The sudden shift in his demeanor was like a physical blow to the two women. The atmosphere of worshipful peace shattered instantly.
Rex reached up, his large hand clamping over his forehead, his fingers digging into his scalp as if trying to hold his brain physically together. His eyes squeezed shut, his jaw tightening so hard the muscles in his neck stood out like cords of steel.
The sheer intensity of the headache made his vision swim, the shadows of the room dancing in a sickening, kaleidoscopic blur.
"Rex?" Lily's voice was the first to break the silence, stripped of its recent dazed adoration and replaced by a sharp, frantic edge of concern.
She moved closer, her hand hovering near his shoulder, afraid to touch him too roughly but desperate to anchor him. "Rex, what is it? Is it the pressure?"
