The origin of the Paleness

"What?!" Both Tabletina and Ambrosia gasped.

I shook my head.

"Maybe. But if I'm right, it will change *everything*! And to find out whether I'm right, I need a sick Forager Bee… Better several ones, actually. That, and the location of the nearest pond."

"A… pond?" Tabletina opened and closed her mouth, staring at me with huge eyes. "Father, I don't understand anything!"

"That's alright to not understand," Ambrosia said. "Trust him. Not because he's your father, but because he's Nectus."

I sent her a grateful smile, then remembered that I was wearing a mask.

"Thanks, Amby. Yeah. Look, if I'm wrong, some bees will get wet. If I'm right, we might be saved! And I don't want to waste time explaining *now* when we can use this time being saved instead."

Tabletina nodded thoughtfully.