"Your Grace, he asked for nothing in return," Maurice replied, his expression carefully schooled.
He held his ground, fully aware that he had to maintain this facade until August produced the second dose of the Frost Lily.
Damian's grip tightened on the armrest, his patience thinning. "Maurice, I trust you above anyone. Are you truly prepared to deceive me? August does not act out of charity. He does not save lives; he consumes them. He would never simply hand over a cure."
Maurice didn't flinch, though his pulse quickened. "The Duchess... she went to him personally. She pleaded with him, appealing to a sense of humanity he rarely shows. I cannot explain why he acquiesced, but he agreed to provide the cure the moment she finished speaking. That is the truth of what happened."
