[Lavinia's POV — Emperor's Chamber—Later]
"A Holy Temple?" Papa repeated, lifting his gaze from the parchment he was signing.
I nodded, watching his steady hand move across the page. "Yes. There has been suspicious magical activity detected in the air. The Magic Tower is not involved—Rey monitors every single mage personally. And in this empire, only two places possess true magic."
Papa leaned back slightly. "The Magic Tower… and the Holy Temple."
"Yes."
He was silent for a moment.
"The Holy Temple has always remained neutral, Lavinia," he said slowly. "They heal the people. They preserve imperial history. They guard the emperor's diaries. They have never involved themselves in politics."
I looked at him quietly.
He was right. The Holy Temple had always been loyal. Which was exactly why my chest felt uneasy.
"But what if," I asked gently, "a new priest has entered… and he is the one—"
Papa raised a hand, stopping me.
