CHAPTER 17
The sun climbed higher in the sky. The deadline loomed. And Yuhyun, despite his resolve, could feel the walls of the dungeon closing in around him.
The clang of iron doors echoed through the dungeon as Yuhyun was shoved forward, stumbling onto the damp stone floor. His wrists ached from the tight grip of the guards who had dragged him down, their expressions cold, unforgiving.
"Lock him up,"
one of them barked. The heavy cell door groaned as it shut behind him, sealing him in darkness.
Outside the bars, Crown Prince Muwon stood, arms crossed, his face unreadable. The torchlight flickered against his sharp features, but his eyes held something deeper—an emotion Yuhyun couldn't quite place.
"You should have told me where he went,"
Muwon said, his voice steady but edged with something close to frustration.
"If he doesn't return by noon, you know what will happen."
Yuhyun lifted his chin, despite the cold fear twisting in his gut.
"Sihyun will come back," he said firmly.
"He wouldn't abandon me."
Muwon exhaled sharply, stepping closer to the bars.
"I hope, for your sake, that you're right."
His gaze flickered with something that almost resembled concern, but it was gone just as quickly.
"You and your brother always seem to find trouble. Tell me, Yuhyun—are you truly this confident in him? Even now?"
Yuhyun clenched his fists.
"I trust my brother."
Muwon studied him for a long moment, then turned to the guards.
"Make sure he doesn't freeze to death before noon."
With that, he walked away, his footsteps fading, leaving Yuhyun alone in the cold darkness of the dungeon, waiting—praying—for Sihyun's return.
The palace courtyard was eerily silent, the weight of the midday sun pressing down like an omen. The guards dragged Yuhyun from the dungeon, his wrists bruised and dirt clinging to his once-neat robes. His face remained calm, though his heart pounded in his chest. He believed—no, he knew—Sihyun would return. But as noon crept closer, even his faith wavered.
Muwon stood at the front, his expression unreadable. The king's gaze was heavy with unspoken judgment, while the assembled nobles whispered amongst themselves. The executioner stood ready.
"Bring him forward,"
the king commanded.
The guards shoved Yuhyun to his knees, his hands tied behind his back. The executioner stepped forward, his blade glinting under the sunlight. The murmurs grew louder.
"Where is Sihyun?"
"Did he really abandon his own brother?"
"Shameless sorcerer. What else can you expect from his kind?"
The king raised a hand, signaling for silence. "Noon has come. If he does not return—"
"Stop!"
A voice rang through the courtyard.
Heads turned sharply as Sihyun strode in, his posture tense but defiant. Dust clung to the hem of his robes, strands of his dark hair messily falling over his forehead. His eyes locked onto Yuhyun's first, relief flashing through them before he masked it with indifference.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The king's eyes darkened with fury.
"You finally decided to return,"
he said coldly.
Muwon, who had remained silent, exhaled slowly, his eyes scanning Sihyun—taking in every detail. His scent was different, laced with something unfamiliar, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
"Where were you?"
The king's voice was sharp as a blade.
Sihyun forced a smirk, though his heartbeat was erratic.
"I went for a walk,"
he said casually, but the tension in his stance betrayed him.
A noble scoffed.
"A walk? Through the palace walls and into the unknown? Do you take us for fools?"
Yuhyun, still in the guards' grasp, turned his head slightly towards his brother.
"Sihyun…"
his voice was barely above a whisper.
"You abandoned your duty,"
the king continued.
"And worse, you left without permission. Do you have any idea what could have happened?!"
Sihyun bit the inside of his cheek. He wasn't sure what was more suffocating—the weight of the accusations or the gazes piercing into him from all sides.
Muwon took a step forward, his voice steady but cold.
"Then tell us, where exactly did you go?"
Sihyun met his gaze. He had expected interrogation, but this—this scrutiny from Muwon—felt different. He could tell Muwon knew something was off.
But Sihyun wasn't ready to answer. Not yet.
"Just outside the walls,"
Sihyun replied smoothly.
"Needed some air."
"Lies,"
the king snapped.
"You reek of deceit."
A noble stepped forward.
"Did you meet someone?"
Sihyun's heart skipped. His fingers twitched slightly. How much do they suspect?
"If you have nothing to hide,"
Muwon said, taking a step closer,
"then you won't mind telling us the truth."
Sihyun clenched his jaw. He felt the weight of every stare, the silent demands pressing down on him.
Yuhyun, despite his exhaustion, watched his brother carefully. His lips parted, as if wanting to speak, to defend him. But he knew—Sihyun was on his own now.
"Speak, demon,"
the king commanded.
"Or suffer the consequences."
The silence stretched unbearably.
Sihyun swallowed hard. He needed to choose his next words carefully.
Sihyun stood his ground, facing the king and Muwon with an unreadable expression, though his heart pounded in his chest. Yuhyun, still kneeling on the ground, looked up at him with silent relief. Sihyun's mind worked fast—he couldn't tell them the truth.
"I wasn't running away,"
he stated firmly, his voice steady.
"I needed fresh air, some space to clear my head. Being locked up all the time… I just needed to feel normal for a moment."
The king's expression was unreadable, but Muwon's sharp gaze bore into him. He didn't seem entirely convinced.
"You left the palace grounds,"
Muwon said, stepping closer.
"Despite knowing the consequences."
Sihyun exhaled, forcing himself to look frustrated rather than nervous.
"I didn't go far. I just walked beyond the gates for a while. I knew I had to be back before noon."
A heavy silence followed. The guards still held onto Yuhyun, waiting for the king's command.
Muwon's gaze didn't waver.
"And why didn't you tell anyone?"
Sihyun knew this would happen.