The Great Temple was no longer a place of worship; it was a crime scene draped in incense and hypocrisy. Even at midnight, the white marble corridors felt cold, the air thick with the silent panic of the remaining priests who were scurrying about like ants in a disturbed nest.
"Keep the light low, Sarah," I whispered, pulling my dark cloak tight as we slipped through the side entrance meant for the altar boys. "In my world, when the CEO 'accidentally' falls off a balcony, the first thing the legal team does is shred the files. We have to find the Priest's personal records before the Empress's 'shredders' do."
"But Chancellor," Sarah hissed, her lantern flickering in the damp draft of the hallway. "The High Priest's study is already guarded by the Temple Sentinels. They've sealed his doors until the 'Official Inquiry' tomorrow."
