River’s eyes sharpened, her tone cool and unwavering. “This has nothing to do with royalty, Isabelle. This is about you stepping into my room uninvited, trying on my things, and lying to our family. Again.”
“I went there to see the truth!” Isabelle snapped. “Everyone is whispering about you! You think I wouldn’t check for myself? I had to see if you really betrayed our honour by sharing a bed with that monster!”
River laughed then, sudden and unexpected — low and bitter. Isabelle flinched, caught off guard, and even their father’s voice rang out, shocked. “River! Have you lost your senses? Is any of this true? Have you disgraced us?”
But River’s response came swiftly, her tone like a blade wrapped in velvet. “If you must know, Father, my chastity is still mine, and untouched. That’s som
