Twisted Games(Ryeji ver)

RYUJIN[CHAPTER 12]

I SENSED TROUBLE BEFORE I EVEN ENTERED THE PALACE’S RECEPTION
hall, where I heard Princess Sakura talking in low murmurs.
The hairs on the back of my neck prickled, and though I
couldn’t make out what Yeji's sister was saying, the
stressed pitch of her voice set alarms blaring in my head.

My boots squeaked against the reception hall’s overly
polished marble floors, and Sakura fell silent. She stood in
the middle of the soaring two-story space next to Seoyeon and
Jungwon, the Deputy Head of Royal Security. I’d memorized
every staff member’s face and name so I would notice if
anyone tried to sneak in by disguising themselves as a palace
employee. I gave the group a curt nod.

“Your Highness.”

“Ms. Shin.” Sakura responded with a regal nod of her
own. “I trust you’re enjoying your day off?”
Since the palace was so heavily guarded, I was off the
clock when Yeji was at home, which was most days since
her grandfather’s hospitalization. It felt strange. I was so
used to being by her side twenty-four-seven I…

You do not miss her. I dismissed the ridiculous idea before
it became a fully formed thought.

“It’s been fine.” I’d tried drawing again, but I hadn’t
gotten much further than a few lines on paper. I ran out of
creativity, inspiration—whatever you call it—months ago,
and today had been my first time picking up my sketchbook
since.

I’d needed something to occupy my hands and mind.
Something that wasn’t five-nine with the face of an angel
and curves that would fit perfectly beneath my palms.
Oh, for fuck’s sake.

I hardened my jaw, determined not to fantasize about my
fucking client in front of her sister. Or ever.

“Where’s Princess Yeji?” According to her schedule,
she was supposed to be horseback riding with Sakura. But
the skies looked ready to pour, so I assumed they’d called it a
day early.

Sakura exchanged glances with Seoyeon and Jungwon, and the
needle on my trouble radar inched closer to the red zone.

“I’m sure Her Highness is somewhere in the palace,”
Jungwon said. He was a short, heavyset man with a ruddy face
and a passing resemblance to a Scandinavian Danny DeVito.
“We’re looking for her as we speak.” The needle pushed past the red zone into the white-hot emergency zone.

“What do you mean, you’re looking for
her?” My voice remained calm, but alarm and anger bubbled
in my stomach. “I thought she was with you, Your Highness.”
Seoyeon glared at Jungwon. She didn’t have to speak for me to
hear her scream, Jungwon, you idiot.

Whatever was happening, I wasn’t supposed to know
about it. Sakura shifted her weight, discomfort sliding across her
face. “She was, but we got into an argument and she, ah,
took off while we were riding.”

“How long ago?” I didn’t give a damn if I sounded
disrespectful. It was a personal safety issue, and I was
Yeji's bodyguard. I had a right to know what happened.
Sakura's discomfort visibly increased.

“An hour ago.” The anger erupted, edging out the alarm by a hair.

“An hour ago? And no one thought to call me?”

“Watch your tone, Ms. Shin,” Seoyeon admonished. “You’re
speaking to the Crown Princess.”

“I’m aware.” Seoyeon could take her glares and shove them
up her ass along with the stick permanently residing there.
“No one has seen the princess since?”

“A groundskeeper found her horse,” Jungwon said. “We took
it back to—”

“Found her horse.” A vein pulsed in my forehead.
“Meaning she wasn’t riding it and she hadn’t returned it to
the stables herself.” No matter how angry she was, Yeji
would never leave an animal behind. Something had
happened to her. Panic grated against my insides as I bit out,
“Tell me. Have you searched the grounds, or just the
palace?”