Carl had not expected Phineas to be so bold as to ensnare him like this in the palace, so he was not prepared for it at all.
Reality proved that Dorothy's judgment of Phineas had been correct. He was indeed a dangerous character. Not only was he an apothecary, but he was also a mage. The glow from his eyes was able to hypnotize a person and it made Carl very dizzy as he slowly lost control over his own thoughts and actions.
Carl felt exhaustion overwhelm him. His eyelids grew heavy and he was ready to fall asleep anytime. However, his instinct told him that he must not sleep. He told himself that he had to stay awake.
He wanted to pinch himself hard so that he would sober up from the pain, but the potion inside the cauldron started giving off even more steam, engulfing him like a cloud
