So we head to the palace right away. Berta prepares a suitcase for me and Vincent goes to talk to his parents for a moment to tell them what’s happening.

  The surprise is finding the queen, followed by two of her ladies-in-waiting, waiting for us in the portal chamber.

  “Be very careful, Bianca. I must confess my first impulse was to forbid you from going. After all, you are to marry Vincent and an epidemic is a grave danger. But I know you can help and, besides, they’re your parents, your brothers, and the subjects of your county. I understand you want to go and, as a ruler, it honors me that my future daughter behaves in such a selfless way, placing the needs of the kingdom above her own.”

  I feel overwhelmed as I listen to her. It’s true I’m going to help, but also because I suspect this might be an orchestrated attack against me. For example, revenge from Damien.

  “Your words are very kind. I don’t deserve them.”

  She approaches me more and gives me a hug.

  “Be careful.”

  Then she addresses her son, from whom she says goodbye since he’s going to leave for the academy with Ronan. I don’t pay much attention because Ronan has taken out a small bone from one of his material pouches and is calling one of his mount friends.

  As on other occasions, I watch the darkness gathering in his fingers and that kind of oil slick appear on the ground. However, now, perhaps because of my newly found affinity for darkness, I feel again what I experienced when Ronan called Myrthaxya’s soul for the first time.

  I seriously doubt this portal, meant for a deer whose soul he already has stored, is as deep as the other one. However, eternity meets my gaze once more. It feels as though a thousand galaxies collapse and are reborn within the unfathomable night of the void. Only now, it is not quite so unfathomable. And that presence that last time felt like an echo, a resonance within my soul, now seems far closer, more akin to me.

  I don’t shudder or anything. I don’t feel threatened. It’s simply like a recognition. I bow my head, showing my respect. I don’t know why I do it either. It just comes naturally. And I don’t think Ronan’s “invisible friend” is on the other side.

  The skeleton deer has just formed and emerged from the puddle, which disappears. I don’t know if it’s the one I’ve ridden before or a different one. The creature bows its head in greeting and takes a few steps to position itself beside me. Its blackish hooves, made of bone, draw a dry, hard sound from the stone floor slabs.

  The queen looks at it curiously. Her two ladies have jumped, startled, when Ronan animated it. Now they’re tense and have stepped back a couple of paces.

  I say goodbye to everyone and together with the deer I enter the portal.

  On the other side, the crown employee attending it greets me and asks me for the note I was given before entering, containing information about the purpose of my trip.

  “Do you want me to inform the dukes?” he asks me.

  “You can inform them, both about the epidemic and that I’m going to help, but I’m not going to stop to see them. I’m in a real hurry.”

  I imagine my father would also send a bird to the duke, possibly at the same time as to me. Maybe right now they’re preparing help to send. In fact, from the palace I think they’re going to send the royal healer. I’ve simply gotten ahead.

  This body carries the sensations of everything it has lived and cannot bear the thought of its parents and brothers dying. I don’t have Bianca’s childhood and adolescence memories, but, despite that, the fear of possibly losing a loved one feels very real.

  I hurry out with the deer. A servant accompanies me to the gates of the castle’s outer wall.

  I don’t look back.

  I mount the deer and it begins to gallop.

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  I’m sure the view of a stone castle on a hill must be grand, but right now I don’t want to waste a single moment. Fear and urgency are growing.

  Two days on horseback?

  By roads or cross-country, without trees, on a skeleton deer I arrive in about four hours, not counting some small stops for me to rest.

  As soon as I enter the streets of Roum, the town near the L’Crom counts’ mansion, I notice something is wrong.

  To start with, the streets are practically deserted, with no one walking them. The artisans’ shops are closed. There’s no woman sweeping her doorstep, or some old woman sitting on a bench taking in the morning sun. At least, I don’t see any pile of corpses like my fears were painting for me.

  I’ve asked the deer to slow down, since I don’t want to gallop through the town. As we approach the central square, I begin to notice it: the smell. A nauseating smell of something rotten and decomposing.

  I hold onto the deer with just one hand and with the other I cover my mouth and nose with a handkerchief, in a vain attempt to keep the stench away. Entering the town square, it’s stronger. It comes from the well. Since there are no nearby rivers here, people go to the square for water. Actually, there are two wells that must draw from the same underground aquifer. One in the town, another at the counts’ mansion.

