Gina blinked rapidly, her cheeks still warm as her mind returned from the memory—the way his breath had whispered against her skin, the weight of his arms around her, and the kiss that had unraveled every thread of restraint.
"Gina," Mirha's voice cut in softly, drawing her back to reality.
"Hm?" Gina turned, perhaps too quickly. Her posture was stiff, shoulders high, hands fiddling with the edge of her sleeves.
"I asked you where you were last night," Mirha said again, her eyes playful and curious, but her voice gentle. "You just... zoned out."
"I—" Gina started, then froze.
Because there—just a few paces across the courtyard—was Rnzo.
Striding with his usual, maddening confidence. The sunlight caught the deep red of his cloak and the silver of his hair, and Gina's heart dropped into her stomach. Her entire body tensed. Her mind screamed one thing:
Hide.
Without another word, she grabbed Mirha by the arm.
"Gina?" Mirha yelped, startled as she was yanked toward the Duke's wing.
"Quickly," Gina whispered, her voice low and panicked. "Come with me. Now."
She shoved open the door to their shared chambers—Rnzo's chambers—and practically dragged Mirha inside. As soon as they were both in, she turned and closed the door behind them, pressing her back to it with a deep exhale, her eyes wide and her cheeks still stained with color.
"Gina?" Mirha asked, looking around with curiosity and concern. "Are we hiding from someone?"
"No!" Gina said a little too fast. "Yes. I mean—not really. It's complicated."
Mirha tilted her head. "Gina… is this the Duke's room?"
Gina nodded helplessly.
"Did something happen between you two last night?"
Gina looked like she wanted the ground to open and swallow her whole. "That's none of your concern," she muttered.
Mirha blinked, then smiled slyly. "So something did happen."
Before Gina could form a proper response, Mirha crept to the window and peeked through the curtains.
"Oh. He saw you," she whispered with delight. "He's smiling."
Gina groaned and pulled the pillow off the couch, hiding her face behind it.
But Mirha kept watching. "Wait… he's not coming here. He's walking the other way. Toward the Emperor's wing, I think."
Gina peeked from behind the pillow. "Really?"
Mirha nodded. "He looked amused, but definitely not headed here."
Gina dropped the pillow with a relieved sigh, then threw herself onto the couch.
"I was not ready to face him today," she mumbled.
"You looked like you were about to throw yourself into the wall," Mirha teased winking. "Was it that intense?"
Gina covered her eyes with her arm.
Mirha laughed softly, walking over to sit beside her. "You can tell me when you're ready. Or not at all. I will just… leave it to me imagination."
Gina groaned again.
"Mirhaaaa!!"
Mirha giggled as she was heading out of their chambers.
From outside, faint voices echoed—Arvin greeting Rnzo, and the shuffle of soldiers shifting at attention.
Inside the chamber, Gina stayed curled up on the couch, her thoughts still lingering on Rnzo's lips and the memory of his arms around her.
And for the first time in a long time… she didn't mind the feeling.
The heavy door to the Emperor's study creaked open.
"Knock knock," Rnzo's voice drawled lazily as he stepped in, not having knocked at all.
Lord Kain looked up from a thick file in his hand, one brow arched in pure irritation. "That's not how knocking works, idiot."
Rnzo grinned, unfazed. "That's why I said it. Your door manners are boring. Consider me the spice in your bland stew of protocol."
"You're not spice, you're indigestion," Kain replied flatly, slapping the folder shut.
"Charming as ever, darling." Rnzo flopped into a chair without invitation, lounging like he owned the place. "So. What did I miss last night while I was out risking my neck getting seduced?"
"You mean while you were defiling an inn room like a hormonal stable boy?" Kain asked without looking at him.
"Oh come now, don't be bitter just because I had a better night than you," Rnzo said with a wicked smirk. "Gina called me darling. I nearly passed out from sheer euphoria. Or lust. Either way, I'm still glowing."
"I'm going to vomit," Kain muttered, standing to pour himself tea—strong, black, and aggressive, like his personality.
"Please do. It'll be the most excitement you've had since the last war."
Kain sipped, then turned and leaned on the desk. "You broke a royal carriage."
"Allegedly."
"The metal handle was bent, Rnzo. Bent. And the side was cracked. Unless the horses spontaneously combusted, it was you."
