They took a boat to the Empire, a royal yacht named the Rose and Thorn. Jaebum and Jinyoung were confined to one of the guest rooms, which while being credibly luxuriant and comfortable, was still effectively a prison. One of the Empress’s servants dropped by to give them food, but they were largely left alone. Jaebum had thought Empress Blue Rose would come from time to time to torment them, but she only came to their room once at the start of the journey. Oddly, her face was covered with a black veil then, and her voice sounded less high and girlish than it usually did. If anything, she suddenly sounded rather croaky and old.

“I neglected to question you properly earlier,” she had said. “But was there some manner of huntsman or trick shooter with Yi En? His name was Jiaer, but he would have gone by a false identity when you knew him.”

“No,” Jinyoung lied immediately. “Mark…Yi En didn’t seem like he knew anyone when he came to the Union. He was alone.”

“We would have noticed someone as conspicuous as a huntsman,” Jaebum said, his fists clenching. He was relieved to hear she hadn’t found Jackson in her brief time in the Union, and prayed that she wouldn’t take any further steps to seek him out now that she had Jinyoung in her clutches.

“If you are lying to me, don’t forget that I can pull the truth out of you. My magic can compel you to tell me whatever I ask with just a touch.” She reached her hand out, but then suddenly withdrew it. In the single second he’d seen it, Jaebum could have sworn that it was the gnarled, wrinkled hand of an old woman. But that couldn’t have been right—he’d seen her hands in the Broadcasting room, and they had been as soft and smooth as the rest of her.

Blue Rose had abruptly risen to her feet then. “I will trust in your word. For now. But he won’t be able to hide from me forever, and he’ll regret it the moment I hunt him down.” She’d then swept from the room, calling out to one of her servants to fetch her a pair of gloves. They hadn’t seen her since.

Jinyoung had been quiet for most of the journey, whether from sorrow or an understanding that Blue Rose most likely had the room bugged or both. Jaebum was also finding it hard to draw up the will to speak. What was there to say anymore? They had their lives—at least for now—and according to Blue Rose, they’d keep them as long as they did whatever she asked of them. But what would that entail? Did she just mean to play house with Jinyoung for the rest of their lives, or would she expect something far worse from him?

And what of Mark and Jackson—Yi En and…Jiaer? She’d promised Jinyoung she wouldn’t hurt Yi En so long as Jinyoung returned to the Empire with her, but there had been a span of time when she’d kept them under lock and key and magic in the Union while she’d gone somewhere on her own. Jinyoung had been sure it had involved Yi En and had thrown himself at the door entrapping them over and over again, tears spilling down his cheeks. If she’d killed Yi En or Jinyoung believed that she had, Jaebum wasn’t sure he could keep Jinyoung from sinking into despair or doing something reckless that would anger the Empress and get him killed.

But then, suddenly, Jinyoung had jolted beside Jaebum, hand flying to his forehead. Yugyeom, he mouthed to Jaebum. Jaebum exhaled in relief. It was difficult and not always effective, but Yugyeom could faintly communicate mind-to-mind with Jinyoung even if they were at a distance. It was more an exchange of images than a verbal discussion, usually, but Jaebum would take any form of help they were given.

Jinyoung dug through the desk drawers in the room until he found a notebook being used as a log for supplies. He began scribbling into it frantically, showing it to Jaebum as soon as he was finished.

Yugyeom report:

-He was able to break through to communicate with me because he believes Blue Rose’s magic power is weakening the longer she stays away from the palace

-He is on his way to the palace with Youngjae to help—Youngjae is a rebel spy, and might be able to get Junho's help in rescuing us

-Mark is alive—Blue Rose used her magic to put him in a deep sleep. Unknown why. Mark has a Fairy Guardian who is going to help him. Yugyeom told Jackson to go to Mark and make sure he's safe.

Jaebum sighed in relief. It wasn’t hopeless, then, and Jackson was OK. Of course he was. Every story needed its good guy, and what was a cowboy good for if not swooping in exactly when they were needed to save the day? Jaebum was grateful that Jackson would be there to save Mark—if Mark survived, that would help Jinyoung to survive as well.

