Titus Zane couldn't quite identify his feelings, but even seeing a friend who he had only met once before becoming so haggard overnight would evoke a sense of compassion.
He curved his lips and said, "I heard you were ill, so I came to see you."
Alder Locke sat on the bed, tilting his head to look at Titus Zane whose lips unintentionally rose at the corners. Hearing Titus Zane say this made him very happy, but being a man who valued pride, he was unwilling to admit it.
"Who said I was sick? I'm perfectly fine!"
As he spoke, he flung off the blankets and got out of bed. He had not eaten properly for several days and had locked himself in his room. His movement in getting up was too sudden, and just as he stood up, his vision blacked out, and he nearly fell to one side. Titus Zane quickly stepped forward and supported him.
