Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A princess visiting the temple alone, without an escort. It sounded more like the tangled schemes of a popular romance novel than real life. While most visitors came seeking money, food, or shelter, she had come to ask for her engagement to be annulled.

From the temple’s point of view, it was an unusual and rather fascinating request.

Maybe that was why they were granting her such special treatment.

She was once again seated in the same office as yesterday, across from the same man. This was their second meeting. And this time, she hadn’t even taken a number.

The man before her looked nothing like a high priest. Today again, instead of priestly robes, he wore a sharp suit and kept his post behind the desk. He hadn’t spoken a word yet, only flipping through documents for twenty minutes straight.

If she stayed silent, it felt like they could sit there for hours without a single word passing between them.

Sian carefully broke the silence.

“What did you call me about so early in the morning?”

“The fiancé of Princess Heartperion, Duke Dion Hertese. He belongs to the Emperor’s faction and doesn’t get along well with the Empress. Skilled at sowing discord, prefers to infiltrate with spies and hollow out his enemies from within. Holds a solid position in politics, though he has just as many enemies. That’s why he needs the backing of the Grand Duchy of Heartperion as his firm political foundation. The woman he keeps as his mistress is of vague origin, with no family name to speak of…”

Instead of answering her question directly, he rattled off every detail of her fiancé’s personal background. So that was what he’d been reading all this time. An investigation report on the duke. And such a detailed one, at that.

“When on earth did you…?”

“Because his betrothed, the princess, ran to the temple, both the Grand Duke’s and the Duke’s households have dispatched knights to pursue you. Out of affection for his daughter, the Grand Duke is said to have taken the field himself, but in truth it seems both sets of private soldiers are moving at the duke’s command. Duke Hertese has completely taken control of the royal capital, with the Emperor’s influence playing a part as well. Nobles are uneasy about the Grand Duchy and the Duke’s house acting together even before the marriage, while the Emperor shields his close ally, the Duke, doing everything he can to blind the nobles to the truth. For now they’ve smoothed it over as a joint military exercise, but if the wedding is delayed further, the situation may turn dangerous.”

When he finished, he looked straight at her, as though gauging whether the information was accurate. Sian couldn’t hide her shock, her feelings written openly across her face. He let out a short, incredulous laugh.

“Your situation is rather complicated.”

It was true. Complicated and delicate. This was information that was never meant to leak out. The duke had kept it tightly under control. No one outside the royal intelligence bureau should have been able to uncover it.

So how did this so-called High Priest know?

A chill ran through Sian as surprise gave way to fear.

“When did you find this out?”

“The moment I learned you were the Princess of Sedin, I ordered an inquiry. I wasn’t sure if this was something the temple ought to intervene in. Background checks were necessary.”

That may be, but she had only come to the temple yesterday. It hadn’t even been a full day. The fact remained that he had dug up all this information in that short span of time.

“These are details Duke Hertese went to great lengths to bury. I may have told you some of it myself, but to have uncovered this much in just a day…”

“Let’s just say the temple’s information network is more than adequate.”

Not just adequate, it was frighteningly capable.

His vague answer only deepened her unease. Asking further would be useless; he would only evade again. Instead, she studied him sharply with her eyes.

But his half-lidded, shadowed gaze gave away nothing. All she could sense was a coldness devoid of sincerity.

“I doubt the Emperor would agree to your annulment either. He’ll want his close ally, the duke, to become even stronger.”

His voice carried not the slightest trace of sympathy.

“Sadly, it seems you have few allies, Sister Heartperion.”

The probing question was edged with cool detachment. An indirect way of telling her he had no real desire to involve himself.

Sian stayed silent. She already knew: the Emperor wanted to strengthen Duke Hertese, but the duke faced resistance from the Empress’s family. That was why the Emperor supported their political marriage. The duke’s base wasn’t weak, but his enemies were many, and he needed the prestige of a bride from a high and noble house like hers. It was the only way to solidify his position.

The Emperor had no choice but to oppose her annulment.

That was why she had come to the temple. It was the one place even the Emperor dared not touch. A sacred ground apart from the central politics of the capital. A last hope that extended a hand to anyone who sought help.

There was nowhere else to go. The royal palace was riddled with spies, the capital under the Duke and Emperor’s grip. No one else would protect her. If she hadn’t come here, she would have been forced into a marriage of deceit, watching her family sink beneath the duke’s heel while she herself became nothing more than a hollow ornament, a duchess in name only, displayed for appearances’ sake.

Sian bowed her head without hesitation.

“I’ll do it… I’ll do anything!”

Her voice trembled.