Jaebum took the pencil from Jinyoung and wrote in the notebook: For now, what do we do?

Jinyoung took the pencil back and wrote: Prioritize survival. Mark once told me that playing along with people can get them to let their guard down long enough to find a way out. And we should know that we’re not without help. Not just Yugyeom and Youngjae. Mark and Jackson are in this with us. We have to live for them too.

He then tore out the page in the notebook and ripped it into shreds. Jaebum nodded, taking a deep breath. Playing along with someone like Blue Rose was going to be the acting job of a lifetime, but he was going to see this through with his life still his no matter what it took. Even if it meant playing an obedient dog to the deadliest woman in the world.

They arrived in the Empire within a few hours, and two royal limos were already awaiting them at the port. Blue Rose, still shrouded in a veil, went in one with her servants, and Jinyoung and Jaebum were shoved into another with an armed guard. Once again, they couldn’t talk to each other, but Jaebum found Jinyoung’s presence calming all the same. He seemed to have taken courage from the fact that Mark was still alive and was now looking far more alert. If Jaebum knew anything about him, he could guess Jinyoung’s mind was firing with schemes that could help them hold out in their situation until help arrived.

After about twenty minutes of driving, they reached an ornate gate which opened for them to turn down the road which led to the Imperial Palace. Jaebum had only seen the building on television, but it was even more impressive in person. It was pure white and towered to the sky with tiered roofs tiled in pure gold. One section of the building went higher than the others, and Jaebum knew that historically this was the place where the reigning Emperor or Empress resided, which meant that it was now Blue Rose’s central lair, the place where she had likely searched for Jinyoung, Mark, and Jackson in her mirror every day.

When they reached the front gate, the limos came to a stop. Before Jinyoung and Jaebum could even get one foot on the ground, Blue Rose had already gotten out of hers and made a quick beeline for the palace interior. Their armed guard nudged them forward to follow her, and they found her spinning around the foyer in delight, seemingly happy to be back home. She reached a hand—a soft, smooth hand—to throw off her veil, and there she appeared before them in all her splendor. If Jaebum wasn’t mistaken, she was somehow even more beautiful than she had been when they’d first seen her in the Union.

“Home sweet home,” she sighed blissfully. “An Empress should never leave the seat of her power, should she? But ah, what I wouldn’t do to have my dear Prince Jinyoung with me!” She reached out, taking his hands. “This is your home now, too. I’m sure you’ll be just as happy here as I have been. There’s the most splendid library on the ground floor—your mother told me how much you like to read—and the gardens are most exquisite. The whole place is open for you to explore as you will, only you mustn’t go into the lower level. That is my most important command to you, my dear. The lower level houses the dungeons, and it is said the ghosts of war criminals from the Empire’s long and bloody past haunt it still. I keep it locked at all times so the spirits will not bother us.”

Jaebum could see the recognition flash through Jinyoung’s eyes almost immediately. He must have known as well as Jaebum did that the one place she told them not to go was likely the place which housed the secret of her power.

“For now, come to the sitting room with me,” Blue Rose said, taking Jinyoung’s arm. “Your servant may come, too. We have a wedding and a brilliant future together to discuss.”

From the course on Imperial History he had been taking as part of his cover story with Jinyoung, Jaebum could tell right away that Blue Rose had redone the sitting room from what it had originally been to suit her own style. The low tables and cushions favored by Imperials had been replaced by Unionite and Collective furnishings, such as cushy armchairs, sturdy oak tables, and hand painted portraits, most of which seemed to be of Blue Rose herself in various formal gowns and stylish poses.

Blue Rose plopped down onto a love seat, pulling Jinyoung down beside her. Jaebum took a seat in one of the armchairs at a respectful distance from the 'couple,' hoping that Blue Rose might say something revealing if she wasn’t as aware of his presence in the room.

“I would like to move forward with our wedding as quickly as possible,” Blue Rose began. “As we already have your parents’ approval, I see no reason why we should wait.”

