River’s eyes blazed. But she held her tongue. Revealing her identity now could either get her killed… or provoke something far worse.
He gestured to the guards waiting outside the door.
“Take her to the west tower. Treat her gently, but don’t let her out of your sight. I want her clean, well-fed, and perfectly untouched. We want the Deathbringer calm when he arrives—not homicidal.”
River’s heart pounded as two guards stepped in. She didn’t resist. Not yet.
--
The walls of the tower were ancient—stone worn smooth by time, vines creeping up the outer masonry like veins across old skin. Though modest in size compared to the royal palace, the tower had its own soul, carved into silence and solitude. The room given to River was high, circular, and dimly lit by a fire crackling in the heart
