Chapter 936: A Hint of Hesitation

Seeing the children drenched in sweat, Roxanne called out, "You're all sweating! Come rest, or you'll catch a cold."

Having played to their hearts' content, the children obediently left the water. Benny reluctantly released a fish he held before joining them. Estella carefully carried a collection of pebbles the boys had given her, cradling them in her skirt.

Noticing the girl's struggle, Roxanne helped her, lightening Estella's load. Reaching the shore, Roxanne used the towels she'd prepared to gently dry the children. They wrapped themselves in the towels and returned to their tent, where Estella carefully arranged the pebbles to dry.

The boys had chosen colorful, uniquely shaped pebbles that shimmered beautifully in the sunlight, captivating Estella's attention. Roxanne patted the girl's head and fetched their cups. "You must be thirsty. Here's some water."

She offered each child a cup, and they drank obediently. Then, Archie took a sip and frowned. "Mommy," he said, "this tastes odd."

Roxanne turned, puzzled. Archie approached, cup in hand, gesturing for her to examine the water. To the naked eye, it appeared normal. Roxanne frowned. "What's wrong?"

Archie mirrored his mother's expression, glancing at Benny and Estella. Is it just me, or does the water taste weird? But Benny and Estella seem fine. Suspicious, he sniffed the water; it smelled normal.

Baffled, Roxanne asked again, "Is something wrong with the water?" Archie nodded hesitantly. "It tastes weird," he said uncertainly.

Roxanne looked at the other children, who shook their heads. Benny, practically oozing smugness, said, "Archie, maybe it tastes weird because you drank spring water earlier." He had seen Archie swallow some spring water after falling in the stream.

Archie blushed, the color quickly fading. Unaware of the incident, Roxanne watched them amusedly. Archie took another sip, then spat it out. The taste remained unpleasant.

Roxanne's suspicion grew. She took a sip; her years of experience discerning medicinal herbs allowed her to instantly detect something amiss. The taste was familiar, and a wave of apprehension washed over her. She quickly looked at the other children. Benny and Estella continued drinking, seemingly unconcerned.

Hesitant to alarm them unnecessarily, Roxanne remained silent, rising quietly. She scanned her surroundings, finding no sign of anyone else. A hint of hesitation flickered in her eyes.