“I want to speak to Detective Towers,” I repeated, for I don’t know how many times.  It seemed that I’ve been sitting at the same spot for who knows how long, and all I wanted to do is go home.

“You’re not answering my question.” The Stone's face detective got even more stone-like. The way he looked wasn’t a problem. He was a gargoyle, after all. What annoyed me most about him was this. “Look, it’ll make things a lot easier if you confess already, and we’ll put you in a nice cozy jail cell for your efforts.”

I rolled my eyes. All the guy wanted me to do was confess, and he didn’t seem or care about what I had to say or find out what actually happened. “Annoying,” I whispered, starting to lift my arms, but they jerk to a stopped and made a clamouring sound. Ah, I forgot my hands are chained up. Leaning back in exasperation. Gritting my teeth.

“What’s that?” The man had a smirk on his face. “Have something to say. Like maybe a confession?”

Giving the asshole of a detective a blatant stare. “I asked for Detective Towers, and I won’t speak another word until he gets here.” He got up, towering over me before he instantly grabbed my arm. “Ha, I don’t like to be….” Hissed out in pain as he squeezed. I was an Elven, not known for our body strength. So when a hand made out of literal stone grabbed my arm. Yeah, it hurt like hellfire.

“Listen to me, you little brat.” The detective was right in her face. “Don’t know what kind of kinky shit you're into.” I just stared at him, not knowing what he was getting at. “I have seen those pieces of paper you taped to your body.” Ah, those. “I’ve been told that the glyphs are written in blood. Did you use your victims’ hmm?” He prompted. “Using those whores as cover, to lure men out to the back alley, on the pretense of sex.”

I widened my eyes. Did the Detective call Isabell’s girls whores? And also implied that they would do any less than satin sheets? Oh, this guy got a death wish.

“Let go.” I slowly said, staring up at him with narrowed eyes. I don’t want to deal with this idiot any longer.

His voice was full of malice as his tone lowered. “If you don’t start talking now, who knows what will happen to your pixie friend.”

Something just broke… more than the painful grip tightening around her arm. Nee was someone I rely on. Even if she were but a figment of Renee’s essence, so if she happens to die, Nee would return to Renee. Although with Nee, Renee would feel two-folds the pain.

Most of all, Renee and Nee were friends, and I didn’t want to see either of them hurt. “She’s not a pixie.”Stating between my teeth. Feeling my mana core trembling, waiting to burst out. At that moment, I didn’t care that seeing this bozo going through a wall might bring down the whole police station.

“Stop!” A voice bellowed. A man who had to duck under the door frame came storming in. “Det. Graycliff, that’s enough!”

Det. Graycliff moved away quickly and whirled on the other man. “She was about to crack.”

The big man, no a Troll, nodded his head. “Yeah, she was about to crack. And we’ll all pay the price if she does.” Did you even read the file?”   

“it said that Kera, Case num: 3201, is a dangerous Exile and needs to be watched. So I thought….”

“That she had something to do with the murders.” The Troll finished.

Murders? There was more than one? And why should a care

He just looked at the Gargoyle and sighed. “If you read any further, then you would know that she needs to be handled with care and to call me immediately with everything which involved Kera.”

“There was no need to call; she had Magic restraints. I was handling it.” Det. Graycliff insisted.

“Handling it!” Det. Towers laughed; he pointed at the retrains.“With those?” The restraints were twisted black and on a thin line of breaking.

Det. Greycliff was trembling. “I….”

“You…” Det. Towers just sighed. “Get out. I’ll clean up this mess.”

“This is my case….”

“Out.” The troll roared.

The Gargoyle sputtered for a second; then, he stormed out.

Det. Towers ran his large fingers through his shaggy before sitting down. The chair creaked at his weight. In fact, his entire presence seemed overpowering, but he looked down at me with kind eyes.    “Now, let’s get those restraints off you.” Reaching out, then stopped and hissed out in sympathy. “I get a healer for that arm of yours.”

“So it’s Good Cop, now,” I stated.

“It’s not like that,” shaking his head.

Activating my vision. “Tell that to ‘them.’” Nodding at the wall in my line of sight. Where I could see clearly the Mana source of three people-watching in the next room.

Det. Towers gave me a long look before tapping the window behind him. Then after a few seconds, they were all gone.

Then I was robbing my newly free hands and winced to see the spreading bruise on her right wrist. It was tender to the touch. Hopefully, nothing was broken.

“Kera, what were you thinking?” Det. Towers asked, sounding exhausted.

“What! I’ve only reported a body.” I widened my eyes in confusion. “I didn’t know they’ll arrest me for murder? I didn’t even step within ten feet of the body.”

“Why were you even there in the first place?” He asked.

