The soft click of the chamber door behind her echoed louder than River expected. With her feet finally carrying her into the corridor alone, the palace suddenly felt immense—like an ocean, and she had only a drop navigating its tides.
Waiting just a few steps ahead was the royal butler, standing at perfect attention as always. As she approached, he offered a respectful bow, his voice warm and polished.
“Princess River, good afternoon.”
River blinked. The word—Princess—hung in the air like an unfamiliar weight. She paused for a moment, giving him a smile, but her insides curled in a strange, unexplainable way.
Only yesterday she had still been Lady River—a name that already felt too grand for someone like her. But now… Princess River Nightshade. The full weight of it struck her like a g
