(GILBERT'S POV)
Eventually, Blue rose from his seat beside Henry's bed, his ancient face set with determination. He addressed the room, his voice calm but authoritative.
"Everyone, I need to say something." The room quieted, all eyes turning to him. "I know this is hard. I know we're all struggling to cope with Henry's condition. But we cannot let this consume our lives. We cannot let Vaelion's cruelty dictate how we live."
He paused, looking around at each person in turn. "I'm going to stay here and look after Henry. I'll do everything in my power to find a way to wake him. But the rest of you—you have responsibilities. Pack duties." His eyes swept over Blake, Ethan, Fiona, Abigail, Erica, Dylan, Roland and I. "Schooling." His gaze settled on Mason, Jake, Abigail, Fiona, and Helen.
