The fever hadn't broken by the next morning.
Tessa lay in the inn's guest cot, her brow still flushed and her sleep uneven. Every few minutes, she would shift or murmur something incoherent, her body fighting whatever had taken root.
Liora sat beside her, dabbing her forehead with a cool cloth. The water in the basin had already gone lukewarm.
She sighed, brushing damp strands of hair from Tessa's cheek.
"I need to get something stronger than cloth and wishful thinking…"
As Liora stood, Aria watched from the chair by the hearth, small hands gripping the blanket on her lap.
"Are you leaving again?"
Liora knelt in front of her. "Just to the herbalist, sweetheart. I'll be quick. But I need you to stay here and,"
"I can take care of her," Aria said quickly.
Liora blinked.
Aria's voice trembled a little, but she stood from the chair, walking over to Tessa's bedside. "I remember how you took care of me when I was sick… I want to try."
Liora gave a soft smile. "All right. If anything changes, go straight to Marna, okay?"
Aria nodded solemnly, and Liora kissed her forehead before grabbing her cloak and stepping out into the cool morning air.
The herbalist's cottage was tucked behind a thicket of lavender bushes near the village edge. Smoke curled from the chimney, carrying the scent of dried leaves and spice.
Liora explained everything, the storm, the fever, Tessa's age, and condition. The old herbalist barely nodded, already busy grinding and measuring, her hands a blur of practiced motion.
"Take this tea blend and fever poultice. Apply it every few hours. If her breathing worsens, come back."
"Thank you," Liora said, tucking the satchel under her cloak and turning to head home.
She picked up her pace, heart still tight with worry.
The inn was quiet as she approached. Rain still dripped from the eaves, but the storm's anger had long passed.
As she reached the door, Liora paused.
A small voice, soft and clear, floated through the wooden frame:
"Please get better soon, big sis… I don't want you to be sick anymore."
Liora's breath caught.
She slowly opened the door.
Aria sat on a stool beside the cot, holding Tessa's hand with both of hers. A half-wrinkled cloth sat in the basin nearby. Aria looked up as the door creaked.
"Mommy!"
Liora smiled gently, walking in and setting down the medicine. "You did great. Thank you for staying with her."
Aria beamed just a little before rubbing her eyes. "Is the medicine going to make her better?"
"It will help. But it'll take some rest."
After a light dinner and a warm bath, Liora tucked Aria into bed. The child clung to her a little longer than usual.
"She'll be okay, right?"
"She's strong," Liora said, brushing back Aria's bangs. "She's just got to fight off the fever. You already helped more than you know."
With Aria finally drifting to sleep, Liora moved quietly back to Tessa's side.
The herbal tea steamed gently by the cot. Liora adjusted the poultice on Tessa's forehead, watching the girl's chest rise and fall with labored but steady rhythm.
She pulled a chair close, refusing to leave her side.
Outside, the wind whispered through the quiet village.
But inside, Liora kept vigil, a mother and protector, for both girls under her care, a constant light in the dark.