"I drank the tonic," Soleia said weakly, pointing to the empty bowl sitting innocently at the table. Rafael narrowed his eyes as he followed her gaze, and he used his blood to carry it over to the bed. He could have walked over and picked it up with his bare hands, but he didn't want to leave Soleia's side unnecessarily.
The bowl was deposited on his lap, where it bounced harmlessly against his muscles. Rafael picked it up and examined it carefully. There were traces of a thick, slightly iridescent residue clinging to the edges, and when he brought it closer to his nose, he caught the faint scent of something sickly sweet masking something far more sinister.
His eyes darkened.
"Sindor root," Rafael muttered under his breath, his jaw clenching. "There's also… dracelle dust and maybe even an extract of kyrrin bark."
Soleia blinked blearily at him. "What does that mean?"
Rafael's voice was sharp as a blade when he answered. "It means someone tried to kill our child."
