Chapter 240
Carissa pulled the child from Rafael’s arms and held him tightly to her chest.
It was heartbreaking to see that the boy was nothing but skin and bones. A foul odor emanated from him–a mixture of decay, filth, and possibly old blood. His hair clung in matted clumps, adding to the overall stench.
Yet, Carissa embraced him as if he were the most precious treasure in the world, her tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
The child, now in her arms, ceased his struggles. He lay still, like a broken doll, his tears streaking through the grime on his face, creating yellowish trails. Gone was the fierce resistance he had shown Rafael. Now, the boy seemed lifeless, his eyes staring blankly despite the tears.
Seeing this, Rafael’s long–held anxiety eased as he confirmed that the child was indeed of the Sinclair bloodline. It was a relief to know that a trace of the Sinclair family remained, though Rafael was puzzled about how Ryan had ended up in the hands of traffickers after escaping.
During the time he had been with Ryan, Rafael had tried in vain to glean any information from him. The child had been rendered mute by poison and was highly agitated, reacting violently to anyone who came near him. Initially, Ryan had responded when Rafael called his name, but as time went on, he seemed to lose recognition and remained either unresponsive or frenzied.
Even the Beggar Guild investigation had yielded no clues about the child’s origins. possibly because the traffickers had hidden their tracks well.
After a long while, Carissa gently released Ryan, who clung desperately to her wrist. His long, dark nails dug into her skin, almost drawing blood. His gaze never left Carissa’s face. When he saw the slingshot, his tears flowed even more freely. His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but all that came out were incoherent sobs.
Carissa’s eyes were swollen from crying as her trembling hands gently touched the small wounds on Ryan’s face.
With a choked voice, she said to Rafael, “Your Highness, could you please get a set of clothes and shoes for him? Are there servants here? Have someone prepare hot water for him to bathe.”
“The clothes have already been bought, but he refused to change. I’ll have someone
The physician assured Carissa that Ryan was only sleeping, which relieved her. She remained by his side, keeping vigil.
Rafael spoke softly beside her, “You’ve confirmed that it’s him. You should go eat something. I’ll stay here with him.”
Carissa shook her head, wiping her tears away. “I want to stay with him. I’m afraid he’ll be scared if he wakes up and doesn’t see me.”
“Alright. I’ll have someone bring you something to eat,” Rafael said, turning to leave once more.
He made arrangements for the physician to be settled in a nearby room, ensuring he was well taken care of. They would have to wait for Ryan to wake up and be bathed and dressed before a thorough examination could be conducted.
The child had truly suffered, but at least he was still alive.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Her Graceful War Song
What happens to the other chapters, I've been waiting to read more of this story, the character's and the screening are fantastic, very intriguing story...
Next chapter please, what's happening...
Very captivating novel....
Both content and context are very intriguing, the writer style of pulling out characters in their unique ways are profound,I have recommended this book because it's very captivating...