Count Valerius was currently experiencing a full-blown, systemic biological failure. The pompous, arrogant nobleman's face had drained of all color, replacing it with a sickly, nauseous shade of gray.
His jaw hung open so wide it practically unhinged. His thick hands were trembling violently around his gold-tipped walking stick.
'He... the Archduke... the Reaper...' Valerius's brain short-circuited, his traditionalist, homophobic, aristocratic mind entirely unable to process the horrifying audio data he had just intercepted. 'The tutor... all night... the physical exertion... and, and, even gagging?!'
Behind the Count, the situation was even more chaotic.
Caspian von Nacht, the tall, brooding, tragic brother, had clamped both of his hands firmly over his own mouth.
He had turned around, facing the wall of the corridor.
