Chapter 42

When she reached the wooden door, she motioned to the guard to stay out of the room and then entered, without deigning to knock on the door: she did not have to ask permission to stay there. She was Nathan's wife and being in those rooms was her duty at the time.

The room was lit by candles scattered everywhere, shadows were casting on the wall, moving from time to time when there was a displacement of air. The windows were closed and the curtains pulled so that the moonlight could not penetrate and illuminate the gloomy space.

In the room there were only the masters and Nathan. The king was lying in bed, in the middle of the pillows, his eyes were closed and he was breathing heavily.

The prince was sitting next to him, he had one of his skeletal hands between his, he held it tightly and looked him in the face.

The masters were around the table in the middle of the room and did nothing but talk to each other and fidget between bottles containing liquids o