The baby’s fever rose once more in the late morning. Bonita felt the heat against her skin and did not wait. She called the guards. The healer came, gave another dose of the tonic, and stayed long enough to watch the child’s breathing settle again.“It should break fully by tomorrow if she continues to feed and stays warm,” the healer said. “Any higher than this and you send for me at once.”Bonita nodded. She kept the baby against her chest after the woman left. Mira sat close, watching every small movement of her sister’s face. Lila and the twins stayed on the other bed, quieter than usual. Hunger was no longer the main problem, but the uncertainty sat on all of them.Around midday the door opened without warning. The man who had questioned her the day before stepped inside. He looked first at the baby, then at Bonita.“The fever?”“Lower than this morning,” she said. “Not gone.”He closed the door behind him and remained standing. The girls watched him in silence.“My name is Kael,
Last Updated : 2026-08-07 Read more