I searched my memory, wishing the biology electives I had taken in college hadn’t been ten-plus years ago.

“Under what you might call normal circumstances, which means if a race of people had been periodically exposed to the pox, it killed those who were very young, and those who were old and already ill. But let’s say a certain country and the people who lived in the country had never been exposed to the pox. It could devastate them, killing probably ninety-five out of every one hundred exposed. It is like a plague.” My remembrances only made me more worried. “Has this disease ever been seen in Partholon before now?”

Carolan rubbed his chin while he thought. “It seems to me that I do have some records of a pox that has sprung up periodically in the people who live near Ufasach Marsh, and spread sporadically to the general public. But they are a strange, secretive people who do not look to outsiders for aid, so the references are few.”

That gave me a thought. “Alanna, you said the maidens were complaining of being sick when they came back from a retreat. Right?”

“Yes,” she agreed.

“Where was the retreat?”

“The Temple of the Muse.”

“Isn’t that near the marsh?” I tried to visualize the map.

“Yes,” Carolan answered. “The marsh makes a picturesque southern border for the temple grounds.”

“I’ll bet if we check this out, we’ll find the retreat was where this stuff originated. Which means the Muses are probably dealing with the same illness there that we are dealing with here.” I dug through my memory (which tended to be cluttered with old pieces of half-memorized literature and poetry), trying to remember everything I could about smallpox.

“Oh, God.” I hit my forehead, upset that the most obvious thing about smallpox had just now popped into my mind. “It’s really contagious. Through bodily fluids and contact. Like if you sleep in the same bedding someone who is infected has slept and sweated, or whatever, in—you get the disease. Or if you drink after them out of the same cup. Anyone who takes care of someone who has it risks contracting the disease.” I wondered briefly if they understood about germs. An image of Carolan calling for fresh water and soap and washing his hands between patients set my mind somewhat to rest.

“Then you and Alanna must stay far away from those who are sick.”

“You’re right.” I looked at Alanna. “You have to stay out of the sickroom…you’ve already been exposed too much.”

“As must you,” Alanna said.

“No, I can’t get it.” I brushed aside the soft fabric of my half sleeve to expose my faded scar. “When I was a kid I got a shot.”

Carolan’s face was a total question mark. I sighed and made a motion with my hand of a needle sticking into my skin and something being injected into my arm, deciding quickly to give him the short version of the story and leave out my (now very fortunate) decision to say yes when the school nurse asked if we wanted smallpox boosters along with our annual flu shots at school. “It made my body build up something called antibodies against smallpox. If I’m exposed to it, my body will fight off the disease.”

“It sounds like a miracle.” Carolan’s voice was awestruck.

“Yeah, I wish I were a doctor so I could explain how it works.” I shrugged my shoulders helplessly. “Sorry, you got the English teacher not the doctor.”

“The teacher is fine with me,” Alanna said sweetly.