Chapter 16 Mystery about the River

EVELYN

I didn’t know what to say to Elsa as she stared at me with those large, doe-like eyes of hers. She was so innocent-looking, so sweet… it felt difficult to tell her anything.

She seemed to sense my discomfort and spoke quickly.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to say,” she assured me. “I’m not trying to pry. I just… I hope I can be of help to you.”

I smiled at her weakly, acknowledging her kind offer. “I appreciate it, Elsa. You’ve been helpful enough already.”

I paused for a moment as images danced in my mind.

“In fact, I’m not entirely sure what happened,” I admitted.

“What do you mean, Evie?” Elsa prompted me softly, reclaiming her spot in the chair next to my bed. She took my hands again as if to comfort me, and it soothed me more than I expected. She was warm and kind, something I hadn’t experienced much of since arriving in the palace a year ago. It was refreshing to feel like someone cared for me, and I was grateful to call Elsa my friend.

“I was awoken by Mrs. Porter and Mis