River blinked. The man’s words had barely left his mouth when a faint bell chimed inside her mind. Not real—more like an intuitive alert. She frowned slightly, glancing around.
“What was that?” she whispered to Heiko. “That bell…”
Heiko tilted his head. “What bell? There wasn’t any.”
She shook her head. “Strange. I swear I heard something.”
The innkeeper cleared his throat loudly. “As I said—five silver. It's the best you’ll find around here. Trust me.”
The bell rang again inside her. Not loud, but distinct.
River narrowed her eyes slightly. Something was off. She didn’t want to draw attention, but she couldn’t allow them to be cheated, either. She had spent her life counting coins and haggling for scraps. And now, even as a princess, that part of her still whispered not to be taken
