Binding Fate: Betrothed to the Otherworldly Duke

Chapter 4: Oh Night Divine

"Explain," I demanded of Jansen. 

My disdain for the church was clearly evident in my voice.

It was no secret that the church held immense power in Lumicrestia. It was impossible not to notice the way they basked in the King's favor, all thanks to Silas, the Head Priest. In his youth, Silas had saved the prince who would become king, and that single act bound the throne to a lifelong debt. And cunning as he was, Silas made sure to benefit from it every single day.

Whispers circulated throughout the Kingdom, both among the nobles and the peasants, suggesting that Silas might have endangered the King in the first place just so he could step in as the savior. Most knew that if the church caught wind of anyone tarnishing its name, that unfortunate soul could expect exile to the bitter cold of the farthest northern border.

Eliot stepped into the dim light and spoke, "Upon our arrival at the forest's edge, the Holy Knights confronted us. They claimed it was a simple patrol, yet they wore full battle armor."

Jansen picked up the tale, his voice edged with frustration. "We informed them of our intent to visit the new temple to offer prayers to the Goddess. They granted us passage, but a knight insisted on accompanying us, thwarting our search of the forest."

Henry furrowed his brow, clearly puzzled. "It's odd to see knights in full armor during times of peace unless they're bracing for conflict."

"That's the exact conclusion Eliot and I reached," Jansen added, his gaze unwavering.

Trying to piece together the mystery, Belmont asked, "So, what makes you think they discovered something?"

Jansen continued, recounting their unsettling experience. "Inside the temple, the reception was oddly tense. We felt unwelcome as they hurriedly ushered us into the prayer room and locked the door behind us. While we were confined, Eliot managed to distract the knight guarding our door by pretending he needed the lavatory. Seizing the opportunity, I slipped out and wandered the halls. That is when I overheard a chilling conversation between Silas and some holy knights." He paused, making sure we were all listening. "Silas gave strict orders to safeguard certain items retrieved from Zandel Forest."

My impatience bubbled over. "And where might they be securing these items?"

Swallowing hard, Jansen replied, "That remains a mystery, your Grace. He didn't specify."

"Zandel Forest," Henry murmured thoughtfully, brushing his fingers along his chin before swiftly moving to the large wooden desk and sifting through the many maps.

Intrigued, Belmont queried, "What's on your mind?"

Henry's fingers paused on a map. "I'm trying to see if there's a connection to our current situation. None of these maps have markers in Zandel Forest."

Belmont, Jansen, and Eliot joined him, scrutinizing the scattered sheets. After a moment, Belmont conceded, "You're right. However, knowing that the church has unearthed something from our territory is unsettling."

I nodded my head in agreement. It was one thing for the church to flaunt its power within the capital and another to do it within the Grand Duchy. Though I had no doubt that the King suddenly gifting them land near our borders must have given them some audacity to venture within, the thought of Silas discovering something related to her caused my anger to flare, and I could feel that heat in my hands as they began to glow with a faint blue light.

Attempting to distract myself, I turned to look at Aldric. The lodestone hanging from his hand swayed slowly, its movement gradually ceasing until it hung motionless. Suddenly, with a jolt, it swung toward the western region of the map. The stone emitted a brief, intense white glow before leaving a dark imprint on that exact spot. Then, it resumed its gentle oscillations.