Sairis's POV
Sairis reached out his hand. It was shaking. He could see it shaking and he could not make it stop. He touched Candice's shoulder gently.
"Candice," he called. His voice came out thin. "My lady."
Nothing.
He shook her lightly. Just a small movement. The kind that would wake anyone who was simply sleeping deeply.
She did not move.
"Candice." His voice was louder now. He shook her again, a little harder this time. "Candice, wake up. Please."
Nothing. No movement. No sound. No flutter of her eyes or shift of her body.
He shook her harder.
"Candice!"
The scream tore out of him before he knew it was coming. It filled the room and bounced off the walls and he did not care.
He reached for her face with both hands now, cupping it, turning it toward him. It was cold. Not the cool of someone who had been sleeping in a room with open windows.
