“It could.” I shrugged. “I'm just gathering information. What about the rot itself? Is it dehydrating the trees, like dry rot, or is it more like decomposition of a body, wet?”
“It's a dry rot.”
“And is it affecting the trees alone or are other plants dying as well?”
“As far as we can tell, it's only the trees.”
“What about the soil? Have you had the soil tested for contaminants?”
“Contaminants?”
Rian's brow lifted as he looked back and forth between us.
“Yes, toxins,” I said. “This forest is near a Dragon enclave, yes?”
“Yes.” Geris straightened. “Why does that matter?”
“Where there are cities, there are contaminants. Run-off from sewage or forges or any number of other things.”
“Our sewage is processed magically.”
“Magic can fail,” Rian said. “I'll send a team to test the soil. Anything else we should do, Galin?”
My chin lifted. Against my leg was the solid pressure of Vashana. All this time and it wasn't love that I needed to get over Rontor. Well, not romantic love. It was this unwavering support. I could feel Vashana's trust and devotion. I'd only known her for a few hours and she'd already eased my heartache. There was probably more to it than that, something subliminal. The comfort only an animal can provide. But what it boiled down to was a stronger, more confident me.
“I'd recommend dissecting a dead tree. You need a plant expert,” I said.
“Like a gardener?” Geris asked.
“Not just a gardener. A master of vegetation.”
“A master of vegetation?” Geris looked at the King.
Rian shrugged.
“Yes, a scholar who has specifically studied plant life.” I made an exasperated sound. “Are you saying that you've only focused on magical possibilities? It hasn't once occurred to you that this could be something natural?”
“Well, you have to understand that something similar happened recently in the Kingdom of Salrim,” Rian said. “They investigated the plants too. It ended up having something to do with mushrooms, but it was a magical infection.”
“And how did they cure it?” I asked.
“They didn't. The infection was due to something the Dragon Gods did—an accidental tear through our realm and into another.”
“What?!” I shrieked.
Vashana got up.
I waved her down.
“The Gods battled on Serai in their physical forms,” Geris said. “When gods fight, terrible things can happen. They briefly tore the realms and a few things came through.”
“Including two humans from another world,” Rian said. “Twoas far as we know. There could be more.”
“Or other living things,” I said. “Plants are living organisms. If some of the plant life seeped into our world, it could cause an imbalance or even a . . . a disease.”
“Disease?” Geris frowned. “You mean, the illnesses humans get?”
“Yes. You said humans came through. That would mean the other realm supports human life. And human illness. The humans could have brought diseases with them.”
