Leena pushed the tent flap aside, stepping into the pale morning light.
Jun stood there — the prince's personal guard — posture rigid, eyes sharp as cold steel. His mere presence seemed to silence the air.
Behind him, the camp buzzed with tension: nobles grumbled about being stuck in the forest, their voices laced with impatience, while generals moved between them, trying to restore order.
Jun had just returned from searching for Li Wei. His empty hands told Leena all she needed to know.
He closed the distance between them, his voice slicing through the noise.
"You vanished the same moment His Highness did. Where is the prince?"
Leena didn't flinch.
"We were drugged, kidnapped, and threatened. To save him, I went with our captor and left him in the cabin. I remember the area. If I leave now, I might—"
"You're not going anywhere." Jun's voice rose, drawing the attention of nearby soldiers.
"It's our duty to find him, not yours. And what kind of foolishness made you leave him alone? You think you're some hero? You should have stayed put!"
The words hit like a slap. Guilt twisted in her chest — not because he was right, but because she had already asked herself the same questions.
Bao Wen stepped forward, hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword.
"This isn't her fault. Since she arrived at the palace, people have tried to kill her more times than I can count. None of this would've happened if Li Wei hadn't brought her along in the first place."
Jun's eyes blazed, his fists clenching.
"How dare you speak such words of His Royal Highness! Show an ounce of respect, or face the consequences!" he thundered, his voice sharp.
"Enough," Leena said, stepping between them. "This isn't the time to fight each other. We all want the same thing — to find the prince. And whether you like it or not, I'm the only one who has any idea where he might be."
Jun glared at her, but reason finally won over pride. He exhaled sharply.
"…What about the nobles? We can't leave them stranded here."
Chen Yu, who had been silent until now, spoke up.
"The prince would want them escorted to safety."
Bao Wen nodded. "Agreed. You don't need the entire army to search for him. Send a unit to take them to the estate His Highness promised them."
After a long pause, Jun gave a short nod.
They set off soon after — Leena, Jun, Bao Wen, Chen Yu, Maya, and a handful of soldiers, heading deeper into the forest.
The canopy swallowed the sunlight, shadows stretching long between gnarled roots and tangled undergrowth. Strange cries echoed from unseen creatures, putting some soldiers on edge. Only Bao Wen walked with calm, though his eyes flicked toward Leena more than once.
A sudden rustle from the bushes to their left froze everyone in place.
Weapons were drawn. Maya clutched Leena's arm. Jun narrowed his eyes, scanning the foliage. The noise grew louder… closer.
Then — something leapt out.
The girls screamed. Jun instinctively staggered back—only for a small, fluffy cat to land neatly on Chen Yu's shoulder.
Relief rippled through the group. But Jun, still backing away, caught his heel on a root and stumbled hard into the trunk of a tree.
A beat of silence. Then several soldiers coughed to mask their laughter. Even Bao Wen's lips twitched.
Jun shot them all a glare, brushing himself off with forced dignity.
"You do realize," he said from behind Leena, "that this is all because of you."
She froze mid-step. "…What?"
"If you hadn't put yourself in danger, the Seventh Prince wouldn't have had to protect you. Now he's missing, and you expect us to thank you for 'helping'?" His tone dripped with accusation.
Her stomach twisted. She wanted to defend herself — but the words wouldn't come.
What if he was right?
Bao Wen's voice was low, almost dangerous.
"Watch your mouth, Jun. You think blaming her will bring him back? Say one more word and I'll—"
"Stop." Chen Yu's voice cut through the tension like a blade. His usual gentleness was gone.
"Jun, you're supposed to protect the prince, not waste time tearing down the only lead we have. If you have energy to scold her, use it to track His Highness instead."
Jun's jaw tightened. Pride wounded, he said nothing more.
They continued on. The silence between them now was heavier, broken only by the rustle of leaves.
Maya stumbled over a root, nearly falling, but Chen Yu caught her in time. Her face flushed as her heartbeat quickened. She muttered a quiet thanks, looking away before he could meet her eyes.
Bao Wen noticed. And for just a second, the corner of his lips curved… before his usual composure returned.