Captain Ratko knew to head for Vitale's workshop without Leposlava's prompting. Of course, Castle Mechi had a proper resident physician on staff, but she specialized in animal-inflicted wounds and the occasional case of the grippe. No one would question that antidotes of any kind were in the wheelhouse of the alchemist.
And anyway, even if the king were brought to the physician, Vitale would only serve to annoy the piss out of her whilst micromanaging everything little thing she did.
Coming to the end of the hall, the captain stopped Lepka at the door blocking the entrance to the subfloor of the castle - a place that very few people were privy to seeing.
Maksim's lucky day, Ratko thought to himself as he heaved the thick wooden door open and beckoned the kid to follow as he descended the stone staircase.
