Chapter 44
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Edwin shifted his stare away from Rina’s face.
Remorse flickered briefly inside him, since he’d abandoned the ceremony midway through without tying up loose ends.
He contemplated how much smoother events could have unfolded absent the High Priest’s abrupt shift in the Grand Prayer Assembly schedule…
His aversion toward the temple deepened further.
Right from the conflict’s outset, its leaders had declared neutrality, insisting on separation from worldly powers.
Even the United Kingdoms revered Minos, positioning the temple to back the eventual victor.
As imperial forces gained the upper hand, overtures began—priests for healing, rituals seeking triumph.
Edwin dismissed every such gesture outright.
Their aid always rang hollow anyway.
Yet after victory, when they suggested memorials for lost soldiers and citizens, refusal proved impossible.
Minos devotion gripped most subjects; total rupture would fracture the realm.
Agreement opened the door, and the High Priest inflated the event into a lavish display.
War-time indifference to ordinary deaths had eroded their standing.
A triumphant gathering promised redemption, complete with reviving the sacred fire in a forsaken shrine.
Naturally, it doubled as a bid to erode his authority.
Their motives shone plainly enough.
For honoring the dead, Edwin granted this leniency.
The trek demanded mere hours, hardly taxing.
Early defeats demanded spectacle to commemorate the toll.
Had they clung to the original date, his plans with Miss Diaz remained intact.
Instead, temple caprice burdened the true Everette Rojas.
Unilateral rescheduling crossed every boundary.
Faced with their abrupt announcement, rejection tempted strongly.
Kyle intervened decisively.
Public word of the emperor’s role had spread; withdrawal invited disaster.
It handed ammunition to portray him as irreverent toward deities.
Temple credibility had waned, yet Minos piety endured among masses.
Skepticism toward priests differed sharply from divine loyalty.
Edwin held mild beliefs at best, but tradition cast rulers as Minos offspring—total dismissal impossible.
Kyle’s logic prevailed in the end.
Minimal show sufficed for optics.
He disdained their intrigues regardless.
Under Kyle’s prodding, he performed the flame ritual perfunctorily.
Then vanished at the earliest chance.
Via costume swap with Everette Rojas.
Flames obeyed any bearer; imperial myths fooled only zealots.
Edwin and Kyle shared skepticism, though Kyle clung oddly to omens.
Relic transport to the Great Temple fell to Everette.
His build and features mirrored Edwin’s, ideal for wartime proxies.
Secured paths deterred scrutiny.
The High Priest, relic recipient, would glimpse the impostor.
Edwin regretted missing that sly fox’s dismay.
Rina’s assumption varied in nuance, yet his dereliction stood firm.
Another outrage that would stun clergy and peers alike if exposed.
Beneath her piercing violet stare, unaccustomed shame lingered.
Temple innovations excused his evasion, he reasoned inwardly.
They ignited the feud originally.
This approach preserved calm without dismantling their order.
Such candor eluded him around Rina.
Her compassion extended even to would-be killers.
Hoping sincerity resonated, he offered explanation.
“Palace duties pulled me back ahead of schedule.”
Prior arrangement prioritized her above rituals; truth lent steady voice.
“You wrap up those palace tasks already?”
Relief softened her expression, assuming official errands beyond their rendezvous.
He let the error stand, curving lips upward.
A faint nod accompanied his casual grasp of her fingers.
“Fortunate timing. Without palace calls, Sir Rojas faced the full march to the temple.”
Her spare hand flashed approval in spirited gesture, grin wide.
Hand-clasps no longer flustered her alone; Edwin stiffened inwardly still.
Fingers laced fluidly, she guided them onward like routine.
His pulse thrummed alone in ears.
Mild regret surfaced unbidden.
Composure held firm regardless.
Vulnerability stayed hidden from her.
They traversed the garden’s lingering summer roses, denied them previously by nightfall.
Fresh mana-lit lanterns cast vivid glows, surpassing prior illumination.
Words stayed absent between strides.
Altered gem hues wove dreamlike allure through blooms; Rina’s attention locked there, entranced.
His earlier dip in spirits lifted gradually from the sight.
Absorption muted her voice predictably.
Prior exchanges taught him well; he mirrored silence, conversation deferred.
Quietude soothed, enriched by her rapt profile.
Pacing a half-beat behind, he drank in every angle.
Parted lips in concentration struck him endearing—countless instances now.
Eventually, rose fixation wavered, violet depths turning his way.
Elusive feelings danced within, eyes connecting then darting, baffling him.
Flower trance seemed illusory after all.
Tension etched her features too rigidly for mere botany.
Vibrant petals surrounded them unseen by either.
Battle-forged senses stirred.
Serenity curdled toward brewing tempest.
Each fleeting glance amplified disquiet.
Some overlooked blunder haunted her?
Mental archive scanned encounters backward, spotlighting inaugural clashes.
Drifting looks defied norms.
Beneath gentle facade lurked steel; hesitation rarely prolonged doubts.
Direct words marked her style.
Perhaps the burden defied utterance.
One colossal concern loomed in Edwin’s thoughts, overshadowing all rivals.
