The sweet venom Chapter 9: 8

Read chapter 9 of The sweet venom by aspa201 on NovelPedia.

After the attack, the convoy was visibly shaken. The faces of the soldiers betrayed their anxiety. Helia, still dazed by the sudden violence of the incident, struggled to banish the images of the scene she had just witnessed from her mind. Only a few meters away, the corpse of a knight, still twitching in its last convulsions, haunted her. The Prince, stoic but with a darkened gaze, issued commands in a firm voice. "Let some knights do a round. We must know if any other creatures are lurking nearby." They were two hours away from the camp, a distance that weighed heavily in the thickened air. Everyone moved quickly under his orders. Some soldiers worked to right the overturned cart while others checked the convoy's defenses. Sir Aldric approached the carriage and made sure his Lady was all right. She reassured him with a faint smile. "I'm fine, Sir Aldric. Thank you." She paused before asking, "Do you know what they intend to do with the boar's carcass?" "I heard they'll burn it before we leave. They couldn't leave a venomous carcass in the middle of the road." This answer sparked an idea in the young scientist's mind. She straightened up suddenly, her heart racing. With Sir Aldric's help, she descended from the carriage. The ground was uneven, scattered with debris, and the acrid scent of blood and earth muddled her senses. The scene before her was chaotic: soldiers moved around the cart, some speaking seriously, others scanning the dark trees lining the road. Followed closely by Sir Aldric, she made her way to Prince Arthur, who was overseeing the repairs. "Your Highness..." She called out clearly, drawing the Prince's attention. He turned around, his brow slightly furrowed, curious at the interruption. "May I ask permission to examine the carcass before it is burned?" she finished, bowing slightly. He scrutinized her with some curiosity. "You do understand the risks of the venom?" he asked, his tone grave. He was reluctant to grant her request due to the risk, as he was responsible for her safety, but he remembered his father's instructions to treat this Lady as he would any of the scientists who had accompanied him. She nodded confidently. "Yes, Your Highness. I will take all necessary precautions." The Prince looked at her for a moment before giving a subtle nod of approval. "Very well. But be quick." She wasted no time. She sent Sir Aldric to fetch equipment to record her observations, while she donned thick gloves and a cloth mask, then grabbed a stick to examine the carcass without touching the beast directly. Under the curious gaze of a few knights and the more focused attention of the Prince, she set to work. The massive body of the boar lay before her, a creature both fascinating and monstrous. She approached carefully, her leather gloves fitted tightly, her cloth mask covering her face. With a stick, she gently lifted the rough skin of its face, revealing the sharp teeth of the monster. Its dentition is incomplete , she noted silently, studying the irregular fangs of the animal. Still growing... Yet, the disproportionate size of the beast troubled her. Helia lingered on other revealing signs of its youth: the tail, shorter than an adult's, as well as the visible skeletal structure through the injuries inflicted by the knights. Her thoughts swirled. How can such a young creature achieve such size? But something even more disturbing awaited her. As she neared the animal's reproductive system, she stopped, her heart skipping a beat. This is impossible... A cold sweat slid down her neck. The boar was sexually mature, a state it should not have reached for several more years. Yet, despite its obvious juvenile age, its organs showed full maturity. She straightened, her mind spinning with this new revelation. This boar was not ordinary, it was growing too quickly and developing too fast. The idea struck her like a bolt of lightning. She had read all the reports from other scientists on these mutated creatures, but none