One minute she looked calm, and the next she was trembling, gripping the edge of the chair next to her as if it were the only thing holding her upright. Her labored breaths filled the sudden silence, drawing every eye to her.
“We just got a call,” she began, her voice quivering. “One of the nurses who went to find Doctor Lioren…” She trailed off, her throat constricting.
“What is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, my heart pounding in dread.
The nurse looked at me, tears pooling in her eyes. “He’s dead,” she choked out. “Not just dead… brutally murdered.”
Her words slammed into me, stealing the air from my lungs. “What do you mean?” I managed, though I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer.
She wiped her face, trying to steady herself, but her voice cracked with every word. “The
