Chapter 327

327 Sources Of Toxicity

Skye didn’t mean to let her mouth gape, but she was too stunned to close it. The woman who had nursed Richard back to health was standing in front of her. And with a daughter that Clearly had MacArthur blood in her.

“What’s wrong? Skye? Skye?” Tidas asked, his worry growing with his wife’s lack of response.

After the woman had checked over her daughter, she looked at Skye and said; “Thank you so much for savin’ me bairn! I can never thank ye enough... She and Petrie are all I got.. How can I ever repay ye?!”

Skye wasn’t sure what to do. She so Very badly wanted to question the woman on the spot, but the entire situation was too outrageous..

‘What am I supposed to say?! Hi, I had a dream that ye were raped by me husband’s uncle right before he turned into a monster?! What do I do?! What do I say?!’

As Skye started to become overwhelmed, Tidas placed his hand on her shoulder and said; “You don’t have to worry about that. Skye doesn’t help people for a profit, she’s just a really good person.”

As tears streamed down the woman’s face, she came over and hugged Skye before Petrie could stop her. She squeezed Skye to the point of her coughing, then profusely apologized for her enthusiasm.

“Ima sorry if I hurt ye. And please; call me Tammy,” she replied with flushed cheeks.

Skye chuckled lightly; “N-No! Ye dinna hurt me. Ima just surprised by how much ye all look alike.”

.....

Tammy beamed as she went back to her position near her daughter. She was a little put off by how Skye had stared at her before, but knew from Petrie that she was a good person. As she sat down, Tammy wondered why she’d looked so shocked before..

Petrie had seen the shock on Skye face, and it had made him nervous. She looked like she’d seen a ghost, and that couldn’t be a good thing. As he wondered what it was about his mother could that have shocked her so, Amara poked her head in, and called for Skye.

Relief spread through her as she said that she’d stop back by to check on her later, and that Regina should rest as long as she can. Petrie had scoffed and said that his sister would be ‘milkin’ the experience for all it’s worth’. And that if they were gone before Skye came back that he would bring them to the bunker to visit.

Nodding her agreement, Skye smiled and took her leave with a suspicious Tidas following behind her. When they came out of the room, both Skye and Tidas were a bit confused.

Malcolm was standing next to Murdoc, almost glaring at them as they came out. Skye stared right back at him, forcing him to break eye contact. She wasn’t sure if it really was a glare, or just him squinting from being unable to see properly. But got the distinct feeling that it was a glare.

“Sorry ta pull ye away, but the flow of the sick has been balanced now. We should be safe ta go see if we can find the source,” Amara stated, seeing the growing hostility.

“Aye. Several of the patients think they got sick from the water, but I noticed that they all had eaten recently, too. Is there a field near the water source?”

Amara thought a moment before she replied; “Aye. I think there’s a barley field out that way. Right Laddies?”

“Aye. Twas sown a few months back. If it’s the field, we’ll lose that whole crop,” Murdoc replied with a tense expression.

As the three Highlanders’ faces turned downtrodden, Skye said; “Well, ye probably won’t lose the whole field.. Might be able ta save the whole thing if I can separate the elements properly.”

Amara and Murdoc’s expressions lit up, but Malcolm’s just turned into a scowl. Tidas stood back and listened to his wife breaking down how she would extract the heavy metals from the water or food. As she talked, he stared at the Highlander elder with building anger.

Tidas expected animosity aimed his way for being a MacArthur, but there was no reason for him to be glaring at Skye. She was their rightful royalty, even if she had refused the title. As far she just personally saved close to two-hundred Highlanders in a few hours.

After Tidas issued a few orders for while they were gone, they all headed back towards the trolly...

************

Once they had traveled as far as they could on transportation, they walked the couple miles to the well source for the field. Malcolm complained for nearly half the trip. He was a few years older than Amara, which put in his late sixties.

Skye was annoyed that he had come with them in the first place, but there wasn’t anything that she could do or say about it. He was a Council member, and had every right to be involved, as much as he aggravated everyone around him.

Trying to ignore his complaints, Skye focused on her surroundings as a distraction. The fields were perfectly tilled and planted, and the smell of earth filled her nose. Tapping into her Earth magic, Skye had already started to funnel her magic into the ground.

Sensing the amount; Tidas, Amara, and Murdoc all looked at her a moment. Skye shrugged her shoulders and told them that she wanted to ‘speed up the process’. After she’d said it, Skye motioned to Malcolm.

Nodding their understanding, the four continued walking right as Malcolm started to complain again. There were no trees underground, but a few bushes had managed to thrive in the artificial sunlight cast down by an uncountable amount of light fixtures.

Noticing the same thing that his wife had, Tidas asked; “Where do you get the power you need to run all of this And the city?”

