No way in Heaven or Hell - Afterlife Series Book 1

Chapter 4 - Darkness this way comes - part 3

Queen Phaedra had never been more worried. The reports were getting more and more concerning. More people were getting sick every day, and more again were falling into comas... and still no sign of identifying the problem...

"My Queen? Are you well? You have been really tired these past few days..." The Commander asked that day.

He had been bringing her news and she had touched her temple wearily.

"I will be all right," she said. "I must be. I cannot afford to fall ill."

"But your Majesty..."

"I will be fine, Theos. I am grateful for your concern, but I am not ill."

"Very well, my queen." Theos said and bowed before stepping out.

Phaedra was left alone. She had tried, unsuccessfully, to make sense of this complex and, quite honestly, scary situation. She heaved a quiet sigh and turned to the latest report from Healer Thalios, which in several ways resembled the others. But only some.

Your Majesty,

As you requested, here is my report of the situation in our area.

In the past three days, no less than three hundred and forty eight people have fallen ill. In the same period of time, ninety percent of the overall population of ailing Cethielites have fallen into comas. People are scared, confused, terrified they will become ill as well. We try to comfort them but with none of the already infected showing any signs of getting any better, it's hard to be convincing...

Symptoms remain the same as before. Shivering, weakness, fever, loss of consciousness, and coma. But the most astounding part of it is that their bodies are fine. It's like they're pretending to be sick (which of course, they are not). But one thing did come up as odd. I looked into the patients' records to see if they had been sick alive, though I knew they couldn't all have been, and I noticed one thing: all of the people who became infected by this unknown malady have been in Cethiel for at least a year. None of them had died later. Now, one might wonder how this is relevant, but it got me thinking. What made these people who'd died under year ago different? So I did a few tests, but unfortunately, nothing conclusive came from them. So, Alas, my queen, I have no good news for you. I merely pray that the solution comes to us before it is too late.

Your devoted,

Healer Thalios

Queen Phaedra sighed, as she did each time she read that letter (which was about ten times so far). She touched her temple, massaging it delicately. She had to stay strong. What would become of her people if she succumbed to this strange virus too? She got to her feet and crossed the room, though a little more slowly than she usually would have done. Looking worriedly out the window, she as a small silhouette battling the wind. She could just make out the white clothes and blond hair which kept getting stronger.

Someone she cares about must be ill, she thought. And she's trying to find a cure. Poor girl... let us hope it is not too late.

*********

Eliana was finding it harder and harder to fly through the wind. It kept biting at her face and hands, which weren't protected. Biting her lip and trying her best to stay straight, she pushed on. She had first thought of going straight to the queen, but she wanted to aologise to Laera. She wasn't sure how long she'd be gone, and didn't want to leave with them arguing.