Lumina's lips were pressed together, her face pale as Lord Drex's hand rested against her wrist, feeling for her pulse.
She sat still on the small cushioned chair in his private chambers, listening to the faint crackle of the fire in the corner.
The air smelled faintly of herbs and incense, and it made her feel like she was back in the healing halls of the Celestial Palace.
Her husband came home early from the office that day, after Lumina lessons today just so they could check on the poison. No matter how many times she told him not to worry, he never listened.
Lord Drex was quiet for a long while, his brows drawn together in thought. He was a man who rarely treated anyone other than the King himself, so the fact that Ashen had convinced him to look after Lumina spoke volumes.
Ashen stood nearby, tense, his hands clenched behind his back. His eyes stayed locked on Lumina as though afraid she might fall apart at any moment.
