The iron door slammed shut behind me.
The clanging echoed like a death sentence.
I stood frozen, the cold of the cell biting through my skin. My heart pounded so loud, I couldn't even hear what the guard was saying. He turned the key in the lock, gave me one last look of vague pity, then walked away.
"Wait.. this is a mistake!" I cried out, clutching the bars. "Please… can you… just listen to me for a second!"
But my voice fell into silence. The dungeon swallowed it whole.
My legs buckled. I sank onto the hard stone floor, fingers trembling. My father's name... dragged through the mud. How could Lord Varrth lie like that? And that letter… forged or not—it looked so real.
I buried my face in my hands.
They believed him.
They really believed him.
But no matter what, I'll never doubt my father. I know this is all a lie against him, I just couldn't figure out who would go so far to tarnish his name and to destroy mine.
MEANWHILE — THE PRINCESS'S CHAMBERS