  I approach. They’ve covered it with some boards. Using my strength—something I literally couldn’t have done on Earth—I grab one and pull to pry it loose. The stench slaps me. I look down. It’s so deep I can’t see the water. I steel myself, pry loose a couple more boards and drop the bucket, holding the rope and then pulling it to bring it up once it’s filled. It smells worse and worse. And what comes out...

  Totally murky water, with things floating in it. I drop the bucket and step back.

  From a nearby house a man approaches, about forty years old.

  “What are you doing?” he yells at me. “You’re going to anger the earth spirits more.”

  The what now?

  Well, okay, in this world there have to be spirits. To start with, in a certain dungeon I faced some frozen specters and, to continue, just ask Ronan who grabs them and anchors them to their dead bodies.

  But neither in class at the academy nor talking to anyone had I heard something like earth spirits.

  Could it really be true or is it the villager’s superstition?

  I turn toward him and, as he approaches me, his attitude suddenly changes. I think he just recognized me.

  “Forgive me, miss. Dressed like that I didn’t realize it was you.”

  Well, I’m wearing pants, which makes it easier for me to ride than in a dress. You know, my dungeon clothes.

  “Don’t worry. My father warned me and I’ve come to help.”

  The man, who now that I see him up close I’d swear is somewhat tipsy, if not outright drunk. And those rosy cheeks... has he been drinking alcohol? It would make sense if they can’t drink water and think that’s how they stay hydrated.

  “What’s this about earth spirits?” I ask him. “I have affinity for the earth element and I’ve never seen any. Golems yes.”

  “Miss, forgive me. We believe it’s a spiritual curse, that we’ve offended the earth spirits and they’ve cursed the water.”

  “I have a friend who’s an expert in dark magic. If there’s any curse here, he’ll tell me. Have you tried boiling the water?”

  “Boiling the water?” He looks at me completely puzzled.

  And how do I tell him that probably one of my enemies sent someone to throw some corpse into the water and thus contaminate it?

  “Yes, boil it and use it for drinking. You can also add, once boiled, a little salt, a pinch. That will make the sick heal faster.”

  Diarrhea, vomiting? Death by dehydration? I’m not going to enter any house yet. First, I want to see my parents and brothers. But at least let word spread.

  “We can’t drink that water anymore, it’s been cursed by the spir...”

  “Enough,” I cut him off. “It’s an order. And if you have sick family and want to heal them, listen to me.”

  “With all due respect, miss, the count is your father.”

  The nerve on this guy. He tells me all this so close that his breath of strong liquor manages, temporarily, to drown out the smell from the well.

  “Cover that well and, I repeat, if you have any loved one sick, listen to me.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I notice curtains being drawn back in a couple of windows, women peering out. I hope they heard me and are listening. I’ll come back later. I don’t have time now.

  I mount my deer again and ask it to take me to the mansion as soon as possible. I guide it, since it doesn’t know the way. We go at a gallop. After all, the streets are empty. We’re not going to run into anyone.

  Near the town, following the main road, is the county mansion. It’s a huge two-story rectangular building, with stables, granaries, and a nearby building that’s where the workers and servants reside. It reminds me a bit of Marco’s parents’ mansion, only much larger and far more luxurious.

  Upon arriving at the main entrance, a couple of guards who I imagine have been alerted by the news that someone riding a skeleton deer has entered the mansion grounds, head toward me. I ask my mount to slow down to a walk and approach them. They recognize me immediately.

  “Miss, what are you doing here?” one of them asks me. “Your father sent a message precisely so you wouldn’t come and would be safe.”

  “I have a very good constitution stat. Don’t worry about me. I can help restore the health of my family and the people of the county. The royal healer is going to come help too but, in the meantime, I want to make sure everyone is okay. Can you take me to my mother and my little brother?” I ask, imagining they’re the most vulnerable to having gotten sick.

  “We’ll take you to the count, miss.”

  I resign myself. I’m going to have to convince him to let me treat the sick.

  “Fine.”

  I dismount and follow them.

  Mituindal, Kay, Trevor Ramsey, Slipperyfish, Skisquirrel, Paul, HeirenFel, OakieTheTree, AbyssalChaos, Jasmine and Nicholas Mccalister: Huge thanks for your support on Patreon! <3