Ben gave him a faint, tired smile, but his eyes stayed on King, as if the boy’s words held more truth than either of them wanted to admit. Ben pulled Daniel aside late one afternoon, his expression grave.
Noah had dozed off on a bench nearby, head against his father’s arm, but Daniel caught every word. “We don’t have a choice anymore,” Ben said quietly. “If King won’t let us near, we have to sedate him. He’s losing weight fast, and that swelling isn’t going away. Things are getting dire.”