The murmurs in the room swelled like an incoming storm, but the judge raised a hand, commanding silence.

"Binder’s Magic," he said, his words chillingly deliberate.

The name alone was enough to send ripples through the crowd. Binder’s Magic—a rare and dangerous inner magic. Unlike spells drawn from external sources like a Magical Fruit, Binder’s Magic was born from within. Its wielder could manipulate agreements, binding their target to a promise they couldn’t resist… so long as the target consented. A gift for the cunning. A curse for the unsuspecting.

The judge’s dark eyes bore into Dorsey, reflecting not just authority but something deeper—an intent to strip away every defense she clung to. "With such power, you could rewrite the guard’s memory, replacing the truth with the image of the Ice Princess fleeing the scene."

Dorsey’s lips parted in a mixture of shock and outrage. "Binder’s Magic? I don’t possess such a thing! Anyone could’ve used it against me!"

The judge didn’t flinch. "Unfortunately for you, your spell failed. The guard’s fake signature rendered it ineffective."

The crowd gasped, their collective disbelief like an icy gale. Dorsey’s face hardened, a mask of defiance cloaking the fear that flickered in her eyes.

From my seat, the trial felt like a hammer striking over and over, each blow aimed at Dorsey’s fragile defense. I couldn’t bear to watch, yet my gaze lingered. Skadar caught my eye from across the room, his easy smile offering a flicker of reassurance. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared, overshadowed by the crushing weight of the proceedings.

Claudius sat nearby, lost in thought, his expression unreadable. Lady Collfumes, poised and silent as always, observed with calculated interest. The businessman from the conference, his porcelain skin and smooth black hair gleaming under the court’s pale light, leaned back with a faint smirk.

My brother, Aerol, whispered to a royal guard at his side. The glint of metal in the guard’s hand caught my attention as he disappeared into the shadows. It was a fleeting moment, but enough to plant a seed of unease.

The judge’s voice brought me back to the present.

"Why," he began, "would the culprit choose to wear peasant slippers?"

My brows furrowed. "A good question," I murmured, more to myself than anyone else.

The judge turned to Detective Harold. "Your thoughts?"

The detective’s tone was sharp, precise. "Dorsey’s foot size is two inches smaller than the Ice Princess’s. It’s plausible she wore them to implicate the princess. A pair of ice heels would’ve been too obvious—evidence of a deliberate frame-up."

Dorsey’s jaw clenched, her composure cracking under the weight of accusation. But then, her expression shifted—cold, calculated. "You have no proof. I, a royal princess, would never touch a peasant’s slipper."

The air grew heavier as the same guard who had stepped out earlier returned to the courtroom, his footsteps firm. He moved to the front and paused before speaking. "We found a pair of thin brown slippers under her bed," he declared.

Her icy facade melted into a blaze of fury. "How dare you invade my private quarters!"

I winced. For a royal like Dorsey, the humiliation of suspicion was bad enough. To have her sanctuary breached? Unforgivable. Only Aerol could have ordered such an intrusion; his keys unlocked every room in the palace.

"Fine!" Dorsey snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I’m the sinister witch who murdered her parents and now stands here, conspicuously not casting spells to escape. Truly convincing."

The judge, unmoved by her outburst, held the slippers in his hands. His title—Ice Judge—was well-earned. Known throughout Glacia for his unwavering judgments, he wasn’t just a man. He was a wielder of Puppeteer’s Magic. With a touch, he could summon spells tied to an object’s true owner. A power that had unmasked countless criminals.

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He whispered his incantation, his voice low but resonant. "If these slippers belong to Dorsey Glaciouso, let her hands be bound in ice. If not, let the spell fail."

All eyes turned to Dorsey. Her expression flickered from defiance to panic as crystalline handcuffs formed around her wrists, encasing her in frozen restraint.

The crowd erupted in gasps. The handcuffs gleamed in the torchlight, an irrefutable testament to her guilt.

"Dorsey Glaciouso," the judge pronounced, his voice like frost creeping over glass, "you are convicted of homicide and the improper use of magic."

"No!" she screamed, her voice cracking. "This isn’t real! I’m the one who called for this trial!"

