CHAPTER 99: CH 99: WELCOME BACK - PART 1

The midday sun was warm, spilling golden light through the windows as Kana sat at the table, distractedly poking at her food.

The quiet clatter of dishes did little to ease the restless weight pressing down on her chest. Her thoughts wandered again—back to Lysera.

She wondered where she was, when she’d return, and if she was safe. The uneasiness of not knowing lingered, souring her appetite.

"Stop spacing out. You’re thinking about Lysera again, aren’t you?"

Irielle’s voice chimed beside her, light but teasing. She leaned lazily on her elbow, a mischievous smile tugging her lips.

Kana hesitated, then gave a small nod.

"She should’ve been back by now..."

Irielle chuckled and waved it off, her fingers brushing against Kana’s arm.

"Don’t worry about her. Lysera’s strong. She can handle herself. Instead of worrying about her, you should worry about what we’re going to do next."

Kana blinked, surprised at the sudden shift.

"Next?"

"Of course. I’ve taken an extended holiday just for this. Which means..."

Irielle’s grin widened.

She slid closer, looping an arm around Kana’s waist.

"I get to be with you as much as I want. No interruptions. No excuses. Just us."

Kana froze as soft warmth pressed against her neck again, Irielle’s mouth trailing feather-light kisses along her skin before nipping teasingly.

Kana inhaled sharply, trying to steady herself.

"Irielle—wait—"

But Irielle wasn’t waiting. Her lips grazed higher, lingering in a way that left a faint heat behind. Kana could feel her pulse quickening.

Gathering her composure, Kana pressed her hand against Irielle’s shoulder, trying to create some space.

"Irielle, stop. I... I need to talk to High Priestess Jenna about what happened. I still don’t know if my role in this is over or not."

That earned her a frustrated groan. Irielle leaned back, her expression souring instantly.

"Why are you so stubborn about that? Don’t worry about it. That stupid priestess can take care of her own affairs just fine. You’ve done more than enough."

Kana frowned, shaking her head.

"That’s not the point. She trusted me. If it wasn’t for her, I’d be in much worse trouble by now. I just... want to do things properly. She deserves that much."

The conviction in Kana’s voice left little room for argument.

For a moment, Irielle just stared, clearly annoyed by the reminder that she wasn’t Kana’s only concern.

Finally, she exhaled sharply and pushed back from the table with a frown.

"Fine. If you really want to see her, we can go. But don’t get your hopes up too much. People like her always have their own agendas."

Irielle muttered.

Kana gave a faint smile.

"You don’t have to come with me. I can go alone."

Irielle tilted her head as if she hadn’t heard, then stood with deliberate slowness.

"Wait here. I’ll change."

As Irielle disappeared into the other room, Kana sighed softly to herself.

Her hand rose instinctively to her neck, brushing against the lingering warmth where Irielle’s lips had been.

She felt the slight sting of fresh marks and quickly retrieved a clean bandage, wrapping it neatly to cover them.

When Irielle returned, her sharp eyes immediately caught the new bandage.

For a brief moment, something unreadable flickered across her face—disappointment, maybe—but she said nothing about it. Instead, she walked to Kana’s side, her tone clipped.

"Come on. Let’s get this over with."

Kana felt a pang of unease at her mood but chose not to address it. Instead, she simply nodded, gathering her things before following Irielle out.

They reached the temple faster than Kana expected, their pace unrelenting.

But when the familiar gates came into view, what awaited them was not calm sanctuary but chaos.

Guards bustled everywhere, their expressions grim and their voices sharp. The usual quiet dignity of the temple had been replaced by restless disorder.

Kana stepped forward, her brows knitting.

"What’s going on? We need to enter—"

A guard immediately blocked her path, his tone firm.

"The temple is under inspection. No one is allowed inside."

"But I—"

Kana started, her voice steady despite her surprise.

"I said no entry."

The guard repeated, unyielding. His hand rested on the hilt of his weapon, making it clear the matter was not up for debate.

Kana bit her lip, frustration flickering across her face. She could argue, but the man looked immovable, and she knew causing a scene would only make matters worse.

Just as she was about to turn away in resignation, another voice cut through the tense air.

"Well, well."

Kana stiffened at the sound. Turning, she saw him—the very same guard who had harassed her before, the one who had tried to pin crimes on her without cause.

His eyes narrowed the moment they met hers, and his lips curled into a sneer.

"You again."

Kana’s stomach tightened. The last thing she wanted was another confrontation with him.

"What do you want?"

She asked warily.

The guard walked closer, his gaze flicking toward the man blocking the gate.

"You should be careful letting just anyone near the temple. Don’t you know who this is?"

The other guard frowned.

"Who?"

"This girl used to be a suspect in our investigations. She may look harmless, but she’s been involved in suspicious activity before."

The corrupt guard said, pointing at Kana with cruel satisfaction, Kana’s eyes widened.

"That’s not true—!"

He ignored her, his voice gaining strength as he addressed the others.

"She was cleared too quickly, if you ask me. And now she’s back here, trying to force her way in during an inspection? Suspicious, isn’t it?"

The other guard shifted uneasily, glancing between them.

"Is that true?"

Kana’s pulse quickened.

"No! He’s twisting the truth. I’ve done nothing wrong—"

The corrupt guard cut her off, his eyes flashing with a dangerous glint.

"Enough lies. As a former suspect, she should be detained for questioning immediately. Put her in the prison cells where she belongs. Interrogate her properly this time."

His words rang out with finality, his authority pressing down like a trap snapping shut.

Kana’s breath caught in her throat.