Page 70 of Ravenrose

Another beat passes before he releases me with a scowl, an ominous warning in his eyes as I slowly approach Nadia and the baby.

Distrust radiates from him, and I feel the sharp bite of his gaze on my cheek when I carefully take Josi from her mother, cradling her gently in my arms.

The captain is a wall of tension at my back, and I do my best to block him out, pretending I don’t see the knife he’s half drawn from his belt.

I focus on Josi. She’s so, so little and oh, so pale. Her skin appears nearly translucent, except for her bright scarlet cheeks.

Red fever.

Kent was right about that. He was also right about there being nothing he could do. At present, there is no cure for red fever, but part of me wonders…

My throat tightens.

She’s so young, barely six months—if that. So new… so vulnerable.

Carefully, I unwrap a small section of her blanket while being mindful of the cool evening air. Just enough to allow me to rest my palm across Josi’s forehead.

Gods, she’s burning up.

Josi fusses weakly, and I rock her gently, my fingers now tracing lightly down her face while I start to hum. Nothing special—just an old lullaby from my memories. The baby coos softly, and a little sigh escapes her when I’m done. Her eyes flutter shut as she falls asleep in my arms.

A soft smile tugs at the corner of my lips.

Carefully, I wrap her back up and turn, placing her into her mother’s waiting arms.

Ayer draws closer, and I can feel his presence like a guillotine at my back.

I clear my throat. “The medic was correct. It is red fever.”

Nadia’s lips wobble again.

“But… there’s a tonic that can help,” I add quickly.

Everyone’s heads whip up.

“There’s no tonic for red fever,” Wyatt’s voice cuts in from somewhere behind us.

I ignore him.

“You’ll need milk thistle root—just a few snippings. Goat’s milk. Raw honey. And a pinch of cinnamon. I can give you the measurements. Let it warm for fifteen minutes to extract the root, and give it to her as soon as it’s cooled enough to drink. And once again in the morning, with one last dose tomorrow night.” I place my hand on the mother’s arm reassuringly. “She’s going to be okay.”

Nadia blinks away the tears that well up in her eyes. Hope flickers there. It’s reserved, uncertain, but it’s there.

“She’ll live,” I murmur quietly, looking Nadia in the eye. “But she needs that tonic now.”

I glance toward Ayer, suppressing a shiver at the dark cloud that descends upon his features. Despite what I already know he’s thinking, he doesn’t interrupt, but his increasingly icy glare sends a chill down my spine.

Chapter 33

ROWAN

“We’ll get to work on the ingredients,” Wyatt says, giving me a sincere nod before he sets off, bringing Hayes with him.

“We’ll camp here tonight,” Ayer commands. “Kent, please escort Nadia and her children back into their home so they can get some rest.”

Kent nods, shooting me a cold look of disdain before ushering the little family inside the cottage.

As soon as they’re out of sight, Ayer takes off.