The judge’s gaze was unyielding. "And yet, it is now clear. You are the culprit. Your fate is sealed: fifty years in the dungeons."

Applause broke out, reverberating through the grand hall like thunder. The Ice Judge had delivered justice once more.

But my chest tightened. This wasn’t justice—it was a nightmare. Dorsey, my cousin, my childhood companion in our innocent games of murder mysteries… now condemned. Reality struck like a torrential downpour, cold and merciless.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to end.

***

Dorsey's POV

The royal guards flanked me as I walked out of the courtroom, their icy stares as cold as the air around us. My heart clenched as I caught sight of the faces surrounding me—once friendly, now twisted with disgust and judgment.

I searched the crowd, desperate for some semblance of support, but when my eyes landed on Skadar, he looked away, avoiding my gaze entirely. My chest tightened, anger bubbling beneath the surface. Even you?! The one who vowed to seek justice for my father, the one who swore to stand by me… now you’re no different from the rest.

I forced myself to glance back, where Arie sat in the gallery. Her eyebrows furrowed as if in pity—or perhaps guilt? My blood boiled at the sight. Pity from her? The very person who orchestrated this? Ain’t it enough that she framed me, stripped me of my dignity, and turned everyone I trusted against me?

There’s something more behind those innocent eyes of hers, something that gnaws at my soul. I want to scream, to shout and curse her name, to let the entire kingdom know how much I despise her. But no words escape my lips.

As I stepped closer to the courtroom doors, the truth hit me like a blade. I am no longer Princess Dorsey Glaciouso of Glacia Kingdom. I am a royal stripped of her crown, degraded to a lowly criminal. All because of her.

The hatred inside me solidified into resolve. I clenched my fists, my shackles biting into my skin. I will never forgive her for what she’s done. Never.

I made a silent vow as the guards ushered me forward: I’ll find a way to prove my innocence. I’ll uncover the truth and expose every lie they’ve woven around me. They’ll regret the day they doubted me.

But as my eyes locked onto the exit ahead, a cold shiver crawled down my spine. Doubt whispered in my mind like a specter. What if I’m not chasing lies but fighting against shadows I can’t comprehend?

What if the truth is darker… and far more sinister than I can imagine?

***

Arie's POV

Two days after the trial, the palace brimmed with life once more. The air buzzed with anticipation for the evening's grand party. Laughter echoed through the halls, blending with the uplifting beats of the orchestra. Yet, as I stood before the mirror, the jubilant atmosphere felt alien. The echoes of Dorsey’s courtroom words still clung to me, a haunting refrain I couldn’t shake.

I turned from my reflection, my gaze falling to the gowns arranged meticulously on the velvet couch. The shimmering fabrics of silver, white, and ice blue seemed to mock my indecision.

“Are you okay, Ice Princess?” Skadar’s voice broke through my thoughts. His reflection appeared in the mirror behind me, his brows knit in concern.

I forced a smile that felt as brittle as glass. “Yeah, just trying to decide which dress to wear.”

He stepped closer, his eyes scanning the options before settling on one. “The ice blue gown,” he said with certainty. “It matches the palace perfectly and brings out your eyes.”

His words carried a warmth I wasn’t sure I deserved. “Thanks for the suggestion,” I replied softly, trying to hold onto the comfort his compliment offered. But no matter how much I tried, the weight of the trial still pressed against my chest.

Skadar’s playful grin returned as he added, “Don’t forget to meet me at the ball later. It won’t be as grand without the Ice Princess herself.”

I nodded, murmuring an agreement as he turned and left the room. His departure left an eerie quiet, the kind that felt too loud.

I sighed and returned my attention to the mirror, smoothing out the gown I had chosen. Is this celebration really a good idea? My brother had insisted on the party, arguing it was a necessary show of strength and unity. But I couldn’t shake the gnawing unease.

What if Dorsey’s conviction wasn’t the end but the start of something darker? What if the Sunstar Kingdom takes this as an opportunity to strike, catching us off guard in the midst of our revelry?

The question lingered, a quiet storm in my mind, as I prepared for the night ahead.