Murdoc chuckled; “Remember how I told ye about our hydroelectric dam? This is what she does. That monster could probably power us, and most of Alcon on it’s own.”

“Ye don’t need ta be tellin’ Southerners about that!” Malcolm snapped, irritated by his sore feet and exhaustion.

“What does it matter? They’re allies now,” Amara stated with a gruffness to her tone that served as a warning.

“Not yet, they’re not! Not until that charlatan signs the treaty, and even then,” Malcolm turned his dagger eyes on Tidas; “Only fools trust MacArthurs.”

“Watch it, old timer. Me husband is as honorable as they come. Even Yer own King says so. Don’t think that because yer a walkin’ half-skeleton that I won’t punch ye in yer arrogant nose..”

Malcolm gawked at Skye as his fluster built.. ‘How Dare she talk ta me like that!’

“I am a member of the Council!”

“And me husband is a Prince from the kingdom yer tryin’ ta make a peace agreement wit! If ye want respect, try not bein’ disrespectful ta start,” Skye was glaring just as hard at Malcolm as he was at her when she’d spoken.

Alright ye two! Calm down before I make ye! We got things ta do here, and it looks like we’re not the only ones here,” Murdoc said in a booming voice to get their attention.

As they approached a small building, two men were standing near it as they approached. Amara’s face lit up as they neared, as did Murdoc’s..

A tall, older man and Mickey were already there collecting samples, and waved to the group as they walked up. Mickey smiled and nodded, but the man beamed and stretched out his arms in greeting as he called out them.

“Oy! What are you lot doin’ here?! And why is Malcolm here? I don’t like him,” the man yelled.

Malcolm instantly gritted his teeth; “What are ye doin’ out here, Gavin?! No one is supposed ta be out here!”

“Well,” the man smirked; “Good thing Ima not a nobody like you! Amara, me sweet! What are ye doin’ out this way?”

Amara grinned ear to ear; “Hello, Gavin dear. This be Skye Moonstone and her husband Tidas MacArthur. They came ta see if they can help us.”

“That’s sweet, but it’s all Skye’s doing,” Tidas looked squarely at Malcolm; “I’m just here as a bodyguard, not that she actually needs one.”

Seeing how angry Malcolm was getting, Gavin said; “I like him. He knows a bawbag when he sees one..”

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Right as Malcolm was about to start ranting, Murdoc spoke up; “Alright, quit pokin’ the bear, Gavin. What do ye know so far?”

Gavin’s demeanor quickly changed to serious; “I won’t know anythin’ until I take me samples back to the lab, but I believe the heavy metal poisonings are happenin’ because the lead linin’ the old reactor is leachin’ into the ground. That’s me best guest right now.”

As he started to discuss the technicals of the process, Skye examined him..

Gavin Bruce was still quite attractive for his age, and looked to be in his fifties instead of his late sixties. His long, dark-grey hair was braided like most Highlanders, and his sharp features reminded Skye a bit of Aero. Adding in his height and muscle tone; it was actually hard to believe that he was an ‘old man’.

As he talked with Murdoc, Skye, and Amara; Malcolm called Mickey off to the side. Using his Tank trait, Tidas eavesdropped on their conversation..

“Did ye talk to Callen?”

Mickey hesitated; “Na..I don’t wanna be involved anymore-”

“Well it’s too late now! We Need ye ta get that armor, or it won’t work! Ye know what’ll happen if ye don’t...”

Mickey sighed deeply; “I don’t think so anymore.. Skye isn’t-”

“Be quiet! We’ll talk about this later..”

Malcolm had noticed Tidas watching him, and immediately clammed up. Because of the bout, he knew that both Skye and Tidas were Tank mages, and could hear him if they wanted to. Seeing the Alconian Prince turn his head at his wife’s name being mentioned, Malcolm knew that he was listening in.

As Gavin exclaimed about something Skye had said, Tidas made a mental note to have one of the Tamers assign a tiny companion to Malcolm. Since it sounded like the threat pertained to Skye, Tidas knew exactly which mage to ask...

Skye had listened to Gavin explain his plan to deduce where the toxins were coming from. According to him, it would take several days, if not weeks to fine the exact cause. Not to mention that their was a high chance that radiation was leaking from the old reactor as well.

“Mickey didn’t tell ye that I healed him of a tumor caused by radiation exposure?” Skye asked Gavin.

Gavin’s eyes bulged; “Na, that wee shit didn’t tell me! Mickey! Get yer arse over here so I can kick it! What’s this I hear about ye bein’ sick?!”

Both Mickey and Malcolm were already walking back over when Gavin had started tearing into him. As he lectured they you man, Skye finished analyzing the field for toxins.

Without warning, Skye started to walk over near the wall of the cave. When Amara called out to her to ask what she was doing, Skye replied; “Ima impatient person, so I’m just gonna take care of this field now, if that’s okay?”