Kade watched every second.
Whenever a monitor changed, his attention shifted instantly toward it. Whenever Elias paused, even briefly, Kade's jaw tightened as he waited for the procedure to continue.
He understood that the physicians were doing everything they could, but understanding did nothing to ease the helplessness of standing behind a sheet of glass while his son remained on the other side.
Elias continued from one marked location to another, working carefully through the network of vessels. The physicians assisted him throughout the extraction, identifying changes in Cooper's readings, preparing each instrument, and watching for any reaction from the remaining magical traces.
The needles were not removed quickly. Each one had to be secured before it could be drawn out, because any sudden movement could injure the surrounding vessel or allow the residual magic to spread further.
The observation room remained almost completely silent.
