A Trap

"No!"

Elizabeth was the first to react. Her face was twisted into complete scorn and rage as she yelled, "My son would never do such a thing! He can't— He's not the—"

Then she turned to Leonard, her voice breaking. "Tell her she lies. Tell her,"

It broke Lior hearing her. She sounded so desperate to hear her son uninvolved from this sin, but that was impossible.

The girl was not lying.

"Madame Dalia," Leonard sounded angry, but his voice still carried sanity in it as he spoke each words as carefully as he could, "I need you to be sure, of your words. I will not hesitate to mete out the appropriate punishments if this is a lie."

"I'm a Mother as well, your Majesty," Dalia's voice sounded hoarse now. And hurt. "I would never put such a traumatic experience on my daughter and foil her dignity for no just reasons."

Leonard's jaw clenched as he stared at the woman. Though he wasn't looking at him, Lior could feel the disappointment flowing in waves out of his body and all around the room,