Eilika returned to the chamber, dismissing the servants with a curt nod before slipping into the quiet of the bedroom. Damian was already awake, his gaze fixed on her as she approached the bedside.
"How did you meet August?" he asked, his voice rough.
Eilika ignored the question, her focus entirely on him. "How do you feel?" she asked, her voice fracturing. As she knelt beside the mattress, the composure she had fought to maintain shattered. Tears spilled over, hot and fast, tracing paths down her cheeks. "Forgive me," she sobbed, reaching out to hover her hand over his. "You… you vomited blood. You fainted. It was all too much. It was because of me. If I hadn't fed you that juice, it would not have happened."
Damian's heart wrenched at the sight of her broken state. Ignoring the lingering weakness in his limbs, he propped himself up on his elbows, intent on pulling her closer.