“I would like my parents to be able to attend, but they are at war right now,” Jinyoung said blandly. “We should wait until that situation settles.”

“I could help it settle, you know. Just say the word and I will happily remove your brother from the face of this world.”

Jinyoung paled. “My parents would only want him imprisoned…not killed. And I feel the same as them.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” She smiled sweetly. “Your parents are insufferably weak, my dear, and their people are not so upright as they think them to be by far. Solitude still has a long way to go before it meets the ideal it was intended to be. But very well. I will not interfere with your brother…for now.”

Jinyoung did not look much assured by this, but forced an uneasy smile.

“We might marry officially first, then hold a ceremony with your family in attendance later,” Blue Rose said smoothly. “I do not wish to wait. And though I’m your elder, I’m still young enough to have a child. It has always been my regret that I have not provided the Empire with an heir…and of course, Yi En is out of the question. He has already turned his back on this country in favor or the Union. To secure my nation’s succession, I would like to conceive a child with you as soon as possible.” She trailed her fingers up Jinyoung’s arm. “Perhaps tonight?”

Jinyoung jerked his arm away. “You know I can’t.”

“I know nothing of the sort.”

“In Solitude, such a thing is forbidden before marriage.”

“That didn’t stop you from engaging in a tryst with my stepson.”

“It was just a kiss,” Jinyoung lied.

“Was it? You looked beyond wanting just a kiss in that video I saw.”

“Yes. But I still held back. I couldn’t break that Law entirely. It goes against who I am and what’s considered acceptable in my country.”

“Hmmm.” Blue Rose studied him intently. “Perhaps you are telling the truth. But I'm not quite sure. You bear the soul of that man, after all, and he just couldn't keep himself from desiring that lover of his.”

“What?” Jinyoung asked, brows furrowed. "Whose soul?"

“Don’t worry yourself. He was a silly man, one who lived and died a fool. You will do better.” She patted Jinyoung’s cheek. “Clearly, your code of honor allows you to kiss before marriage, and you have every right to kiss me, since I’m your fiancée. So kiss me. I command it.”

Jinyoung backed away from her. “Not in front of my guard.”

“He is a servant. A bit of wallpaper. You will be my consort, and lord of this house. You may do whatever you wish in front of a servant. Kiss me.” In a lower voice, she said, “I swore not to kill Yi En if you did as I asked. He’s still alive, but that could change if you prove too stubborn.”

There was a look of panic in Jinyoung’s eyes. He was probably worried that Blue Rose would enchant him as she had done to Yi En’s father if they kissed, nevermind that the act of kissing her in general most likely repulsed him. But it wasn’t as if he could say no, with the threat of Yi En’s life dangled over his head again.

One day, Im Jaebum, you are going to wish you were a better protector…

With a low sigh, Jinyoung leaned forward and kissed Blue Rose. It was the most passionless kiss Jaebum had ever seen, close-lipped and methodical, as if executing the act step-by-step using dry textbook instructions. It was so different from his kiss with Yi En that it was hard to believe the action was coming from the exact same person.

Jinyoung pulled away almost immediately. “Your Majesty,” he said, bowing his head like a servant acknowledging his orders.

Blue Rose sighed. “You are being difficult. I will endure it for now, but don’t think I’ll allow you to get away with it forever, my sweet Jinyoung.” She rose to her feet. “Three weeks,” she said. “One for you to settle in. One for me to tie up some loose ends. On the end of the third week, we will wed, Jinyoung. As I said, the ceremony with your family can wait. I cannot.”

With that, Blue Rose exited the room, a satisfied smile on her face. They were on her chessboard now, and she seemed confident that she’d left them no moves to make to check the power of the unstoppable Queen.

BamBam could travel wherever he wanted at will, but since Jiaer didn’t have the same luxury, they took the same southbound train Yi En had. It was a high-speed line that covered ground quickly, but to Jiaer, it felt like every second passed as slowly as a season. His heart was torn with fear for both Yi En and JB, and it scared him that every moment that passed held the threat of losing either of them. He hated himself for having ever served Blue Rose when she was now on the verge of taking away everything he loved.

