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Helen quickly stepped forward, gently patting her sister’s back to comfort her. “Don’t worry so much. Stress can sometimes make you feel like you’re about to cough up blood. I feel that way too, at times.” Victoria shot her a look. That kind of comfort was worse than none at all.
Sophie was able to see Ryan and Evan today. With Salvador ill, Trevor had allowed Connor and the others to return to the palace so the prince could show his devotion by caring for his dad.
After comforting Victoria, Sophie took Ryan by the hand and suggested a walk.
“Have you been mistreated while in the palace?” she asked.
Ryan shook his head. “Don’t worry, Aunt Sophie. The queen dowager is very kind to me. I’m not mistreated at all. The food here is better than at the academy.”
Sophie chuckled. “So, you’re thinking about food again? What about your studies? Have you been learning diligently from Mr. Young?”
Looking around cautiously, Ryan lowered his voice as he replied, “I’ve been learning, but I always say I only know a little. I don’t want to outshine Prince Connor. When I don’t do well, he gloats and teases me a bit, but he doesn’t make things too hard for me.”
Sophie patted his head. This child was just too considerate for his age.
Having other matters to attend to, Sophie gave him some advice before sending him back to Serenity Palace. Then, she excused herself and left the palace.
Because Salvador assigned Galen to handle other matters, the management of Astral Prison had been left to the Supreme Court officials, with Randall overseeing it.
Later that evening, Randall arrived at Hell Monarch Estate to see Sophie. He mentioned there was something troubling him and needed her advice. Sophie only ate a few bites of her meal before rushing out to meet him, her mind preoccupied with worry about Zoey and her children.
However, when she heard Randall’s concerns, she learned that the problem was with Evelyn and Viola. Since their arrival at Astral Prison, the two women had been consumed with worry. Their meals, looking worse than what was fed to dogs, left them weak. Within days, they both began suffering from severe vomiting and diarrhea.
Sophie had already provided some medicine for easing any symptoms of an upset stomach to Zoey, and taking it had helped Evelyn and Viola. But with the continued poor food, their condition had worsened again. Now, Viola was running a high fever.
Evelyn had begged for a physician, but Randall was unable to make a decision and had come to Sophie for advice.
“What about the others? Are they experiencing the same symptoms?” she asked.
“Some of them did. After all, they went from living in luxury to being prisoners. It’s hard to adjust to the food. But everyone else got better after taking medicine. Only those two seem to be getting worse.” Randall glanced at Sophie and added, “Ms. Prince looks like she’s on the brink of death, while Madam Prince cries every day, nearly making herself blind with grief. Perhaps we should find a physician for them?”
Sophie paused, considering, then said, “Have you spoken to Deputy Commander Kimber? He used to handle matters at Astral Prison. He would have the authority to decide.”
“I’ve already gone to him,” Randall admitted. “Deputy Commander Kimber said that Ms. Prince left Mr. Jaffe when he fell from grace, so she’s not a good woman. He refused to allow a physician to be called.”
Sophie was taken aback; she hadn’t realized Galen and Blake had such a close relationship. “Then, why don’t you go to Mr. Carter?” she suggested.
Randall lowered his gaze, his fingers clenched. “He’s placed great expectations on me. I don’t want to bother him with every little issue-he’d be disappointed in me. But I truly don’t know what to do. Since Deputy Commander Kimber already refused, I’m afraid to act on my own and anger him.”
Sophie observed him thoughtfully. He was indeed lacking in decisiveness, yet he had a compassionate heart. In fact, once he consulted with Galen, who had given his refusal, Randall could have easily stayed out of the matter.
Sophie sighed and said, “I can’t make a decision for you, but I can offer some advice. His Majesty ordered their imprisonment in Astral Prison, hoping that Mr. Prince might turn himself in, swayed by family ties. But as the one responsible for their custody, you must ensure they stay alive.’
Randall let out a breath of relief, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Understood. I’ll make sure to arrange for a physician for them.”
He turned to leave, but then stopped and turned back. “What should I say if Deputy Commander Kimber asks about it? He didn’t approve of calling a physician.”
Sophie sighed. “You’ll have to figure that out on your own, alright?”
