taken more samples that day, including Finnian's while he was still affected. I studied how the corruption moved, and the pattern was unmistakable… as though it could be carried by water as well."
Her gaze drifted as if she were in deep thoughts. "Sirens are known to bleed the richest crimson– but the corpse examined today bore blood as dark as what is in this water. I believe it had festered through the body too long, turning foul. Perhaps the creature fled the dark waters in a final act of instinct, seeking to preserve its sanity, but it must have been too late since the corruption spread through every vital channel. If the true bearer controls who shall turn and who shall not, then might the same be said for the dark waters? The water has always been dangerous, just not awakened."
Donovan blinked as he listened to her theory. He wondered how she even traced it all back, but before he could reply, a voice called from beyond the cabin door.
"Alpha," the guard announced. "We may have a situation on deck."
Donovan clicked his tongue at the information, prompting Esme to draw her legs aside as he rose to his feet. There was a knowing tension in his expression that made her suspect he already had an inkling of what awaited beyond the cabin door.
"What has happened?" She asked.
"Remain here," was his only reply, his tone gentle yet unwavering, leaving no room for argument.
Esme stood as he stepped out, concern rising like a tide within her. She couldn't help but wonder what situation the guard had informed Donovan about, and why Donovan insisted she stayed behind.
Meanwhile, outside, the crew had gathered along the ship's edge, their bows drawn and arrows nocked. As expected, the sea around them teemed with demon sirens– their pale forms circling like wolves scenting blood.
Donovan turned to the guard with a slight tilt of his head, a silent command to take post at the door of his cabin. Without a word, the guard stepped into place.
Leonardo drew near, handing his brother his star blades. He inclined his head ever so slightly toward Donovan, as if to say all had been seen to, precisely as intended.
It was time for some warm up.
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Hello my dear readers, this author vanished without a word :( I apologize for no heads up. I have been occupied irl and dealing with uni at the same time 0<: It's not been easy. Though I can't promise a daily update, I'll try to upload without a week going by <3 Thank you all for your patience!