Theron did not waste another second.
"I will find out," he said, already turning toward the door. "Whether this was done here… or at the watchtower."
The door closed behind him with quiet finality.
The doctor, noticing the shift in the air, sighed softly. "Hand."
Aeron lowered his arm again without protest.
The old man pulled out a syringe and removed the small glass vial from the box. He stabbed the needle through the rubber cap and slowly drew the dark liquid into the chamber.
Seren watched every movement, her stomach tightening.
The doctor leaned forward and without ceremony pierced the needle into one of Aeron's veins.
Aeron's eyes twitched.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then it hit.
His jaw locked.
It felt as though thousands of tiny needles were stabbing him from the inside, spreading through his veins, crawling beneath his skin. His fingers dug into the sheets as the sensation traveled up his arm and into his chest.
