Eilika quickly wiped her eyes, though Georgia turned away, unable to bear the sight of the boy.
Roman spotted his father lying on the bed and surged forward, but before he could reach the bedside, Sylvian scooped him up. "Your father is just very tired, Roman. He needs to rest for a while," he whispered soothingly.
Roman craned his neck, trying to catch a glimpse of his father, but his view was blocked by the male staff clustered around the bed.
"I need to catch the maid who brought that juice," Eilika declared, her voice hardening. She cast one last, agonized glance at Damian before slipping out of the room. Her heart was hammering against her ribs, but capturing the culprit was more important than her own fear.
As she reached the grand hall, she found the household staff lined up in tense, orderly rows.
"Your Grace! Is it true?" Maurice burst in, breathless. "The guards are saying the Duke has been poisoned!"
