Labyrinth Through The Mirror of Time Chapter 19

 Chapter 19. The Arithmetic of Fever

Never had the way through the labyrinth of narrow alleys to Shehrazad’s house felt longer to Anemo. He walked hurriedly, panicking inwardly, along the cobbled streets with Remi in her carrier.

— Hold on, he encouraged her, we’re almost there. I’m sure Shehrazad has already called the doctor.

The surrounding reality was a true explosion of light and colour, a bustling hive of life, but Anemo saw none of it. He was focused on a single thing: the safety of his childhood friend.

She, his friend trapped in the body of an Angora cat, was almost inert. Her feverish heat seemed to emanate steam, and Anemo felt as though he were trapped in a nightmare from which he desperately wanted to wake. He wanted to be back home in Ireland, with no other worries than his literary jealousy of Remi and the deadlines set by Arbaletă.

Once he reached his destination, he stepped into the mosaic-tiled courtyard with trepidation. The mirror of time was still, and Shehrazad immediately led them into the house, towards Demir’s bedroom.

There was Samir, crouching beside his brother on the bed, holding him with one arm. And there was someone else. A grey-haired, slender man with a serious, even stern expression, had placed a simple compress on the forehead of the boy captive within the ether wall and was now checking his pulse.

— This is Doctor Hazem El-Amin, Shehrazad said in an almost whispered voice, gesturing for Anemo to set the carrier down. He is the only one who... who understands our situation.

Doctor Hazem wasted no time on pointless pleasantries. He adjusted his glasses on his nose and looked at Anemo with eyes that were warm yet extremely firm.

— Place the cat here, next to them, please. Conventional medicines are useless now. We can only apply compresses and monitor them.

Anemo opened the cat carrier and took Remi in his arms to place her alongside the two boys, when suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Shehrazad looked at him, bewildered.

— Who could that be? I wasn’t expecting anyone. Could it be Simoon?

— No way, Father left this morning, Anemo said, gently settling the white cat.

— Wait here and do not make a sound, I will be right back.

Indeed, before long the woman returned, but she was not alone. She was followed by the seven cats Remi-Bise had met on the night she first encountered Samir.

— I’ve brought reinforcements, she said. These cats will help us banish the negative energy and the illness. Forgive me, El-Beyda, I didn’t realise how much those sessions were affecting you. Maat, here, says we must hold a session right now, Shehrazad added, pointing to the cat with the almost blue fur.

The blue cat stepped forward and bowed her head slightly in greeting.

— El-Beyda! she said, though, of course, Anemo and the doctor could not possibly understand her gesture or what she was saying.

— But isn't it risky? Anemo asked, his voice trembling, but before he could even finish his thought, Doctor Hazem’s voice heightened their anxiety even further:

— Samir has a fever too, look!

Samir was, indeed, flushed and seemed to be whispering numbers under his breath, while squeezing his brother tighter with one arm.

— There is no time, Maat said anxiously. Bring the rope, Shehrazad, tie us all together!

Seven cats plus Remi made eight, plus two men, plus Shehrazad, plus two twin boys... the arithmetic of fever was not an easy one to learn by heart. The tortoise-shaped clock was programmed to ring in exactly thirty minutes. It was a shorter session than the others, and everyone hoped they would be well enough anchored.