Chamber consumes resistance.
The record grew.
So did the danger.
Sabine had just begun unfolding the last page when the outer door opened.
Lysa turned sharply.
Footsteps descended the stair.
Slow. Official. More than one set.
Elara shut the ledger with controlled force.
Warden Heskar entered with two palace guards behind him.
He was older than Sabine expected, gray-bearded and broad through the shoulders, with the cold procedural manner of someone who did not need cruelty because paperwork did most of his violence for him.
He carried a sealed document.
“Princess Elara,” he said. “Lady Sabine Corvyr. I am here under temple and palace authority to retrieve all materials related to Isolde Vhalor, the Tenth Vow, altered marriage rites, and unauthorized bride correspondence.”
The room went still.
Sabine’s heart struck once against her ribs.
Too specific.
Elara held out her hand. “Let me see the order.”
Heskar gave it to her.
She broke the seal, read, and gave a small humorless laugh.
“This is temple-only.”
“High Hierophant Serast authorized the search.”
“High Hierophant Serast may authorize the searching of temple spaces. He does not command royal archives.” Elara set the paper on the reading stand. “You require crown countersignature.”
“The material in question interferes with sacred process.”
“The material in question is inside a princess-supervised royal reading room.” Elara stepped closer to him. “If you intendto search a royal archive under temple seal, Warden, say so clearly. I prefer treason tidy.”
One of the guards shifted.
Heskar did not.
“The order is valid.”
“Then you will have no objection to waiting while I summon my grandmother to verify it.”
That landed.
Not heavily. Not visibly.
But Heskar’s jaw flexed.