It had all seemed so simple once. Her voice and beauty had swept through the nation and captivated it, and they’d all wanted to believe in her and have whatever magic that touched her and made her so lovely shine down on all of them. Jiaer had been beyond honored when she’d taken note of his skills as a trick shooter with his traveling act The Huntsman and had summoned him to the palace. He’d thought she wanted him to put on an exhibition to the citizens of the capital, or at least patronize his art like how the Emperor has used to set aside money to support his favorite painters and calligraphists.

But she hadn't asked to see his show or to observe anything he could do. By his reputation alone, she declared he was just the right person to put an end to a certain problem she’d been having. She’d told him about Yi En, then, and showed him the reflection in the magic mirror. “I would do it myself, but I’m having some trouble leaving the palace these days,” she’d said. “But if you take care of it for me, I’ll reward you beyond your wildest dreams. Whatever it is you want, whether it be guns or opportunities to perform or money, I will give it to you.”

Jiaer’s head felt like it had been in a mist. He hadn’t even been able to think of anything he wanted outside of serving her. And so he had gone from the palace and tracked Yi En down to the secluded cottage in the woods he lived in with the midwife who’d pulled him from his dying mother and saved his life. And when Jiaer had seen Yi En for the first time, something in the mist had cleared. It wasn’t love, or at least not like the love that had seeded in him when he’d first seen JB with his shotgun and deadly glare. It had been recognition, a quiet awareness that the person standing in front of him was just a young man his age who’d never tasted life outside of that one cottage for no fault of his own. That was the life Jiaer would be taking, just for the sake of satisfying the whims of someone else.

It had been a cowboy from the Union who’d taught Jiaer how to shoot, and before putting that very first gun in Jiaer’s hands, he’d said, “If you’re going to learn and understand and use this gun, you’re going to have to make a choice at one point, partner. Am I going to use this for good? Or am I going to use this for evil? In my hands, will this save someone or destroy someone? You best believe that one day the world will test your answer to that question.”

And in that moment, the world had tested him. Would he choose Yi En or Blue Rose? The dilemma had not been as easy as it sounded. Jiaer had known what betraying Blue Rose might mean for him. But still he had chosen Yi En. He had chosen goodness, and never looked back.

But in the end, it hadn’t been enough. He may have turned his back on evil, but that didn’t mean it had vanished from the world and refused to go on without him. Blue Rose may not have killed him yet, but she was making him pay for his choice through Yi En and JB. He knew he couldn’t let her win, but also knew she was a far more masterful player of this game then he was.

As the train chugged along, Jiaer could hear BamBam muttering under his breath. “If the train left the station at 11:30, and traveled at an average rate of 190 mph, and I lost his signal at around 2:30…ugh, stupid math…but that would be…most likely Bastien City?”

“What are you doing, partner?” Jiaer asked.

“Trying to figure out where it was the train stopped and the prince had his run-in with Blue Rose, man,” BamBam said. “I’m assuming she didn’t just ditch his body on the train, so we need a place to start looking. I mean, she’s not the type to just leave him where he’d be easy to find. People aren't just going to be OK with a comatose body randomly lying around.”

“But what do you even do with a body that’s not dead? I reckon she couldn't just bury him.”

“Good question,” BamBam said. “Totally have no idea.”

“A real comfort, you are.”

“I'm doing my best, dude. I’m gonna find him if it’s the last thing I do. Nobody hurts my human and gets away with it!”

The two of them got off at the Bastien City station. Jiaer went to the information kiosk and got them copies of the area map for them to look over. Jiaer wasn’t sure what they were supposed to be looking for—really, where on earth would an evil sorceress stash the rival claimant to the throne of the Empire while he was in a magically induced coma?

“We have to think like she does,” BamBam was muttering to himself. “She wouldn’t put him just anywhere. It's gotta be somewhere hidden, but someplace where she could find him again easily. Someplace nearby—she needed to get back to the Empire quickly, her magic was probably fading every second she was away from the palace—but someplace important.” He scanned the map. “Aha! Imperialtown!”

