Page 66 of This Prince Is Not Charming

“What?” I asked, not sure I’d heard right. “I thought the whole point of the tonic was to get rid of all emotions.”

Enid pursed her lips. “Yes, but if the tonic is not taken properly with the guidance of a qualified healer, then it can cause the body, the mind to start losing control.”

Oh godwitches.

“And sometimes the person can completely lose their mind. Or if too much medication is taken in one sitting, it can cause so much anxiety and stress on the body that there is a possibility of . . . death.”

My head snapped up. No. Cillian wouldn’t take that much. He wouldn’t . . . but everything Enid was describing was something I’d noticed in him lately. I shot to my feet.

“I have to find Cillian.”

“Do you want me to come with you and examine him?”

I shook my head. “Let me find him first. I’ll send Margaret if we need assistance.”

I hoped to the godwitches we didn’t need help. That I was wrong about all of this and Cillian was just fine.

Just then, Margaret appeared in the painting hanging on the wall behind us, out of breath and skin ashen. “Enid, you have to come quick. It’s Cillian. He’s in trouble.”

CHAPTER 29

Cillian

Faces. So many faces.

Hovering over me.

Pinched in concern.

Real or not?

Pain. Constant, unending pain.

Cannot handle the pain.

Take it away.

Take the crying too.

And voices.

Catch one.

Can’t.

Except hers.

Hers is a lullaby. Like home.

Awake but not awake.

Trying. Trying to come back.

Here but not here.

Gone.

Gone.