CHAPTER 84: CH 84: BLAME - PART 3

The faint fragrance of steeping tea lingered in the air, curling lazily around the edges of the high priestess’s chamber.

Sunlight filtered through the gauzy curtains, casting soft golden bars across the plush carpet.

High Priestess Jenna sat reclined on her seat, every movement deliberate, elegant—calm.

At least, on the surface.

Evaya sat opposite her, watching that carefully composed expression with uneasy eyes.

The cup in Jenna’s hand looked delicate enough to shatter at a whisper, yet the high priestess’s fingers were clamped around it with such force that the porcelain trembled faintly.

"The news is spreading fast. Kana’s been taken into custody... for the disappearance of one of your temple’s priests."

Evaya began cautiously. Her voice wavered despite herself.

Jenna’s gaze flicked up—steady, unreadable.

"I’ve heard."

Evaya frowned.

"And? What are you going to do?"

The high priestess set her cup down with a muted clink, the tension in her hand dissipating only slightly.

"For now... nothing. We’ll keep an eye on the situation and move when it’s necessary."

Evaya’s lips parted in disbelief.

"Nothing? Kana is being targeted because of us. Because of you. If we wait, there might not be a situation left to watch."

Her voice dropped, tinged with frustration.

A sharp silence fell between them, broken only by the faint ticking of the clock on the wall.

Jenna’s eyes narrowed, but her voice remained level.

"Do you think I don’t know that? Do you think I’m blind to the risk she’s in?"

She drew in a slow breath, as if steadying herself.

"But I cannot throw away my standing over a single person. I have my people to think of—an entire network whose safety depends on me not making a reckless move."

Evaya bit back her retort, shoulders slumping. She knew the words were true.

Still...

"I understand."

She murmured finally. Relief and sadness tangled in her chest like thorny vines. The high priestess was worried, that much was clear.

But it hurt knowing she was deliberately choosing to stay still.

For a moment, the two women lapsed into silence, the atmosphere gradually easing. Jenna reached again for her cup, her grip this time measured and careful.

Evaya leaned back, telling herself to relax—just for a moment.

And then the noise came.

It began as a distant clamor, muffled but rapid. Footsteps—heavy, purposeful. The thud of boots on polished stone.

Then, the sharp, reverberating bang of the outer doors being flung open without ceremony.

Evaya straightened instantly, heart thudding. Jenna’s brows drew together.

The sounds grew louder. Closer.

By the time the inner doors burst open with a violent slam, Evaya was already halfway to her feet.

"High Priestess Jenna!"

Two figures stood in the doorway like a storm had carried them in—Lysera, her eyes glinting cold and dangerous, and Irielle, her usual playful smile absent, replaced by a taut, unreadable mask.

Both radiated a pressure that made the air itself feel heavier.

"You’re going to help us save Kana. Whether you like it or not."

Lysera said, her voice low but edged with steel.

Irielle stepped forward, eyes narrowing.

"What happened to her is your fault."

The high priestess rose slowly, smoothing her robes with unhurried precision, as if buying herself seconds to measure their intent.

"I’m aware of the situation. And I suggest—"

"Suggest? This isn’t a debate, Jenna. You have influence in the temple. You have resources. And you’re going to use them."

Lysera cut in, the word dripping with challenge.

Jenna’s gaze slid to Irielle, then back to Lysera.

"If you think barging in here and pointing fingers will—"

"You think we care about politeness right now? She’s gone. Taken in chains. And you’re sitting here drinking tea?"

Irielle’s voice cracked like a whip, and Evaya flinched at the raw emotion behind it.

The high priestess’s lips pressed into a thin line.

Evaya could see the smallest flicker of something flash in her eyes—not guilt, exactly, but something dangerously close.

For a long moment, tension locked the three women in place. The only sound was the faint rustle of the curtains in the breeze.

Then, Jenna sighed, the sound heavy, resigned.

"Fine."

Evaya’s eyes widened.

"High Priestess—"

Jenna lifted a hand, silencing her without looking away from the two intruders.

"If you’re here demanding my aid, you clearly have some plan in mind. I’ll listen."

Lysera didn’t smile, but the corner of her mouth twitched, just barely.

"Good. You can start by telling us what strings to pull to get her name cleared—and fast."

"I’ll do what I can."

Jenna said, her voice still calm, but no longer cool.

Evaya sank back onto her seat, exhaling slowly.

She saw it then—the truth behind the exchange.

The reason the high priestess had relented so easily wasn’t because Lysera and Irielle had overpowered her with sheer force of will. It was because she’d wanted to be convinced.

She’d wanted an excuse.

For all her words about caution and protecting her people, Jenna had been just as restless, just as unwilling to let Kana’s fate be decided by others.

She’d been waiting for the right push—a reason that would justify stepping into the mess without shattering her carefully maintained position.

And now, thanks to the two furious women standing in her doorway, she had that reason.

Evaya looked at her, this time with a mix of admiration and unease.

The high priestess smiled faintly, just enough for Evaya to see the sharpness beneath it.

The storm had only just begun.

______

The sound of metal gates clanging echoed down the dim corridor as Kana was led through the winding hallways of the high-security prison.

The walls were pristine white stone, polished to a shine that only made the air feel colder.

Every few steps, an officer in polished armor stood at attention, their gaze never leaving her.

The heavy chains on her wrists and ankles clinked softly, each sound a reminder of how little freedom she had left.

Sergeant Delran walked just ahead, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.

"You’ll be kept here until questioning. Someone will come to interrogate you soon. There’s no need to be afraid. Officers will be stationed outside your cell—if anything happens, they’ll step in immediately."

She said without looking back.

Her tone was meant to be reassuring, but it only made Kana more aware of how trapped she truly was.

The cell they brought her to was unlike the dark, damp cages she’d imagined.

It was clean and furnished—a small bed with white sheets, a desk, even a chair—but the reinforced steel door and barred windows left no doubt that this was still a prison.

Kana simply nodded in response, silently accepting that escape here was impossible.

The heavy door shut behind her with a metallic thud, the sound echoing through the quiet corridor.

Kana sat on the narrow cot, her eyes tracing the faint cracks in the stone wall. The air here was cooler, carrying a faint scent of metal and disinfectant.

She could still hear the muffled footsteps of guards outside, a constant reminder of her captivity.

Delran’s words replayed in her head, but they brought no comfort—help from the officers meant little when she didn’t know who she could trust.

For now, all she could do was wait, her hands tightening in her lap