“Pardon?” Jiaer asked.

“Know how the Union’s a melting pot filled with people from all over the world? If you get enough people from a certain country in one place, you get these kinds of communities. Little Solitude, New Collective, Imperialtown. One of the previous Empress’s sisters—Yi En’s aunt—lived in Imperialtown, and after Yi En’s mother died, the sister built a museum in the Empress’s honor since Blue Rose forbid any memorial of her in the Empire. Don’t you know all this?”

Jiaer nodded slowly. “If I'm remembering, the sister died not long after, and the museum was forced to shut down?”

“More like Blue Rose sent an assassin. Much like yourself.”

Jiaer frowned. He definitely wouldn’t have put in past her.

“Let’s check it out,” BamBam said. “Blue Rose definitely knows about it, at least, even if she didn’t personally kill Yi En’s aunt.”

The two of them walked ten minutes to Imperialtown, which was filled with Imperial style buildings, restaurants, and vendors, though as a true Imperial, it didn’t much feel like the real place to Jiaer. It was all thoroughly Unionized from the foods to the goods being sold, and the lack of authenticity to it made him feel a little homesick.

They wandered around the winding streets until they reached a boarded up building in the quieter part of town. “Here it is,” BamBam said. “I’m surprised the assassin didn’t burn it down.”

“I reckon they wanted it to look like a natural death.”

“Still. Blue Rose usually covers all her bases.” They approached the door of the building. “Hey. The padlock’s melted off. Not suspicious at all.” BamBam gave the door a kick, and it opened right up.

They stepped inside. No one had torn the museum down even though its owner had died. Surrounding them were testaments to the life of Yi En’s mother—ceremonial robes and handwritten letters and photos from her wedding. Jiaer felt a lump in his throat. They’d never taught about her in school, growing up. It had always been only Blue Rose spoken of as the Emperor’s wife. Yi En had probably grown up with next to nothing to remember her by either, and here it all was, all that was probably left of it.

“Jiaer,” BamBam said urgently. “Get a load of this.”

In the back of the room, there was a golden coffin. In front of it was a plaque with an inscription written by Yi En’s aunt. “Whatever happened to my sister and her unborn child’s bodies, they were left in the hands of the woman who killed them and the husband and father who had forgotten them. I leave this coffin here in hopes that they will be ree day to those that love and remember them and they can be laid to rest in a place where they can be honored and at peace at long last.”

Without speaking, BamBam put his hands on one end of the coffin lid, and Jiaer put his hands on the other. Together, they lifted it open.

Inside, Yi En laid on the red velvet lining in perfect stillness but for the subtle rise and fall of his chest. Jiaer collapsed on the floor in relief. They had found him. He wasn’t out of danger, but now they could at least help him in whatever way they could and wake him up so they could go to the Empire and help free Jinyoung and JB from the Empress.

BamBam leaned in, pressing his fingers against Yi En’s pulse points before reaching out to brush them against his lips. He frowned for a moment, then groaned lowly. “. Not good.”

Jiaer’s heart sunk. “What?”

“The spell she used. It’s reversible, but…” He grimaced. “Evil that she is, she made it so Jinyoung—her prisoner—is the only one who can reverse it.”

Jiaer swore. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. True love’s kiss. It’s unmistakable.”

“Could I possibly give it?”

BamBam gave him a look. “What? You’ve had the hots for him this whole time? What about that JB guy?”

Jiaer shook his head. “I don’t love-love Yi En, not like sweethearts, but I love that guy a lot. I reckon he's the only friend I’ve ever had. Does that not count for something?”

“Well, I’m sure it counts for something, but not right now. It has to be a love-love kiss. Which is bad news for us. I don’t think Blue Rose would risk having Yi En wake back up. Which means she probably doesn’t intend to let Jinyoung live.”

Jiaer groaned. “So we headed in the wrong direction. To save Yi En, we need to save Jinyoung.”

BamBam nodded.

“So…what? Do we just leave him here? Do we drag him all the way to the Empire like this?”

“That might be too dangerous. Something could happen to him along the way.”

