Queen Mother Isadora collapsed to the floor, the crystal bottle shattering beside her. Dark liquid pooled around the broken glass like blood. For a moment, nobody moved. Nobody breathed.

Then Prince Kael rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside his mother's still form.

"Mother!" He pressed his fingers to her throat, searching for a pulse. "She is still breathing."

"Barely," Marcus said grimly. "That was nightshade extract. She has minutes at most."

Isadora's eyes fluttered open, focusing ...