𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐋𝐄 ♕ 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐊

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿

Not for the first time, Gaeun found herself cursing the ever-growing mountain of things she had to worry about. The list went on and on and on, and she still wasn't sure if she had counted everything.

Naturally, she postponed panicking over her husband learning (and practising) Blood Arts until, maybe, the end of the year. Masking her horror and feigning indifference had been easy. But Gaeun had panicked for a brief moment when she had felt Wook seize power over her blood to throw her aside. She connected his strange behaviour with the conversation they had a few nights ago.

If Wook was serious about wanting to kill the Dowager then there was nothing Gaeun could do or say to dissuade him from it. She loved him because of his perseverance, confidence and charm. But on some days, his obsession, stubbornness and manipulative silver tongue got on her nerves. Like with Naksu, he wouldn't hesitate to take risks and that would most definitely land him in trouble.

Gaeun had two ways to protect him; either she killed the Dowager before he swung his sword or she won the Council's favour and kept them both in their good graces. Ideally, she needed to make considerable progress on her second option before she could go ahead with the first.

Gaeun had seemingly skipped her way out of Songrim, convincing everyone that she was eager to get started on her three-day break. In reality, she wanted time to prepare.

Her target for today was Ren's family—the House of Serpent. They specialised in infiltration and intelligence and were the least corrupt amongst the seven noble houses purely because of the faith and the gods they kept to. And what better way to appeal and blackmail a pious family than using religion as a tool for negotiation?

She had barely cut through the forest towards the embassy when Tseren's war-mages blocked her path. They had the characters 'Deer' and 'Leopard' marked on the cheek of their masks. "Captain Tseren has ordered you to return to your chambers at the headquarters," the masculine voice behind Deer said.

"I don't answer to him," Gaeun responded curtly.

Leopard reached for the short blade strapped on his back. "You will follow hierarchy—"

"Go whine about it to my grandmother, the Dowager Queen, then." She stepped around them with a casualness that bordered on arrogance only to pause when she was shoulder-to-shoulder with Deer. "Never speak to me like we're equals or I'll kill you."

Tseren's war-mages always left a bad taste in Gaeun's mouth. But she was relieved that they left her alone.

In one of the winding open corridors surrounding the embassy tower, Gaeun ran into Yiwei. He was sat on a broad, cinnabar balustrade, staring out into the guarded courtyard morosely. He hopped off the fence upon hearing footsteps, holding a stiff posture. Upon discovering that it was only Gaeun, he relaxed.

"Your brother is at the infirmary," she said as she walked up to him, "He might return late in the evening."

Yiwei frowned deeply, "Infirmary? Is something wrong?"

She waved off the concern. "There was a training exercise and..." She tucked a braid behind her ear, slightly embarrassed, "Well, in my enthusiasm to win, I might've stabbed him." As the horror marring his face, she quickly reassured him, "He's fine. It's nothing serious." With an afterthought, she corrected herself, "Nothing too serious."

They leaned their backs against the balustrade and looked out into the courtyard. Yiwei nudged her shoulder and grinned, "Did you win?"

"I did!" Gaeun exclaimed. She brushed his hair aside and examined the corner of his forehead. With a frown, she pointed, "That's a new bruise. What is going on with you? You sport a new wound each time I see you."