Rnzo gave a lazy shrug. "We got… carried away."
"You don't say," Kain deadpanned.
"You should've seen her," Rnzo said, his tone a little softer. "She's all fire and hesitation. Like she wants to kiss me and stab me at the same time. It's very... inspiring."
"You're a walking scandal waiting to explode."
"You're just mad your reports don't moan."
Kain slammed his cup down. "Rnzo."
"What?" Rnzo said innocently, grinning as he crossed one ankle over his knee. "Don't be so uptight. You're starting to look like Lord Vharin."
Kain glared at him. "Keep talking and I'll start charging you rent for breathing near me."
"Alright, alright," Rnzo relented with a chuckle. "Now, your turn. What did you do last night, Captain Grumpy? File paperwork? Argue with ghosts?"
Kain's humor vanished instantly. "We had a situation."
Rnzo sat up straighter. "Go on."
Kain walked around the desk, leaned back against it, arms folded. "Princess Goya was found drugged with an aphrodisiac last night by her maid per ordered. I found her drained and shivering,.lady Mirha was the one who put it together in such a short time under pressure, and Ruso confirmed she was right."
Rnzo's smug expression vanished. "She was drugged? Didn't she just come last night??"
Kain nodded grimly. " all that in one night."
"Who the hell—?"
"That's what we're trying to find out." Kain's tone darkened. "Someone who ordered it is in the royal Ren of Lamig."
Rnzo's jaw clenched. "Who could that be?"
Kain held up two fingers.
Rnzo leaned forward. "You think this was random?"
Kain shook his head. "Too calculated. Whoever did this wanted Goya humiliated."
Rnzo's voice dropped, losing its usual charm. "What's Arvin saying?"
"He's furious. But calm. Which is worse." Kain stood again, pacing slowly
"And Her brother?" Rnzo asked, his tone suddenly sharp.
"he was summoned this morning, and he will be her tomorrow"
Rnzo exhaled, tension easing slightly. "Good."
Rnzo smirked. "Oh, now you're protective?"
"Now?" Kain looked at him with a raised brow. "I was always protective. About my family.. obvious now Goya is now part of it."
Rnzo ignored him and stood. "Who do you suspect?"
"Not sure. But the timing… it feels like a message."
"To Goya?"
"To Arvin."
Rnzo stilled. "Political?"
"Possibly. Maybe personal. We'll know more once the interrogations begin."
There was a long silence.
Then Rnzo sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "You know, it's a good thing we bully each other so well. I'd probably hate you if we weren't friends."
Kain poured himself another cup. "We're not friends. You're my burden."
"And yet here you are, telling me that you are worried about your delicate lady."
"Worried??? I never said such, she is my family i must keep her safe" Kain muttered.
"Touching," Rnzo replied with a grin. "Truly, I'm moved."
"You're an idiot."
"You're just mad I make idiocy look good."
Kain shook his head, finally letting a small, dry smile slip through. "Go away, Rnzo."
"Gladly. I'll go kiss my fiancée now. You enjoy your bitter tea and repressed emotions."
And with a dramatic bow that almost knocked over a stack of scrolls, Rnzo exited.
Kain stared after him, then muttered, "Peacock, my ass."
A soft knock echoed against the polished wood of the chamber door. Gina froze where she stood beside the mirror, one hand still halfway through fixing the ribbon of her sleeve. Her heart dropped to her stomach when she heard the voice.
"Gina?"
Rnzo.
His tone was low, casual, but too smooth—too dangerous. That wasn't the voice of a man who had forgotten what happened last night. No, it was the voice of a man who had memorized every second of it.
Panicked, Gina whispered, "Mirha, go—quick—"
"I already left!" Mirha's voice sang faintly through her head, a memory from earlier.
Too late.
The knock came again, firmer. "Gina. I know you're inside."
Gina looked around the room as if a hiding place might magically appear. She darted toward the wardrobe, paused, then spun around and tiptoed toward the bed. As she lifted the sheets, the door creaked open. He hadn't even waited for permission.
She froze. Her heart thudded in her chest as she slowly turned.
Rnzo stood in the doorway, one brow arched, arms folded. "Really?" he asked dryly. "The bed?"
Gina's cheeks flamed. "I was just… uh… checking for something I lost last night."
He stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click that somehow sounded louder than a thunderclap. "Your composure, perhaps?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said hastily, backing toward the window.
