“Put her down now Pirate boy!”

Zen sighed. “Isaias, don’t make me unmake your shower.”

Isaias backed away. “You wouldn’t!”

“Try me!” A glow began to encompass her. It held electric sparks.

Stephan winced as the sparks were absorbed by him. “Um, Zen, lightning, and water don’t mix.”

Zen’s eyes widened. “Oh my god! I’m sorry! I must have absorbed it from Edline last night without realizing it. Sorry, Stephan!” The glow dissipated and Zen ran her hands up Stephan’s shoulders. He raised an eyebrow and she blushed while Isaias glared. That’s what Kiera found when she walked in a few moments later.

“I-I have Zen’s blood,” she said carrying it over and dropping a single smattering of blood on a slide. Isaias stopped glaring and took the slide. He placed it under the old microscope and zoomed in before he drew back.

“Zen, you are lucky to be alive! The poison is in every cell I’ve seen so far!”

Zen gulped and Stephan set her down. This wasn’t a time to play. Kiera walked over and looked at the sample herself before drawing back. “It is in every blood cell we’ve seen so far but I don’t think it has reached her organs.”

“That’s where you’re wrong about this poison. The Guerrero’s Blood was manufactured so that once it hit the bloodstream it would only take a few hours to invade and kill off every organ in the body. It is silent and lethal and only one person in the Arrio uses it to this extent.”

“Luis,” guessed Zen gritting her teeth.

“Yeah. He has a private stock of the poison in his stash at his home but to drug a whole boat, he had to have had at least a gallon if not more made from the samples he had stored.”

“How do you know so much about the poison Isaias?”

“Because hermanita, I made it when I was part of the gang. It was to kill a rival gang silently and painfully and I was tasked to do it. So, I made Guerrero’s Blood. Luis liked it so much, he took some for his collection. I never thought he would be foolish enough to use it on his father or me. That was his mistake. I know the pathogens of the poison like the back of my hand and can recognize its symptoms.”

“Symptoms?”

“The seasickness,” Marco said and Isaias nodded.

“That wasn’t sea sickness the Guerreros experienced. We thought it was because we were on the sea, it was this poison.”

“Why are we not dead then?” he asked.

“I didn’t make it for half Traveler half Elementals. I made it for humans. I guess that’s why Zen and I are also still alive.”

“But if I’m so infected, why haven’t I shown symptoms?”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Maybe you have. It’s taken you longer and longer to recuperate from using Ishevara. Those were your symptoms. It shifts symptoms according to the individual. They were silent but deadly and they could have led to your death. If it wasn’t for the crystal, I’d probably be burying you. Uncle Bernado probably has shown the symptoms and gotten treated but the way I made the venom, it dissolves in your blood and only I know what to look for in that case.”

“Jesus Isaias! You made a monster of a poison! How? You were never too good with chemistry?”

“I have a good nose and a good memory. Also, good motivation will do that to you. You and Mom were in danger at the time, sis. Dad had just left us on the streets and mom was injured. You were recovering from whatever he did to you. It was a mess, so I joined a gang to offer protection against other gangs and stuff and to pay the med bill. I did it for the family.” Isaias’s eyes watered.

“Isais, brother, I’m not condemning you. You did what you did so we could survive to see another day. Thank you! But no more poison making alright? You’re a monster creator,” Zen said grinning. Isaias rubbed at his eyes and picked his little sister up…well by three minutes. She’s still younger than me! She laughed and hugged him. He set her down.

“How do we get rid of the toxin,” Marco asked rubbing Isaias’s shoulders.

Isaias grinned. “I carry the anti-toxin with me always so we just have to drink it. There’s enough for the three of us if we each take a gulp. I warn you it tastes vile.”

“How would you know,” asked Zen.

“I was shot up with the poison before it was used. I was the creator and the lab rat.”

“If Bernado doesn’t kill Luis? I will,” muttered Zen as her brother searched in his dimensional pocket for a small refrigerated container.

“There you are,” he muttered as he pulled a squat box of refrigeration out of the dimensional pocket and placed it on the table. He unscrewed the lid and revealed several tubes that gleamed turquoise. He removed the only one that resembled green sludge and Zen groaned.

“You made the poison look pretty but the antidote looks like garbage warmed over.”

“It tastes even worse.”

“Lovely,” Zen muttered crossing her arms.

Isaias took the antidote and uncorked it. Then he handed it to Zen.

“Eww, it smells like dirty socks!”

Isaias grinned. “Bottoms up Zen.”

“Oh gross!” She put her lips to the tube and gagged as the antidote slid down her throat.

“Ok, you can stop now. Leave some for the rest of us. I didn’t know it tasted so good?”

Zen gagged and punched him in the arm. “That is vile!”

Isais rubbed his arm and grinned. “You seemed to like it enough.”

“Ugh, I think I’m going to be sick!”

“Keep it in sis! Don’t lose it!”

Zen nodded and went to sit down with her head between her knees. Marco looked at the sludge and sighed drinking a gulp.

“Ugh, I hope I don’t grow fungus in my mouth.”

“Hope not! My turn!” Isaias took the remaining sludge and gulped it fast. He smacked his lips and shivered. “Tastes as bad as before,” he said setting the tube down and watching his sister turn a nice shade of puce. She’s not going to hold it in much longer.

Your sister is strong Isaias. She’ll pull through.

I hope so Marco.

Stephan had picked up Zen and carried her back to the guest settlement to rest. Being the worst infected, the antidote had the worst effect on her. She had fallen asleep on her way to the guest settlement. She had managed to keep the antidote down so far. He walked out of the room to the common room where everyone else was lounging around.

“How’s Zen,” asked Isaias.

Stephan sighed. “Knocked out for now. I’m going to visit Rafael for a few. Won’t be long.”

Isais nodded and Stephan left the settlement.