Lure in the Box - Chapter 4
The princess had come to the temple alone, without an escort. Her situation was as tangled as the plots of a romance novel. While most visitors came seeking money, food, or shelter, she was here for something entirely different, an annulment.
Even the temple seemed intrigued by her unusual circumstances.
Is that why they’re treating me so differently?
She was seated in the same office as yesterday, facing the same man. This was their second meeting. Today, she hadn’t even needed to take a number.
The man across from her – who didn’t look the least bit like a High Priest – was once again dressed in a suit rather than priestly robes. He sat at his desk, silently poring over documents. Twenty minutes passed without him saying a word.
It didn’t seem like he would speak first, no matter how long she waited.
Sianne cautiously broke the silence.
“Why did you call me here this morning?”
“Your fiancé, Duke Dion Hertese,” he began abruptly, “is a member of the Emperor’s faction. He doesn’t get along with the Empress. Skilled at sowing discord, he prefers to infiltrate and seize control from within by planting spies. Politically, he’s quite strong but has many enemies. That’s why he needs a solid alliance with the Grand Duchy of Heartperion. The mistress he’s taken is of vague, unknown origins…”
He trailed off, leaving her reeling. Instead of answering her question, he had started reciting details about her fiancé. So the documents he had been reviewing were an investigation into the Duke? And in such staggering detail.
“When did you even…”
“Because of your escape to the temple, both the Grand Duchy and the Duke’s household have dispatched knights to pursue you. The Grand Duke claims to lead his forces out of love for his daughter, but in truth, both sides are under the Duke’s control. Duke Hertese has effectively seized the royal capital, with some help from the Emperor. While nobles have voiced concerns about the combined forces moving together before the marriage, the Emperor has been working to deflect suspicion, calling it joint training. However, if the marriage is delayed much longer, things could get dangerous.”
His sharp gaze locked onto Sianne, as if daring her to contradict him. Unable to mask her shock, her expression betrayed her. The corners of his mouth lifted, amused by her reaction.
“Your situation is… quite complicated.”
Yes, it was. Complicated and secretive. This wasn’t information anyone should have been able to access. The Duke managed everything with ironclad control. Only someone in the royal intelligence agency could have unearthed such details.
So how did this so-called High Priest get his hands on it?
Sianne felt a chill crawl up her spine. Her surprise turned to unease.
“When did you find all of this out?” she demanded.
“As soon as I learned you were the Princess of Sedin,” he replied smoothly. “I ordered an investigation. I needed to determine whether the temple should intervene.”
She frowned. She had only arrived yesterday. The amount of information he’d gathered in such a short time was staggering.
“This is information the Duke kept strictly confidential. I might have let a few things slip while explaining my situation, but uncovering this much detail in a day? That’s impossible.”
“Let’s just say the temple’s information network is quite capable.”
Capable? That was an understatement. It was terrifyingly efficient.
His evasive answer only deepened her unease. She stopped questioning him, knowing he would offer no clear answers, and instead studied him carefully.
But his dark eyes gave nothing away. Cold and inscrutable, they flicked back to the documents on his desk.
“I doubt the Emperor will support your annulment,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact. “He has a vested interest in strengthening his ally, Duke Hertese.”
There was no hint of sympathy in his voice.
“Sadly, it seems you don’t have many allies, Sister Heartperion,” he added, his words tinged with mockery.
His indifferent tone made it clear he had no desire to involve himself in her plight.
Sianne bit her lip. She already knew this. The Emperor wanted to empower the Duke, while the Duke, constantly under scrutiny by the Empress’s faction, needed the marriage to solidify his position. She was nothing more than a pawn in their game.
That was why she had come to the temple, a sacred place even the Emperor couldn’t easily interfere with. Here, away from the reach of central politics, they offered sanctuary to anyone seeking aid.
She had no other options. The royal castle, riddled with spies, and the capital, under the Duke’s control, offered no safe haven.
If she hadn’t fled here, she would have been trapped in a marriage built on deceit, her family crushed beneath the Duke’s ambitions. She would have become nothing more than a decorative duchess, paraded around for appearances.
Sianne bowed her head deeply, her voice trembling.
“I’ll do anything… anything!”
Her desperation was palpable. Her clasped hands trembled under the desk, as if in prayer. She could feel his gaze linger on her bowed head.
“Really? You’re willing to do anything?”
“Yes! If it’s money you need, I’ll pay. If it’s loyalty, I’ll swear an oath as a princess!”
“I like people who work hard,” he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips, giving her a sliver of hope.
Encouraged, she slowly raised her head to meet his eyes. His gaze had been fixed on her the entire time.
“I hope you’re that kind of person too, Sister Sianne Heartperion,” he said, his voice softening. He smiled, a gentle smile, like a god bestowing mercy.
“Come to the temple’s central reception room at midnight tonight.”
Why midnight?
The temple rarely held activities after sunset. All tasks were scheduled during the day, and the nights were reserved for prayer and rest. It was rooted in their religious beliefs: “Night is when the gods do not watch over us.”