"Mm," Rnzo hummed, his voice laced with mock thoughtfulness. "Let me refresh your memory then. Carriage. Kissing. Moaning. You, calling me darling like I was some forbidden dream you couldn't resist."
Gina swallowed hard. "You're imagining things. Maybe it was the wine."
He took another step forward. "Darling."
She flinched.
"See?" he said softly. "That twitch right there. You remember everything."
"No, I don't." She held up her hand. "And even if I did—which I don't—it meant nothing. Just… wine and… and dark carriages and loud music and—"
"And me," he finished for her.
Her breath caught.
Rnzo stepped close—too close—towering over her without touching. His voice dipped low and intimate. "You looked at me like I was the only thing keeping you breathing. That wasn't wine, Gina."
She stared at his chest, refusing to meet his eyes.
He tilted his head. "Say it didn't happen. Look at me and say it."
She opened her mouth—but the words wouldn't come. Her lips trembled.
Rnzo gave a breathless laugh, as if he couldn't believe how much he wanted to kiss her again. "Do you know what it did to me," he whispered, "when you fell asleep like that? After all of that fire… you just melted in my arms. And I had to lie there, with all of that heat, holding you, and not touching a single inch more."
"You… you didn't have to," Gina said weakly.
His expression darkened with something wounded and hot. "Yes, I did."
They stood there in silence. The air between them was thick with tension—not anger, but something far more dangerous. Yearning. Unspoken truth. The echo of last night's kisses still tingled in their bones.
Gina crossed her arms, but her voice betrayed her. "You didn't seem this dramatic last night."
Rnzo chuckled and leaned closer, his breath warm against her skin. "Last night, I was busy trying not to devour you."
Her knees buckled slightly, but she held her ground. "You're so full of yourself."
"Not full enough," he said with a sly grin. "I want more."
"Stop it," she whispered.
"Why?" he asked, genuine now. His smile faded, eyes serious. "Why run from me?"
Gina turned her head, flustered. "Because… because I don't know what this is."
"You don't have to," he said. "I'll know for both of us."
She blinked up at him.
"You can pretend all you want. You can act like I'm a mistake," he said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. "But your body remembers me. Your lips remember me."
"That's not fair," she said.
"Neither is this pull I have toward you. But I won't ignore it. Not anymore."
There was a knock on the outer door—loud and firm. A guard's voice followed, muffled:
"Your Grace, His Majesty Arvin requests your presence in the council chamber."
Rnzo sighed and slowly pulled back, his gaze never leaving her. "Saved by the Emperor," he muttered, straightening his jacket.
He turned to go, but paused at the door. "Gina?"
She looked up, heart still pounding.
"I meant what I said." He flashed her a crooked, devastating smile. "Call me darling again, and I might forget the council meeting entirely."
And then he was gone—leaving her flushed, breathless, and trembling in the echo of his absence.
Private Imperial Pavilion, tucked in the rear gardens of the palace—sunlight filters through the lattice roofing, dappled shadows dancing over the stone floor. A round table sits at the center with scrolls, maps, and half-drunk cups of tea and wine scattered carelessly.
Arvin leaned back, arms folded behind his head as the others slowly trickled in. Kaisen was already seated, flipping through a document with his usual quiet focus.
Tando came in whistling, a plum in hand. "Gentlemen," he greeted smoothly. "What a beautiful day to talk about things none of us will act on."
Kain rolled his eyes as he entered last, just behind Rnzo, who carried an apple and a cocky smirk like it was his weapon of choice.
Kain: "Late again, Rnzo. Did your mirror try to keep you hostage this time?"
Rnzo: (sinks into a seat, biting into the apple) "What can I say, my reflection and I were in deep negotiation."
Tando: (chuckles) "About who's more in love?"
Rnzo: "Obviously, it was a tie."
Kaisen: (without looking up) "Then the empire is doomed."
Arvin: (calmly pouring himself a drink) "It's not a war council, brothers. Let's try to stay sober—figuratively, if nothing else."
Kain: (grinning) "No promises."
Arvin: "We need to discuss the incident with Goya. That wasn't a random poisoning—it was planned. And if one of our nobles is being targeted…"
Kain: "Then it's a message."
Rnzo: (leaning forward, tone shifting serious) "And a sloppy one. Whoever did it wanted us rattled. I say we act like we didn't even flinch."
