Chapter 99

"There isn't much hope," said the doctor. "I did give Elizabeth Rokley a possible solution, but the chances are little to none. I shouldn't have led her astray with such expectations but I was swept along by her desperation, I think."

Daniel bowed his head, understanding. Beth could do that. "So what's my actual prognosis?"

"I have no idea how long it will take, since if you were anyone else, I would have thought you'd be dead within five days, and half-dead in two. But you're barely showing any symptoms other than the surface evidence of purified silver poisoning, and it's already been a day and a half."

"Your best guess."

"A week and a half, maybe two. You're quite strong."

Of course he was. "The solution you told Beth about?"

"Well... the outlands are dangerous enough I'd expect her to choose to turn back, except that the intense snowstorms in the winter ironically make it safer to travel through those parts than any other time of the year. This is the best possible chance to cross