Cedric's eyes snapped open. All he could see was the blinding white ceiling above him, while a sharp, throbbing pain radiated continuously from his chest.
"Where is Miranda?!"
His assistant looked away, a look of pity and reluctance crossing his face. "Miss Jones... she has already left with Master Davenport."
Cedric struggled desperately to push himself up. "I have to go to her! I cannot live without her!"
But as he tried to move, he realized he could not feel anything below his waist. In shock, he began hitting and pounding his legs. "Why? Why can't I feel anything in my legs?!"
The assistant spoke from the side, his voice heavy with sorrow. "Linda Quinn had been administering small doses of toxins to you over a long period. Now, those toxins have accumulated to a critical level and