“So we leave him?”

BamBam shook his head. “I…I can’t. It was a mistake to leave him before. I don’t want to do it again. You could go, but…”

“But?”

“It might help them more if you don’t go to the Empire, I’m thinking.”

“What do you mean, partner?”

“Blue Rose wants to kill you, right? She must be pissed she didn’t get the chance when she was in the Union. If you go to the Empire, that’s too far for me to mask you, and she’ll find you in her mirror. She hates you enough to be lured away from the palace, but no offense, not for long enough for Jinyoung and Jaebum to escape. She could probably kill you two seconds within finding you, man.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.’

“Just being realistic, my dude! But if you go somewhere different…somewhere that will lure her out away from the palace and the source of her power…that will buy the others time enough to explore the palace and find a way out. She’ll also be less powerful when she finds you. I’m not saying you’ll be able to kill her, but maybe she won’t be able to kill you.”

“Hmm. That’s certainly a thought.” Jiaer rubbed his chin. “Let me think this out. I might just be able to pull this off.” He put a hand on BamBam’s shoulder. “You promise to watch him while I’m gone?”

“Like a hawk.” BamBam looked down at Yi En with a sad sigh. “I hope he’s at least having sweet dreams. And I hope we can somehow give him a sweeter world to wake up to."

As Blue Rose had promised, their first week in the Imperial Palace was dedicated to settling in. Neither Jaebum or Jinyoung could truly be settled into what they knew was a chessboard positioned against them, but they did the best they could to get a feel for their surroundings while keeping themselves alive. Jinyoung dutifully did his part in obediently planning for his wedding to the Empress, contributing his opinions on flowers and dinner courses whenever it was demanded him. He would kiss her at request as well, cold and unfeeling kisses, but fortunately Blue Rose did not ask him to go to bed with her again. She was willing to wait until after the wedding now, and while that bought them a little time, they still felt the dreaded event hurtling closer every day. Within the net of the Empress’s power, they couldn’t communicate with Yugyeom, and they had no idea how close he and Youngjae were to arriving, or if Jackson and Mark’s Fairy Guardian had been successful in recovering Mark.

When they weren’t forced to spend time with Blue Rose, Jaebum and Jinyoung quietly explored the palace grounds for ideas on how to escape. As promised, the lower level they were forbidden to enter was locked securely, and there seemed to be no way to enter without a key. As they weren’t confined to the interior and were allowed to explore the gardens on their own, they often hunted around outside bit couldn’t find a way around the gate surrounding the palace. It was too tall to climb, and the tops of it were spiked into lethal points they would tear themselves open trying to get over. There was no lock to pick or hinge to break—there was no distinct opening at all from which to enter or exit. It wasn’t until a group of petitioners arrived from one of the nearby cities that they saw how the gate worked. It was controlled by the Empress’s magic, and only when she extended her power would an opening appear for guests to pass through.

The petitioners dined with them for one evening in the Great Hall. They were full of nothing but fawning admiration and praises for Blue Rose, and their only request was for her to funnel more money into the city’s police department.

“We’re concerned about the number of missing persons cases,” one of the petitioners said. “In the past five months, we’ve lost a good fifteen people from our area. This can’t be normal, can it? There must be a serial killer on the loose.”

“That is alarming,” the Empress said in a solemn voice. “The safety of my people is important to me, so of course I’ll look into it.”

“I’m glad to hear it!” the other petitioner said. “If this goes on much longer, the unrest will only get worse. No one wants a rebellion like Solitude’s.”

Blue Rose’s expression got dark. “A rebellion, you say? Has there been talk of one, my dears?”

The petitioners paled. “N-Not from us, Your Imperial Majesty!” one of them squeaked.

“People are just frightened,” the other said anxiously. “But you’ll set it right, of course, and everyone will see you for the hero you are!”

“Of course they will.” Blue Rose stood, a brilliant smile on her face. “My sweet Jinyoung, you and your servant may return to your rooms. I wish to talk to my petitioners on the matter of expanding this investigation in private. I do not wish to expose you to the grisly details in the midst of our wedding preparations.”

