Xander's dark eyes flicked toward the cowering figures at the back of the room, his expression instantly locking into a mask of pure royal authority. The terrifying pressure was gone, but the danger remained.
"Get out," Xander whispered coolly.
The physician looked utterly paralyzed with fear, while the other man's face twisted from shock into a desperate, sweating panic.
"M-my Lord! Forgive me! The readings... the mana was violently mutating! I only sought to preserve the royal lineage!" The doctor pleaded, dropping entirely to his knees and scratching at the floorboards.
Beside him, the man who had ordered the guards forward tried to pull his scattered dignity together, though his hands shook uncontrollably. "Your Highness, my actions were entirely justified! You were losing control! If the shadows had broken past this wing, the entire estate would have been in jeopardy! I acted out of pure duty!"
