Silence.
River stood tall in the face of his fury, but she did not reply.
Instead, she turned her gaze to the other Council members—noble men and women who once laughed at balls, toasted her mate's victories, and now sat silent like sheep.
“Let me ask the rest of you,” River said slowly, her voice carrying power she had not known she possessed, “Have you seen the so-called evidence yourselves? Have you heard the witnesses speak, face to face? Or are you all ready to condemn a Prince based on the words of few men? Did my mate got the chance to defend himself?”
Eyes shifted. A few of the Council members looked away. One or two looked troubled.
River pressed on, her voice rising.
“My mate—the one you chained, drugged, and dragged here like an animal—has bled for this Kingdom. Protected