Tando: (finishing his plum) "And how do you suggest we act calm while nobles are being drugged and couriers whisper like wild dogs?"
Rnzo: "We feed the dogs a bigger rumor. Make them bark elsewhere."
Kaisen: (nods) "That might give us breathing room to track the real source."
Kain: (eyeing Rnzo) "What about your carriage? Heard you shattered the frame last night. Accident?"
Rnzo: (smirks) "Let's just say it was a passionate disagreement… between the seat and my elbow."
Tando: (laughs) "If that seat could talk, it'd file for abuse."
Kain: "I'm surprised you didn't rip the whole thing in half. Maybe you're losing strength in your old age."
Rnzo: (grinning) "Still strong enough to beat your arrogant ass in sparring. Shall we test that later?"
Kain: (snorts) "Only if you bring a healer. I don't want to be accused of killing the Emperor's favorite peacock."
Arvin: (cutting through the laughter) "Back to Goya—do we know who was near him before the incident?"
Tando: "No direct link yet?.'"
Kaisen: (stretching) "So we pretend we don't care while we poke around?"
Arvin: "Essentially."
Rnzo: (smirking at Tando) "Acting disinterested should be easy for you. You've built a life around doing nothing skillfully, aside from loving your wife."
Tando: (shrugs) "I'm not the one that broke the carriage"
Kain: (mock groans) "Gods help us, the future of the empire lies in the hands of a flirt, a narcissist, and a philosopher."
Rnzo: "You're forgetting Arvin."
Kain: "He's the only one here with an actual crown. The rest of us just make his reign interesting."
Arvin: (smiling faintly) "Interesting is one word. Exhausting is another."
Kaisen: (calmly flipping a page) "We'll keep tabs on Goya's case. Meanwhile, let's have the palace watch reinforced subtly. And keep rumors contained."
Tando: (yawning) "Great. Subtle paranoia. Nothing like starting the day with suspicion."
Kain: (standing) "Let's hope it ends with answers."
Rnzo: (lazily reclining) "And if not… we'll stir the pot harder."
Kain: (dryly) "That's your answer to everything."
Rnzo: "And yet I always get results."
Kaisen closes the door behind him, leaving the teasing echoes of his brothers behind. The laughter fades, replaced by the soft hush of polished boots against smooth palace floors. He takes a breath. Composure returns like a reflex. He smooths the hem of his coat, his expression unreadable again.
He turns down the hallway… and then—
There she is. The person he finds calmness when she is around just merely her presence was enough, Since when did he desperate need someone by his side, he thought to himself.
Mirha.
She's walking toward him, alone, her steps light, graceful, unaware of the breath she's just stolen. Her hair—usually tied back with soldier's discipline—is down. Loose. Flowing. Curled just enough to look like the softest silk could tangle in it. The sun filtering through the corridor's tall windows catches the coppery undertones in her dark curls.
It stuns him. Briefly. Violently.
Kaisen's steps falter just for a second—so brief, only someone who studied his every move would've noticed. He doesn't blink, doesn't flinch, but something shifts in him.
She sees him.
Mirha smiles.
And bows politely.
Not a flirt. Not a coy glance. Not even a lingering look. Just that same soft, proper smile she gives everyone. Because to her… he's just Kaisen. One of many.
She passes him.
Kaisen turns his head slightly—barely enough to follow her movement with his eyes. He says nothing. Not a word. But inside—
> "You undo me without trying… and you don't even know it."
He watches the way the light clings to her as she walks away. Her presence is like the whisper of a song he can't quite remember—but he knows the feeling it left behind.
He breathes in once—controlled. Anchored.
> "Do not turn. Do not let her see it."
But his jaw tightens.
His hand curls at his side. The longing is not raw, not reckless—but dignified. Contained. A man too proud to chase, too loyal to let himself want… and too late to stop.
She's gone around the corner now. The scent of rose and ink lingers in her absence.
He exhales slowly. Not because he's nervous—he's faced generals, war councils, death itself.
But this?
This is different.
> "If only I believed I could have her… I'd destroy every wall between us."
But Kaisen is not a dreamer.
So he straightens his spine, adjusts his cuffs again, and keeps walking—composed. Like nothing ever happened.
But his silence is heavy with everything he can't say.