CHAPTER 59: CH 59: AM I BEING FRAMED?- PART 4

After the last drops of tea were finished and the soft clink of porcelain faded into the quiet morning air, Evaya rose from her seat and gave a gentle stretch, her hands settling on her hips as she turned toward the lounging High Priestess.

"You’ve stalled long enough. Your duties aren’t going to perform themselves."

She said firmly.

Jenna groaned, dramatically throwing her head back against the cushion.

"Can’t we pretend I’ve already done them? Just for one day?"

"No. Get changed. Now."

Evaya said flatly.

High Priestess Jenna pouted but stood with a sigh, disappearing into her private chambers.

The moment she vanished, Evaya muttered something under her breath—likely a prayer for patience—and moved to straighten the cushions Jenna had just vacated.

When the priestess returned, the atmosphere in the room shifted entirely.

Kana’s eyes widened the moment she saw her.

The priestess’s new robes shimmered like woven moonlight, each layer edged with golden embroidery and held together with a sash that glittered with embedded crystals.

She moved with ease despite the weight of the fabric, and even the hem of her robe barely brushed the polished marble as she stepped forward.

Everything about her screamed luxury—authority wrapped in extravagance.

Kana blinked and leaned toward Evaya, whispering behind the sleeve of her borrowed robe,

"Is it really okay for a high priestess to dress... like that?"

Evaya didn’t even flinch.

"It’s necessary. The temple isn’t as unified as it pretends to be. There are factions—dozens of them. People choose who to align with not just by divine power, but by status, influence, and wealth."

She replied.

She motioned slightly toward the priestess.

"High Priestess Jenna is believed to have both—unshakable divine favor and bottomless wealth. That’s the only reason she’s been able to keep the people under her care safe."

Kana let out a soft sigh.

"It’s all so complicated."

"It is. But you don’t have to worry about that right now. You just need to do what we talked about."

Evaya nodded.

She handed Kana a neatly folded robe—plain and dark, designed to obscure the wearer’s features.

It was the same style Evaya wore when she accompanied the high priestess in public.

"Put this on. Your job is to blend in with the helpers. Stay close to us, watch everything, and tell me immediately if your instincts warn you of anything. Especially people."

Kana hesitated only a moment before nodding.

"Understood."

It didn’t take long for her to change into the uniform, tying the sash with practiced care and pulling the hood over her head.

When she looked at her reflection, she could barely recognize herself—but that, she supposed, was the point.

They stepped out together.

The halls of the main wing were already busy. Attendants swept past in clusters, each one moving with purpose, their eyes low, their movements precise.

A few heads turned at the sight of High Priestess Jenna and her escort, but no one dared to approach.

Kana walked just a step behind the priestess, Evaya at the rear. Her eyes scanned the hall ahead, her instincts sharp.

She tried to stay focused—on footsteps, on glances, on subtle shifts in air and movement.

Halfway through their route, as they turned a wide corner into the main chamber, her breath caught.

There it was again.

That feeling.

It prickled down her spine, cold and urgent.

She stiffened beneath her robe and subtly tilted her head to the side. Two people—figures in dark clothing and polished boots—stood near the entrance to a side corridor.

Their eyes lingered too long on the priestess. No reverence. No recognition. Just silent observation.

Her fingers curled against her palm.

Danger.

Evaya seemed to notice the shift in Kana’s posture because she stepped closer and leaned in.

"Where?"

Kana didn’t speak. She simply lifted a hand and motioned with the barest nod in their direction.

Evaya followed her gaze, her expression tightening.

She gave a small nod in return before slipping away into the crowd with the ease of a shadow, not even disturbing the hem of the high priestess’s robes as she passed.

Kana blinked and she was already gone.

A quiet breath escaped her lips.

Left behind with the high priestess, she focused on her next task—keeping her safe, and waiting for Evaya’s return.

Kana stood quietly beside High Priestess Jenna, her hood drawn low and eyes scanning the passing figures with every ounce of focus she could muster.

She kept close, just as Evaya had instructed, occasionally glancing back toward the corridor where Evaya had disappeared.

She’d be back soon. Kana just needed to hold the line until then.

But before she could settle into that rhythm, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the marble hall ahead. It was steady, confident—too confident.

Kana turned and stiffened.

High Priest Rudy approached them with a warm smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

"My lady, shall we begin our rounds? The faithful grow restless. I’m sure they would feel comforted by your presence today."

He said smoothly, inclining his head toward High Priestess Jenna.

Kana’s stomach twisted.

The timing was too perfect.

Evaya had just left. No one else stood nearby.

And now this man—this man who had tried to frame her just a day ago—suddenly appeared as if summoned, suggesting they leave their current location.

Kana opened her mouth, words catching at the back of her throat. Something was wrong. She could feel it.

But before she could speak, High Priestess Jenna smiled with her usual careless charm and nodded.

"Of course. Spreading the goddess’s light is my divine duty. I am always ready."

She said lightly.

Kana’s jaw tightened. The air around her buzzed with tension, but Jenna either didn’t notice or chose to ignore it.

Together, the group began to walk, their footsteps echoing softly along the corridor.

Kana stayed close behind, her shoulders tight, eyes darting to every corner, every window. The temple halls, once impressive, now felt suffocating.

They hadn’t gone far.

The corner of the hallway hadn’t even faded from view when—

Boom!

The explosion shattered the silence like glass.

The ground trembled beneath Kana’s feet. Heat and smoke surged in an instant. She stumbled back, eyes widening as the hallway was swallowed in smoke and chaos.

Screams rang out. Dust filled the air.

Kana coughed, reaching forward—but no one was there.

She was alone. Separated from them.

And something inside her told her it had only just begun.

Kana’s breath caught in her throat as debris fell from the ceiling above.

She raised her arms instinctively to shield her head, her heart hammering so loudly it drowned out the ringing in her ears. Smoke curled around her feet like fingers, obscuring her vision.

"High Priestess?"

She called out, coughing.

No response.

Only the chaotic echo of people screaming somewhere far off—too far.

She stumbled forward a step, then another, trying to make sense of her surroundings, but the acrid smoke made her eyes sting and blurred the world around her.

Something about the explosion felt off. It hadn’t been meant to harm—no, it was a diversion. A precise strike to scatter them.

To isolate her.

Kana clenched her fists, forcing herself to stay calm. She couldn’t panic.

She had to find the High Priestess.

Or Evaya.

Whoever was behind this wasn’t finished yet. And she had a feeling... she was the target.