Leo's crimson eyes were dulled by a pounding headache that throbbed in his head like a drum, and he was slouched in a cushioned chair with his loose undershirt sticking to his sweaty skin. As two maids worked silently to clean up the mess he had created, the room's warm cedar scent blended with the sharp scent of cleaning herbs.
An elderly man with a gentle, weathered face and thin gray hair, Caulem's personal physician, leaned over Leo and checked his pulse with rough fingers. Leo's confusion was stabilized by his serene demeanor.
The doctor, who had spent years tending to nobles, stood straight and spoke in a firm but gentle manner. "Young Lord Leonhardt, how are you feeling right now?"
He pulled out a small glass jar of capsules and handed it to Leo.
Leo took the jar, turning it in his hand, the cool glass calming him as he studied the capsules.
His mind felt broken, flashing the nightmare's green-eyed woman who'd gripped his soul.
