Eyes that can't be fooled

"I just needed some fresh air."

"Fresh air doesn't require a sneaky escape in the middle of the night," Zayne retorted quickly. "You're acting like—"

"Human?" Sylus interrupted, turning around. "Or am I just seen as a symbol of power now?"

"Stop digressing," Xavier interrupted, his voice low but firm. "You could get killed. You know how many eyes are waiting for one chance to finish you off. One arrow. One poison. One slip of the tongue."

Sylus just stared at them both.

"I know."

"That's worse," Zayne muttered quietly. "Because you knew... but you left anyway."

There was a moment of silence.

Then Sylus set his glass down, staring at them with a blank face, but different eyes.

"I can't breathe here," he said quietly. "Every concubine that's sent, every letter that comes, every order from the Council, even the breath of the servants... seems filled with anticipation of when I'll have sex and produce an heir."

Zayne stared at him, his expression beginning to soften.

Xavier lowered his head slightly.

"I know you're angry because you care. But... if I don't go out tonight, I might kill someone just to breathe."

Silence.

Zayne took a deep breath. He stood up, closed his folder, and patted Sylus lightly on the shoulder.

"If you need to go out," he said, "let us come. Or give us a hint. We can't protect you if we can't even track you."

Xavier stepped closer, looking Sylus straight in the eye.

"And if you die out there... I'll drag your soul back and chain you to this palace myself," he whispered coldly.

Sylus raised an eyebrow. "A romantic threat."

Zayne rolled his eyes. Xavier sighed.

But the three of them sat in a familiar silence, formed by years on the battlefield, in the trap-riddled halls of the palace, and under the pressure of the crown.

But one thing they don't realize—

Outside the window of the Emperor's residence, a spy ducks and moves quickly into the shadows... bringing news of Sylus's whereabouts tonight.

Sylus had just finished removing his robes when the door to his room was thrown open with a loud bang.

CRASH.

Zayne and Xavier instinctively moved to Sylus' side, but two figures entered, blocking their attack. Caleb and Rafayel.

But that wasn't what made them all stiffen—it was the body of a man in dull black being dragged by the two, bleeding from the temple, with a runic symbol scratched faintly on his right arm.

"We thought you'd want to explain this yourself," Rafayel said, his smile sweet but cold, his voice cheerful as usual, but his eyes blank.

Caleb added flatly, "We found him on the roof of the south wing. Listening to your entire conversation... since you arrived."

Sylus squinted, moving closer. The man's eyes widened as he saw Emperor Xuan Yi's face up close.

"Confess or die," Xavier said flatly behind Sylus.

"S-sir... I was only ordered! I don't know who ordered me—I just accepted—" A blow from Caleb made him fall still instantly.

"No need to waste time," Caleb hissed.

Rafael snapped his fingers. "We'll peel off the symbol later. Of course, our friends in the underworld will know who wears this symbol. It's too reckless for a real spy."

Sylus nodded, then looked towards the open window. The night wind still blew softly, the thin curtains swaying.

Zayne massaged his temples. "We need to put up soundproofing magic and an invisible shield. Otherwise, next time it won't just be our ears that are eavesdropping."

"I agree," Xavier said. "And the inner perimeter needs to be doubled."

"And," Caleb added, looking at Sylus sharply, "please... next time... don't sleep under a tree. Especially in the garden where the concubines can see."

"I'm not sleeping," Sylus quickly denied.

“You fell asleep after landing, didn’t you?” Rafael said, amused. “That’s even more pathetic.”

Sylus raised an eyebrow, suppressing a smile. “I thought you guys liked me to look a little human.”

“No, we like you alive,” the four men before him replied in unison.

Some time later, after the mysterious man had been taken away for private questioning by Xavier and Rafael, the room was quiet again.

Zayne unrolled a map of the palace and pointed to several red dots. “We have security holes here, here, and here. Tomorrow I’ll call Dan Heng.”

Caleb glanced at Sylus. “You know this could be the beginning. One spy… means more have gotten in.”

Sylus stared blankly into the fire. Then his voice trailed off.

“And do you think they’re spying on me… or the newly arrived concubine?”

Everyone was silent.

The question hung in the air like poison.

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