Seeing the disappointment in her eyes, Randall didn’t dare ask further. He muttered a quick farewell, then left.
Once he was gone, Sophie instructed Lulu to go to Arcane Sanctum and take Rowan to Astral Prison to check on Zoey, Cedric, and the others, to make sure everything was alright. After all, they had shown symptoms as well.
Later that evening, Rowan returned with Lulu, both carrying the unmistakable odor of prison. Lily sprinkled some scented water on them to wash away the stench, along with a bit of the bad luck associated with prison.
Sophie instructed Lulu to bathe and change, while Rowan was served coffee and snacks.
Rowan set his medical kit down on the table. “A physician has already visited and given them a prescription. But considering how difficult it is to prepare medicine in Astral Prison, I left them some pills instead.”
“And how are they doing?” Sophie asked.
“Ms. Prince and Madam Prince are in worse condition. The others are managing okay, though Ms. Courtney has a slight fever as well.”
“How did that happen? Is it the food?” Sophie questioned.
Rowan sighed. “The conditions aren’t ideal. Everyone is eating, sleeping, and… well, relieving themselves in the same place. The environment is poor, and they are all people who are used to luxury. It’s no surprise that their bodies are struggling to adjust.
“The men are doing better as they’re stronger, but Mrs. Prince has been suffering from headaches, likely due to poor sleep. I gave her needle treatment and left some ointment for her.
“As for Ms. Prince, she didn’t have any major issues previously. But she’s been so anxious and has taken too much medicine. It drained her, which is what made her condition much worse. Meanwhile, Madam Prince is in a constant state of worry and cries every day. Her eyes are almost going blind from it.” Rowan paused for a moment, sipping his drink before continuing, “Mrs. Prince has it the hardest. She has to manage everything in Astral Prison. She’s battling splitting headaches herself while trying to comfort everyone else. She can’t just ignore them-there are so many people, and negative emotions can spread easily. If they were separated, it would be easier on her.”
Sophie’s heart ached for Zoey, but she knew that separating the prisoners was an unlikely solution.
“Do you think Madam Prince and Ms. Prince are in immediate danger?” Sophie asked.
“Madam Prince should be fine, but if Ms. Prince’s fever doesn’t break soon, she could be in real danger. She’s too anxious. When she saw me, she kept grabbing my hand, asking if she was going to die. She kept babbling nonsense-blaming one person, then another, before turning the blame on herself for all the wrong decisions she’d made,” Rowan replied.
Sophie said nothing.
She had no right to judge someone else’s life, but she couldn’t help but wish Viola wouldn’t drag Zoey down with her. If Viola were die in Astral Prison, it would only cause panic among the Earl of Silverstone’s family. This would undoubtedly increase Zoey’s already heavy burden.
“Rowan, please check on them again in a couple of days.”
He nodded. “Of course.”
Sophie thought for a moment, then added, “I’ll accompany you when you go.”
She wanted to have a private conversation with Zoey. In a hopeless place like prison, having no one to talk to and only listening to endless crying would make the days feel like years.
But right now, Sophie had other matters to attend to. With Salvador ill and court in recess, her only option was to find Jeremiah and inform him of the change in the riverworks personnel, explaining how Cameron had replaced the workers.
More importantly, she had to meet with the generals of the Mystic Army to devise strategy and plan their defense.
The next day, after speaking with Jeremiah about the personnel change, she asked him to report it to Salvador. Then, she returned to the Capital Guard headquarters. She also gathered Kyle and Jacob to discuss the matter.
They had to consider many possible scenarios. They couldn’t rule out internal collaboration, so they needed to be ready for that. Those guarding the city gates had to be on high alert.
At the same time, scouts needed to be dispatched to patrol the countryside surrounding the city. There were many large villas on the outskirts, some housing hundreds of people. It would be hard to know who might be hiding among them.
However, this was one of the most difficult areas to investigate, as the villa managers often hired workers based on cheap labor and skill rather than background or identity. Many times, they would recruit refugees from other places. So long as they could work for a meal, what did it matter who they were? The search had already begun, but progress was slow. The countryside was vast, and apart from the villas, there were many small villages.
The defense fortifications were set to begin that very day, with strict surveillance of all key routes into the city. The main street leading to the palace would be a particular focus.