Javrian had arrived to put an end to it and declare his stance against the Empire, but somehow Xen had informed the Capital about it.
"So that's why the Imperial troops arrived so quickly."
I wasn't fully clued in on all the political games, but I could piece it together—Javrian's little stunt in this territory had reached the wrong ears. That night, right before the infiltration, I'd gotten a message from the Imperial troops. A warning. And that alone was enough to confirm my suspicions.
"Yes. And we needed to flee…" Javrian said, his voice calm, but I caught the subtle weight behind it. It wasn't fear of the army that made him leave—it was that he didn't want to hand the Imperial Palace any more excuses to tighten their grip on him by going after his people.
"Hm. Thank God that coward did that," I murmured, almost amused.
He stopped walking, eyes narrowing on me like I'd just spoken in some strange tongue.
"What? Are you saying it was a good thing?"
I only smiled, folding my hands loosely in front of me, tilting my head just enough to meet his gaze.
"I got that warning from the troops," I said softly, "so I went into Victor's room… and that's where I met you."
My smile lingered, warm and unhurried. In that moment, I decided—I wasn't going to kill Xen. Not yet. Not when the mess he caused had led me to something far more valuable than his blood.
"And thank God I did..."
I watched as Javrian's silver eyes fixed on me, processing the revelation I'd just dropped.
The morning light from the corridor windows caught the edges of his sharp features, making that familiar scar stand out like a silver thread against his skin.
He blinked once, twice, as if my words were reshaping the world around him. Then, slowly, his gaze softened, the hard lines of his face easing into something warmer, more vulnerable.
His hand moved before I could anticipate it, wrapping around my waist with a gentle but firm grip, pulling me just a fraction closer.
My right hand moved too to hold his, resting on my waist as if it weren't much of a deal. Our fingers intertwined naturally, his thumb brushing over my knuckles in a subtle caress.
He looked straight ahead for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, before his eyes met mine again.
I glanced down at our joined hands, feeling the subtle pressure as he tightened his fingers around mine, a silent affirmation that grounded me.
But then, as if sensing the weight of the conversation pulling us deeper into intrigue, he shifted the topic with a casual tilt of his head. "Why did you call that guy a coward?"
I paused, meeting his gaze steadily. "He is a coward because he is," I said simply, holding his look. He gave me that familiar arched-brow expression, waiting for more, so I continued. "He's hiding from you, Javrian."
He narrowed his gaze, clearly doubtful. "Hiding? How?" His voice carried that low rumble of skepticism, his silver eyes searching mine for the logic behind my claim. He waited, patient but expectant, like a predator assessing unfamiliar terrain.
I took a breath, organizing my thoughts. "Tell me, if I were to hide from you, which would be the best place right now? If we rule out the main capital and don't have time to leave the area around this place—this territory I'm in, or the town you attacked last time?"
He considered it for a moment, his eyes sharpening as the pieces fell into place. "Definitely the town," he said with a nod. "Since the walls are broken, reinforcements would be there. With them around, the possibility of my attacking would be minimal—I wouldn't sow violence in front of a full Imperial contingent."
I gave a simple nod, affirming his reasoning. "Exactly. That's why Xen is hiding in that broken town."
We turned toward the balcony, the morning breeze carrying the faint scent of blooming gardens as we stepped out.
The view stretched before us—the estate grounds giving way to distant hills, with the faint outline of that ruined town visible on the horizon.
Javrian paused, his arm still around my waist, and asked, "But how did you guess he was in that town? There are many places he could hide. After all, why just that?"
I looked ahead, piecing it together aloud, though my mind was already steps ahead. "It felt suspicious that Commander Astoria was waiting for me here, even though the walls had been crumbled two days ago.
After my arrival and not being able to arrest me, she left for the town. Clearly indicating she was there to meet someone." I paused, letting the logic sink in. "It was strange in itself that for three months, the commander of the Imperial troops is stationed there and willingly waiting. So the answer is simple—she's been desperate to find some proof for catching you, Javrian."
Before I could elaborate further, something clicked in my mind—a nagging detail that had been bothering me since the commander's unexpected appearance.
I was aware of her honesty and character detail due to having handled her in these memories many times—there was a strange pattern I recalled she showed in memories whenever the name of Javrian came up.
I looked at him and asked, "Javrian, have you ever heard the name of Commander Astoria Kelleth?"
He narrowed his eyes, thinking, his brow furrowing in concentration.
I concluded that the only possibility for someone like her to arrive here, of all places, is... some personal motive.
From what I knew, she was stationed in the inner zones and, due to her reputation for honesty, wasn't assigned to areas where the Empire's darker dealings were exposed.
It didn't add up—unless there was a personal stake.
Finally, clearing my doubt was the answer from Javrian.
"Now that I remember," he said slowly, "it seems there was a man with Kelleth surname whom I had killed for trespassing in my territory five years ago."
My breath caught. "Ah... so that's why she's here."
It all made sense now—Javrian had killed none other than Kelleth's husband.
That explained her presence, her dogged pursuit.
This wasn't just Imperial business; it was personal.
She was hunting him, using every resource at her disposal, and Xen's intelligence network was likely her key to getting close.
Javrian's expression darkened, the pieces falling into place for him too. "Revenge," he muttered, his grip on my waist tightening protectively. "She's been waiting for an opportunity."
I nodded, my mind already racing ahead to our next move. "If I am correct she waited here to meet Xen, then after taking out her frustration on me, she went to that town and might have already met him while even with his information of having no chance of your arrival there, she might be waiting for you there."
"What did you just say?" His voice suddenly came out breaking my thoughts, turning towards him as I saw his brow knitted in anger as he said, "Did she take out her frustration on you?"
"Haah, it's fine, she wasn't wrong though." I muttered, tightening my grip on his hand, my body leaning on him with complete trust, especially aware of what might become of me if something were to happen to him, I felt sympathy for Astoria Kelleth. "But..."
However, one thing was simple and straightforward.
I will not let anything happen to my family, even if the one harming them has a valid reason. In the end, even Kelleth had been used by the Emperor's schemes, as her husband shouldn't have come against Javrian in the first place if my thoughts are correct.
Something is missing, but it seems plausible that the Emperor might have wanted to get rid of Astoria's husband, and what could be a better choice than to place him against Javrian?
"...You will need to do as I say, this way I might just secure both Xen and her," I assured him, calm as my eyes glanced towards his face which tilted towards me, eyes looking at me as he leaned.
"Don't overexert yourself. I am here for you... always." And then with a peck on my crown, he assured me in that tone, acting like fuel to my determination to save my family at all costs even if it means being selfish.
And as if standing there beside him, might be his some personality was triggered within me, with the cold eyes as if my doors for emotions were only open for him and my unborn babies, I declared.
"I know that's why... you have to kill them the moment I feel they are useless."