Before Cassandra could open her mouth to respond to her mother's demand for answers, the room tilted sharply.
Her vision blurred at the edges, darkness creeping in from all sides.
"Mother, I..."
Despite her strong-headedness and desperate wish to remain the girl her mother had trained and not waver in the presence of pain, her legs buckled beneath her.
Cassandra's body succumbed to the pain and she collapsed, hitting the marble floor unceremoniously.
"Cassandra!" A yell escaped Evelyn's throat and she dropped to her knees beside her daughter, catching her head before it could slam against the ground.
Cassandra's eyes were unfocused, rolling back slightly. Her skin was burning hot to the touch, fever raging through her system.
"Get the doctor, now!" Evelyn barked at the maids who had frozen in shock by the entrance.
One of them bolted, running toward the medical wing.
