They both remembered the path they came by. Worried that someone might overhear their conversation, Pluvia had her palace guards keep watch on the route leading to the pavilion instead of hovering nearby.
They walked along without talking. From Pluvia's perspective, there was nothing left to discuss. Whether Kenji meant well or not, he still threatened her position. Kenji saw a grim wall between them, too.
That wall had a name: power.
As long as he held onto it, Pluvia would see him as an obstacle. But would he let it go?
Not a chance. Only a fool would give up hard-earned authority and the alliances he'd built. Yes, those alliances made her trust him less, but they also protected him, his sister, and Lina.
Kenji's head spun with the ways Emperors—throughout history—tended to be calm yet deeply suspicious. He'd read enough novels and books and watched enough historical dramas to know that a ruler can force even their own child to die over a single doubt. Much less Kenji, who was basically an outsider. Who knew if she'd turn on him the moment he gave up his soldiers and allies?
This wasn't a game where you can restart if you lose. One death here, and it's over.
He glanced at the emperor walking a few steps ahead of him and shook his head.
Then he sniffed the air. Amid the familiar scent of trees and grass, something smelled off.
"Your Majesty," he said, grabbing her sleeve. If they'd been in court, a bunch of older officials would be shouting him down for this. "Forgive my bold question, but does anyone kill animals in this garden?"
"???" She stared at him as if he'd gone crazy. "Are you serious? Marshal Kenji, you're as familiar with this palace as I am. You know there's a designated area in the imperial kitchen if they need to slaughter animals. If it's sacrificial livestock, the Ministry of Rites handles it. As for killing people…that happens outside the palace walls. The Imperial Garden is where I relax. Nothing unpleasant goes on here."
"I see."
Kenji smiled, took a deep breath, then tightened his grip on her sleeve. With his other hand, he drew the sword at his waist.
"!?"
Pluvia tensed, angry and a bit shaken. She tried to yank her arm free, but Kenji's hand held her in an iron grip. A single thought flashed through her mind: an ancestor of hers was killed exactly like this—grabbed by the sleeve and stabbed to death by an assassin.
Damn that Kenji from the Anos family! She cursed herself for having that last tiny bit of faith in him.
A burst of adrenaline tore through her. The sound of ripping cloth filled the air as she jerked away, half her outer robe tearing off. She sprang free and tried to run.
But Kenji moved faster. She only managed a couple of steps before he tackled her to the leafy ground.
Trapped beneath him, she realized for the first time how solid his body really was under all those stately robes. It felt like being pinned by a bear. Heat radiated through his uniform. She struggled with everything she had, but he didn't budge an inch.
His large hand clamped over her mouth so she couldn't make a sound.
This is it, she thought. I never expected him to really break ties so boldly. I never should have sent the guards away. Father's dying wish…my ancestors' warnings…none of it can be fulfilled now.
"Please don't make a sound, Your Majesty," Kenji whispered from behind. His voice was low but steady. Oddly enough, that helped her calm down. She realized his sword wasn't at her throat. If he wanted her dead, that would've been the quickest solution.
She gave a slight nod. Sensing that, Kenji gradually loosened his hand.
Everything went still. Then Pluvia heard footsteps.
In the Imperial Garden, fallen leaves lay everywhere, and although they were usually cleaned, she liked them left on the ground for a natural touch. So no one swept them often, which meant anyone walking on them would make clear rustling sounds.
She might not match Kenji in a fight, but she'd studied with real masters as a child and could sense things ordinary people couldn't. She listened carefully and picked up faint shuffling.
"There's a smell of blood," Kenji murmured near her ear. "Maybe you didn't notice. If I may say so, Your Majesty, your guards are probably all dead by now. Next time, you might want to bring a couple of top warriors with you."
"Which direction is it coming from?" she whispered.
She could detect the noise, but pinpointing the exact location was tough.
"Every direction."
Kenji glanced back along the path they'd come. The guards who had been posted there were nowhere in sight, so clearly something had happened.
"Your Majesty, you know where the garden gates are?"
"Yes."
She'd grown up here. Nobody knew the place better.
"Something's about to happen. If I tell you to run, head straight for that gate—"
He never got to finish. Suddenly, he paled.
"Run!"
He didn't have time to explain. Even an idiot could guess what he meant. Pluvia leaped out of his arms and dashed toward the gate.
Right then, a small figure dropped from overhead, plunging an iron spike downward.
Kenji reacted on pure reflex and raised his arm just in time. The spike tore through his spiritual shield and stabbed straight into his forearm.
Damn, that hurts.