“Gods,” he muttered. “That was… intense.”
Alia stepped forward, eyes gleaming. “And you barely scratched the surface.”
River looked down at her hands, as if seeing them for the first time.
“I can change what people feel,” she said, half in awe, half in fear.
“Yes,” Alia confirmed. “But remember this: emotions are sacred. Influence without consent is violation. But done with purpose, with consent… it is healing. Liberation.”
River nodded slowly, absorbing the lesson.
Alia clapped her hands. “That’s enough for today. You both need rest. Tomorrow, we go deeper.”
--
The days that followed were a blur of emotion, quite literally.
River awoke each morning with a determination that had become part of her bones. The moment she stepped into the quiet sanctuary of the training hall, Queen A
