Divine Empress

Chapter Forty-Four

Raina's POV

Do I want to go back to Earth?

"Your Grace?"

Is that You Rina?

"Your Grace, are you waking up?"

It is Rina! Why is she whispering, though?

I shifted in my bed, feeling my throat was dry after trying to clear my throat. I took a deep breath, forcing my eyes to open, when I felt a hand cupping the back of my head and an icy touch on my lips. My lips parted, feeling a cold liquid flowing down my throat. "Please slow down, Your Highness," Rina said under her breath.

"Y-you Ri-Rina?" I asked, clearing my throat. "What's going on?"

My eyes flickered open, meeting You Rina's teary eyes and furrowed my brows in confusion. "Why does it look like you're about to cry? It's not like I'm dead," I said.

Suddenly, she cried and threw herself onto me. She tightly wrapped her arms around, and sob on my shoulder. "Divine Empress, you would not believe the things that happened the past three weeks!"

Three weeks!? I gasped in my head, realising why my body felt heavy and my throat being dry.

You Rina's arms tightened around me and sobbed loudly. "Grand Empress Dowager became ill days after your coma, and a week after His Majesty, the Emperor..."

My heart dropped, and my eyes widened as she remained silent. "Rina... Rina! What happened to the Emperor!?"

"His curse has overcome him... And because Grand Empress Dowager and yourself could not take rule... Imperial Noble Consort Han Maya with the help of Duke Qin Woo Nai took rule, and since then, the palace has been tense. They have ordered the Omens not to enter the palace, had guards placed around the Emperor's, Grand Empress Dowager's, and your palace on strict lock and watch. Not even the Imperial Doctor San allowed in."

They must have planned this all from the start, making all three heads of the royal family disabled and ensuring we never return to power. However, why would they prevent the Omens from entering through? "Of course! They know everything." I remembered my conversation with Trix, or should I say Yin Foma.

"Maybe they knew, the Omens would call them out for their crimes..." I said under my breath.

You Rina pulled back and stared at me with a teary gaze. "What do you mean?"

"Rina, the Omens know everything. Of course, Maya and Duke Qin may follow the law, but they are the ones who caused harm to us... The last thing I saw that night was Han Maya watching me fall with a smirk."

Her breathing shook, realising there's more that meets the eye. She jumped to her feet. "I must call for the Royal guards—"

"No!"

I grabbed her sleeve, pulled her back to my side, and shook my head 'no'. "No one knows that I'm awake and this is to our advantage... Help me out of bed, and get me into the Emperor's palace."

"But Your Grace! It's not safe there, especially since you 're with child!"

We both glanced down at my bump. I understand her concern and I am too, with the Emperor cursed there's no telling how aggressive he can be. I sighed and placed my free hand on my belly, but I had no choice. "The Empire is more important," I said, lifting my gaze back at her.

"Speaking like a true Empress," she said hesitantly.

After struggling out of bed, with a heavy belly and wobbly legs. You Rina helped me sneak out from my palace and we needed to hurry to the Emperor's palace. Even though Kai's consumed by his curse. He was still the Emperor, and he belonged to the Imperial palace until his heir becomes ruler.

There was no time to waste.

Today a council meeting is taking place and we must expose Duke Qin and Consort Maya for their crime. Rina and I dressed as lower rank palace servants in order to pass through Kai's palace gates. However, the trouble is getting past the guards by the door. "Rina, what are we going to do?" I asked. whispering/panicking.

She glanced around the area until her gaze paused on two servants approaching our direction. She glanced at the two guards by the palace door, then at me, and grabbed the pile of clothes I was carrying to hide my bump. I tagged the cloths back to me and asked, "what are you doing!?"

"Trust me," she said, taking the clothes from me.

With her head held high, she stormed towards them and bumped into them, causing the clothes to fly all over. She gasped loudly, then glared up at them and yelled. "How dare you!? Why don't watch where you're going!?"

"What are you talking about? You are the one who bumped into us!"

"Yeah, watch where you're going!"

"Don't talk back to me!"

Suddenly, all three were yelling at the top of their lungs and Rina pushed one on their shoulder. The two guards glared at them, then both left their post, heading towards the disruption. My gaze went to the unguarded post and quietly made a run for the door. Thank you, Rina! You're the best handmaiden!

I slipped into Kai's palace, realising how gloomy and dark it was inside. My ears catch the rumbling and ringing of chains dragging against the floor. As I took one step after the other, my heart kept racing and my breathing picked up. My gaze was dead serious on the curtains in front of me, knowing behind those curtains was Kai.

However, unexpectedly, the curtains parted, and a gasp escaped my lips as I stepped back, seeing a dark figure emerging from the shadows. "Y-your Grace?"

"Ah?" I gaped and looked at the person in front of me. "Eunuch... Kamin?" I asked, looking at him up and down. "What happened to you?"

I remembered seeing Eunuch Kamin being neat and proper, but the one before me... had messy hair, torn clothing and dirt all over his face. He must have noticed my stare, as he quickly jumped down onto his knees and bowed until his forehead touched the floor. "Forgive me, Your Highness! I would never present myself before His Grace in this manner—"

"Kamin!" I said, interrupting him and went down on my knees. His head stayed down, hearing silent sobs coming from him. I placed my hand on his cold shoulder and sighed under my breath. They must have locked him in here with Kai, although Kai is dangerous to be around. "I understand... It's okay."

He slowly lifted his head, stared up into my eyes, and I gave him a warm smile. "... But His Grace... His curse and..."

His gaze lowered to my belly, I rolled my eyes and chuckled. "Don't worry about me and the baby. We are fine... What's important is saving the Emperor and the Empire, and I have the power to heal that curse... Now take me to His Grace."

"As you wish, Divine Empress." He said as he stood, extending his hand for me. He helped me up on my feet, then carefully guided me towards Kai's chamber room.

My eyes widen in shock, taking the horrific sight of the once charm. There was nothing in place. It was a mess—everything broken or torn, lost its colour and became dull. A growl caught my attention, snapping my gaze to a dark figure hiding in the shadows. Only its blood-red eyes glaring back at me.

Kai...