CHAPTER 82: CH 82: BLAME - PART 1

The hidden courtyard was quiet except for the faint rustle of wind against the carved stone columns.

The man before Lysera was still kneeling, bound and gagged, his wrists tied behind him with rope that bit into his skin.

Even in the dim torchlight, she could see the sweat trickling down his neck.

She had dragged him outside, far from the sleeping quarters where Kana and Irielle rested.

The moon hung low, its pale light cutting through the darkness, glinting faintly against the steel of the dagger she idly twirled in her fingers.

Lysera’s voice was calm—too calm.

"Let’s make this simple. Who sent you? And what are you doing here?"

The man shifted uncomfortably, his breathing uneven. She could almost smell the panic rolling off him, though he tried to disguise it with a smirk.

"Even if you send me to prison. I’ll be out before long. My sponsor will save me."

He said with forced bravado.

Lysera tilted her head, watching him like a predator might watch a wounded animal.

"Your sponsor?"

"That’s right. You can try, but I’ll be walking free again in days. That’s how it works here."

He gave a low, humorless chuckle.

She smiled faintly, but it was not a warm expression.

"Oh, I think you misunderstand."

His brows furrowed, the first flicker of uncertainty creeping in.

"You won’t be going to prison. You’ll be going straight to the arms of your beloved goddess in the afterlife."

Lysera said softly, stepping closer until her shadow loomed over him.

The smirk drained from his face. His throat bobbed as he swallowed.

"W-wait—"

Her gaze sharpened, a faint flicker of something reptilian slipping into her eyes for just a moment.

The man’s words tumbled out in a rush.

"It was High Priestess Jenna! She sent me here! I was told to—"

His voice cracked, trembling now.

Lysera didn’t blink.

"I don’t like lies."

"I’m not—"

His voice faltered as her pupils narrowed into slits, gleaming gold in the moonlight. His breath hitched, panic seizing his body.

Whatever defiance he had vanished, replaced by raw terror.

That was the last thing he saw.

A brief, muffled sound broke the silence, and then there was nothing but the whisper of wind again.

Lysera exhaled slowly, her jaw tightening. She hated losing her composure over something this small. It was an indulgence she couldn’t afford—not now.

Straightening, she adjusted her cloak, the fabric still warm from the night air, and turned back toward the temple.

The shadows swallowed the scene behind her as if nothing had happened.

She returned to Kana’s side swiftly, her expression perfectly composed, betraying nothing of what had occurred. The rest of the night passed without incident.

By morning, the tension of the previous night seemed to have dissolved into stillness. The sunlight filtering through the windows carried the faint smell of fresh bread from the kitchen.

Kana sat at the table with Lysera and Irielle, their breakfast spread out before them—steaming tea, buttered rolls, and a plate of sliced fruit.

Kana’s fingers toyed absently with her cup, still half-asleep. Irielle was talking about something mundane, her voice light, as if determined to keep the atmosphere warm.

For a short while, it felt peaceful.

Then came the knock.

It was firm, deliberate—three knocks spaced evenly apart.

Lysera set her cup down with a soft clink.

"Stay here."

She said quietly, rising from her chair.

She crossed the room in long, unhurried strides and opened the door.

Standing there was one of her subordinates, a young officer in standard temple guard attire. His posture was stiff, but his eyes... his eyes flickered with unease.

"Commander."

He greeted, his tone caught somewhere between formal respect and nervous hesitation.

Lysera’s gaze sharpened immediately.

"What is it?"

The man hesitated, almost as if he wished someone else had been sent for this task.

"I’m here to take Kana into custody."

Behind Lysera, the sound of a chair scraping back broke the brief silence. Kana froze mid-motion, her gaze darting toward the door.

"Explain."

Lysera said, her voice flat.

"One of the temple’s priests has gone missing. Tracking magic was used, and it showed that the priest was last seen near Kana. She’s to be taken in for questioning."

The officer said, his tone tightening as he recited the facts.

Irielle’s brow furrowed sharply, and Kana’s grip tightened on her cup.

Lysera didn’t move from the doorway.

"No."

The officer flinched slightly at her tone but pressed on.

"Commander, it’s an official request from the investigation unit. I have my orders—"

"And I am giving you mine. She’s not leaving this room."

Her eyes locked on his, cold and unyielding.

He shifted, his weight moving uneasily from one foot to the other. His breathing was steady, but the faint tremor in his hands betrayed him.

Lysera took a single step forward. He took an involuntary step back.

"I understand your position. But if you think I will hand her over to be toyed with by some self-serving committee..."

She said, her voice low, almost gentle, though the weight behind her words was anything but. She let the sentence trail off, letting the threat hang unspoken.

The officer’s jaw worked soundlessly. His sense of duty was pulling him in one direction, but the presence before him—predatory and immovable—was an entirely different wall to push against.

Lysera’s stare didn’t waver.

The silence between them was heavy, the air thick with an unspoken battle neither could win without consequences.

The officer’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.

"Commander, please. You know I have to—"

He said finally, his voice low.

"You have to make a choice."

She cut in, each word deliberate.

For a moment, the only sound was the faint clink of cutlery from inside, where Irielle had resumed holding Kana’s hand in a quiet show of support.

The man’s eyes darted between Lysera’s face and the shadowed space over her shoulder where Kana sat.

He looked trapped, his duty pressing him forward, his survival instincts holding him back.

And Lysera knew—right now—fear was winning.

Lysera had just stepped out of the room, the unconscious attacker slung over her shoulder, when a familiar voice cut through the corridor.

"Well, well. I heard there was trouble."

Sergeant Delran’s tone carried a faint, knowing smile as she approached, hands clasped behind her back.

Her eyes swept over Lysera, then flicked meaningfully toward the door she had just closed.

"I assume Kana is inside?"

Lysera’s jaw tightened.

"She’s resting. She won’t be seeing anyone."

"Oh, come now. We both know it would be better to bring her out now. The longer you keep her hidden, the more suspicious it looks."

Delran replied smoothly, stepping closer.

"She’s exhausted."

Lysera’s voice was clipped.

"That may be, but orders from above are quite clear—she needs to be present for questioning. Immediately."

Delran said, lowering her voice with an edge of false concern.

Lysera’s expression hardened.

"If this is about that attack, I’ll handle it. Kana is not leaving that room."

Delran’s lips curved faintly, though her eyes stayed cold.

"We’ll see about that."

She took a deliberate step toward the door, the air between them thickening with unspoken challenge.

Somehow, Lysera knew this would be difficult to navigate.