Thus, ceremonies and appointments were always conducted during daylight hours. Midnight, known as the time when the gods slumbered, was strictly off-limits; a rule firmly upheld by temple regulations.
Yet, the High Priest had summoned her at the most forbidden hour of all.
Sianne felt a wave of unease as she navigated the dimly lit halls.
Faint candlelight flickered sporadically, casting shadows that danced on the walls.
The silence was oppressive. Her hurried footsteps echoed unnervingly loud in the stillness.
Senses heightened, she held her breath, afraid even the faintest sound might draw unwanted attention. She wasn’t supposed to be wandering the temple at this hour, and the weight of that rule gnawed at her.
Even though her meeting was with the High Priest himself, the very act of breaking a sacred rule filled her with anxiety.
By the time she reached the central reception room, her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.
Knock, knock.
Despite knocking softly, the sound reverberated throughout the hallway.
The temple at midnight was eerily silent.
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
Sianne flinched. His voice, calm and steady, came from beyond the door, startling her. Unlike her, he seemed utterly unconcerned about the forbidden timing.
Feeling a mix of tension and curiosity, Sianne carefully turned the doorknob. Light spilled from the room, bright and warm in contrast to the dim corridor.
Inside, the stark white walls contrasted with the dark wooden furniture. At a round table, the man sat with his back to the door, his posture casual. His three-piece suit, pristine as ever, looked entirely out of place in the temple setting. He didn’t bother turning his head, even as she entered.
“High Priest?” she called out hesitantly.
The man gestured toward the chair across from him. “Sit down.”
Confused but compliant, Sianne sat at the table. Her eyes fell on the stack of cards in front of him, black-backed with golden edges, neatly arranged in a deck.
“Let’s play a game,” he said, his tone nonchalant.
She blinked, unsure if she’d heard him correctly. “A game?”
Ignoring her confusion, he picked up the deck and began to shuffle it, his movements slow and deliberate.
“Are you suggesting we play poker or something?”
Without answering, he extended the deck toward her. “Shuffle it, as much as you like.”
“Why?” she asked, even as she took the cards.
“I have no one to play with.”
Sianne stared at him, dumbfounded. Does he seriously think that makes sense? A High Priest – someone who should embody dignity and piety – summoning her at midnight because he wanted a playmate? It was absurd.
Who would believe such a ridiculous excuse? she thought, biting back a retort.
It was clear he didn’t want to reveal the real reason for this strange midnight meeting.
Her gaze flickered to his face, but his expression was unreadable. She sighed inwardly and began shuffling the cards. If this was what it took to get closer to her goal of annulment, she would play along for now.
Once satisfied, she handed the deck back to him. He resumed shuffling briefly before dealing cards, laying ten face-down in front of her and another ten in front of himself. The remaining deck was placed in the center of the table.
“The cards are numbered from one to twenty,” he explained. “They’ve been shuffled randomly, so there may be duplicates. If you’re unlucky, you might end up with only low numbers.”
“How do we determine the winner?”
“Simple. Choose one card from your hand and one from the deck in the middle. Add the two numbers together. Whoever has the higher total wins.”
“That’s all?”
He smirked faintly. “It wouldn’t be fun if that were all.”
He idly tapped the corner of the card on the far left in front of him. “For each round, we’ll ask each other a question. The loser must answer the winner’s question honestly.”
“What if I don’t want to answer?”
“Then you’ll just have to win,” he replied, his tone firm but disarmingly casual.
Sianne frowned, uneasy. “What kind of questions are you planning to ask?”
“Don’t worry. For the first round, I’ll keep it simple.” His words were cryptic, hinting that future rounds might not be so merciful.
Sianne sighed. “Fine. What’s stopping you from asking sensitive questions now?”
He chuckled softly. “If there’s a next time, I’ll consider it.”
Without further explanation, he drew a card from the center deck and selected one from his hand, placing both face-up on the table.
Following his lead, Sianne did the same. Her curiosity was piqued, but her wariness lingered.
As the round began, he asked lazily, “What would you like to ask me?”
“Your name,” she replied without hesitation.
“You want to know my name?” He sounded amused.
“Yes.”
Ever since he’d addressed her as “Sister Heartperion,” his anonymity had bothered her. He knew everything about her; her name, her background, even her most closely guarded secrets. Yet she didn’t even know his name.
“Asking for my name? That’s quite modest.”
“And what about you? What will you ask?” Sianne countered, her tone challenging.
He tapped the table in mock thought, a playful smile curling his lips. “I haven’t decided yet.”
That smile made Sianne uneasy, but she waited for his response. What could he possibly want to know from her? After all, he already seemed to know everything that mattered.
Finally, he leaned forward slightly, his smile still in place. “If I win, I’ll tell you my name, and my title.”
His cryptic reply only deepened the mystery surrounding him. Sianne clenched her hands under the table, bracing herself for the game ahead.