Driven to the edge of a cliff, she was utterly desperate. She could feel his gaze pressing down on her bowed head as her hands clasped tightly together beneath the desk like a prayer.

“Anything? Truly anything?”

“Of course! If it’s money you want, I’ll pay. If it’s loyalty, I’ll swear an oath in a princess’s name!”

“I admire those who work hard.”

His words left her with a fragile hope. Sian lifted her head cautiously, meeting his gaze for the first time.

“I hope you’re one of those people, Sister Sian Heartperion.”

He smiled gently, like a merciful god.

“Come to the temple’s central reception room at midnight.”

* * *

Why midnight?

The temple rarely held events at night. All business was conducted during the day, with evenings reserved for prayer. The doctrine was clear: “Night is the time when the gods do not watch.” And so every temple appointment and ceremony was set in daylight. Midnight, the so-called hour of the gods’ slumber, was the strictest taboo of all. They were not even allowed to step into the hallways.

Yet the High Priest had summoned her at exactly that time.

Sian moved uneasily down the halls.

The faint glow of scattered candles lit her way.

The midnight corridors were unnervingly silent. Even her light footsteps echoed loudly.

She held her breath, tense with caution, fearful that someone might notice her. No one was supposed to be out at this hour. Even if it was an appointment with the High Priest, she was still breaking a sacred rule.

By the time she knocked on the door of the central reception room, her heart felt ready to burst.

Knock, knock.

Even the soft taps resounded through the still halls. That was how absolute the silence was.

The Temple of Midnight was so terribly silent.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Sian jumped. His voice came through the door as clear as if he were standing right beside her. He made no effort to lower his tone, unlike her.

Nervous and stiff, she turned the handle carefully. Bright light spilled out through the crack.

Inside, white walls, wooden furnishings, and at the round table, the man sat with his back to the door. He wore another perfectly tailored three piece suit, his posture relaxed yet impeccable. Though he surely sensed her presence, he didn’t even glance over his shoulder.

“High Priest?”

She approached the table.

Stacked neatly atop it was a pile of cards, black with gold trim. He rested his chin in one hand, elbow braced against the table’s edge.

“Sit.”

He gestured toward the chair opposite.

Still unsure, she sat down.

“Let’s play a round.”

Before she could ask what he meant, he took the deck and began to shuffle it slowly.

“Poker?”

Without a word, he finished shuffling and slid the deck toward her.

“Shuffle as much as you want.”

“Why, all of a sudden?”

She took the cards anyway, her fingers automatically shuffling them.

“Because I have no one else to play with.”

Did he expect her to believe that? A man of his position, saying he wanted company? And at midnight, no less. The most forbidden hour.

As if anyone would believe such a flimsy excuse.

She kept her thoughts to herself, glancing at his face before quietly handing the cards back.

Unless she demanded another High Priest, she had no choice but to deal with him if she wanted her annulment. Perhaps humoring him this once wasn’t such a bad idea.

“The cards are numbered one to twenty. Since they’re shuffled, there may be duplicates, or you may end up with only low numbers if luck is poor.”

“And how do we play?”

He dealt the cards, alternating one by one until they each had ten, placing the rest in the center.

“From the ten cards before you, choose one. From the center pile, draw another. Add the two numbers together. The higher total wins.”

“That’s all?”

“Not quite. Then it wouldn’t be fun.”

He toyed idly with the corner of his leftmost card.

“Each round, we ask each other one question. The loser must answer the winner honestly.”

“And if the question goes too far, and I refuse to answer?”

“Then you’ll have to win.”

His voice was cool, matter-of-fact. It unsettled her.

“What kind of questions are you planning to ask?”

“Don’t worry. Since this is our first time, I won’t start with anything too sensitive.”

“So next time you will?”

“If there is a next time.”

With that cryptic remark, he drew one card from the center pile, then chose one from his hand and laid them both down.

She followed suit, drawing and placing her cards.

Once both moves were made, he leaned back, languid, and asked,

“What will you ask me?”

“Your name.”

“You want to know my name?”

“Yes.”

It had been bothering her that he kept calling her “Sister Heartperion.” He knew her full name, had seen her documents, and had investigated her thoroughly. Yet she didn’t even know his name. He knew every intimate detail about her life, while she didn’t even know what to call him.

“Such a modest request.”

“And you? What will you ask?”

“Let’s see…”

He tapped the table, thinking, then his lips curled as though he’d had an amusing idea.

Sian felt both nervous and curious. What could this man want to ask in such a game? Surely he already knew almost everything.

His curved lips moved gently.

“If I win, I’ll tell you my name. And my title as well.”