They obeyed, and retreated to their rooms in the palace. Jaebum stayed up all night watching out the window to see the petitioners leave, but he never saw them exit the palace. The next morning when they went down for breakfast, they weren’t in the Great Hall either.

“Did our guests leave already?” Jinyoung asked.

“Of course they did,” Blue Rose said cheerily. “Last night, at about eight.”

Jinyoung and Jaebum shared an uneasy glance. After breakfast, they roamed the palace looking for traces of the petitioners, but found not a single trace of them.

That night at dinner, Blue Rose was nearly in a frenzy of excitement. “Blessed news, my sweet Jinyoung,” she said. “You will have early practice at being lord of this household. I must go away for a while, and while I’m gone, you will be put in charge of this palace.”

“Oh?” Jinyoung said, keeping his voice steady. He really was turning into quite the gifted actor around his bride-to-be. “I thought you didn’t like to leave?”

“I don't, now more than ever since you’re here.” She smiled at him sweetly. “But I have no choice but to go. I’ve at last found the location of the huntsman that betrayed me.”

“WHAT?” Jaebum leapt to his feet, overturning his bowl of soup.

“My dear, please rein in your servant,” Blue Rose said to Jinyoung. Her smile was poisonously smug.

“Jaebum, take a seat,” Jinyoung said in a soft voice. The look on his face was stricken. Jaebum collapsed in his chair, heart pounding. Not Jackson. I won’t let her have Jackson, even if I have to personally tear out to stop her.

“Normally, I would not deign to personally deal with such insignificant peasants,” the Empress said. “But the huntsman himself taught me the importance of doing one’s dirty work for oneself. I think I would very much enjoy killing him.” She fixed her eyes on Jaebum. “Your servant seems quite upset for someone who claimed not to know who the huntsman is, I notice.”

“He was just shocked that someone would be so stupid as to betray you,” Jinyoung said quickly. “I’m personally upset as well. I’m sorry you’ll be going. I’ve been enjoying the time we spent together.”

Blue Rose laughed musically. “Now, now, my sweet, don’t deliver your false flattery so sincerely, or I might actually fall for it. You’ll have the time of your life while I’m gone, I’m sure.” She reached into the pocket of her robes and pulled out a ring of keys. “Whatever you believe, my dearest wish is to trust in you. I’ve told you before that your happiness depends only on your ability to obey my words.” She handed Jinyoung the keys. “I will give these to you. You may explore every nook and cranny of this palace while I’m gone. I will even dismiss the guards so you may do whatever you like without the concern of being watched. But you must promise me that you will not go down to the lower level. Give me your word, Jinyoung.”

Jinyoung folded his fingers around the keys. “I promise,” he said. His mind was probably firing with ways he could get away with breaking that exact promise, but Jaebum’s mind wasn’t working with him. All he could think of was Jackson. Blue Rose was only leaving because she knew where he was and was intending to kill him. He couldn’t get his head around that. Jackson was surely the best shot in the world, but hadn’t they already established over and over again that Blue Rose wasn’t someone that could be killed with something as simple and straightforward as a bullet to the brain?

But how could she find him?, Jaebum thought wildly. He was supposed to be with a Fairy Guardian! He should have been protected! Maybe he and the Guardian had gotten separated, or…

Or he’s drawing her away. For us. For me.

Jaebum ground his teeth. He was going to kill that idiot cowboy! Didn’t he know that Jaebum could take care of himself without him sticking his stupid nose in it? Now Jaebum was going to have escape the palace even faster just to bail him out of his ill-conceived confrontation with Blue Rose he surely couldn’t win.

Blue Rose was Jinyoung’s cheek again, that smug and victorious smile on her beautiful face. “Keep your promise well, my dear. Many men have made promises to me in my lifetime, and barely any have been kept. The huntsman was one of the more recent that broke his word. And I’m going to make a scream of agony the last sound that comes out of his lying lips.” She kissed Jinyoung’s cheek. “Wish me well, my sweet. I’ll be back for you soon.”