“I was just following a lead,” I replied.

“Raven, huh.” He guessed, when I nodded, he sighed again. “That girl…. In any case, can you take it from the top?”

I sighed, annoyed. “Fine, but you owe me one.” And began to tell Det. Towers everything; as she finished talking, there was a silence.

Then Det. Towers spoke. “You have the worse luck, don’t you.” Chucking a little.

“Ha, arent’ you’re supposed to be a Detective?” A little peeved.

“But I’m your friend first.” Det. Towers insisted. “And I’m happy that you're alive.” He paused. “I’m grateful to Det. Graycliff.”

Shocked. “Grateful? Did you see what he did to my arm?’”

“I agree. What Graycliff did was unprofessional in every degree, but he could have done much worse. Graycliff could have killed you right there and called it a day.” He smiled, showing his massive teeth, but despite all that, I knew that he was the most gentle man I ever met. “You’re an Exile. A lot of rights that we citizens take for granted simply aren’t available to you, Kera. You know this already.”

“Isn’t that what that file is for?” I stated.

“You're mad about the file? I can understand that.” Nodding his head, but his face turned serious. “Now I’m going to be a Detective. You know why I have a file on you, right? And it’s not only to keep you safe. I’m a cop. I need to put the citizens of Nexus first.”

“Doesn’t mean I like it,” I grumbled. However, I don’t really blame him. Mana was a tricky thing. It was best to think that Mana is a living organism and shares a symbiote relationship with its host. So, if one's life were in danger, the Mana would act in self-defence, bypassing the wants of the host. With my lack of control and my vast Mana supply. Needless to say, it was a disaster waiting to happen. I was very aware of that but…. “I couldn’t leave him like that.” Whispering, feeling guilty that I even felt that way.

Det. Towers tapped his finger on the table to get her attention. Looking up to find him smiling down at me. “Like when you saved my wife.”

“Hah, I was just following something interesting.” I protested. “I have never seen such a condensed ball of Mana before, at least not in an object. I didn’t know it was a bomb.”

His chest rumbling with laughter. “Tell my wife that.” Det. Detective Towers, there was a sparkle in the corner of his eye. “You know, Moira’s garden is about ready?”

Perking up. “Mrs. Towers famous tomato sandwiches?” Hesitating. “Homemade bread, right?”

Det. Towers gasped in mock horror. “It’ll be a travesty without her delicious bread. Seriously stop by and show your face occasionally, okay.”

“Okay.” I couldn’t resist Moira’s tomato sandwiches.

“Now for the murder.” His tone became serious. “I want you to stay out of it.”

“Ha, I didn’t want to be there in it in the first place.”

“And yet you are.”   Det. Tower shook his head. “But the person with black and white wings lined up. The mana is new information but explains so much.”

“Lines up? With what? With the other murders that Det. Graycliff mentioned?” I blurted out. “And what about the Royal Elven?”

“Graycliff.” He mumbled underneath his breath. “There were a couple of other murders, but we feel that there was no bearing on The Royal Elven.” He looked at his notes. “Gate Customs says to hear that Lord Triston and his entourage arrived a week after the first murder.”

Wait! Didn’t Raven say that they arrived illegally? Why would Gate Customs have their arrival date?

“I….” I bit my lips. Maybe it's not a great idea to disclose this information without talking to Raven first.

“Well, do you anything else to add.”  Det. Towers asked.

“Um.” Thinking of something that might be relevant. “Det. Graycliff implied that Mistress Isabell’s girls were nothing more than back-alley workers.”

“He said that. In front of witnesses?”  Det. Towers' eyes were wide as I nodded my head in confirmation. He covered his face with his hands and dragged them down in exasperation. “Another mess to clean up great.”

I sighed, relieved. “And Nee?” I asked, worried. I couldn’t get her off my mind. What if Det. Graycliff said it was true.

Det Towers laughed. “She’s fine. It’s Nee we’re talking about here. But first thing first, let’s get your arm treated.”

I sighed, relieved. “Free, right?” I asked.

“Don’t worry. The healer here owes me a favour.” He winked.

***

As I was led into the main area, I could clearly hear Nee. “Let me out. This is a travesty. Let me out.” She cried out, which had my heart jump out. Making me hurry a little faster.

“Nee,” I whispered, panicked.

What I saw was Nee trapped in a birdcage, bagging a pipe against the bars… and she had an audience. Crapping responded. Suddenly the cage disappeared, and Nee bowed. “Thank you, thank you. Hopefully, I won't be here tomorrow."

“I want to take back my feelings,” I said, stunned.

Nee’s eyes brightened as she flew and sat on my shoulders. Patting my cheek. “Kera, are you okay? I was so worried.”

And even with the scene, I just witness. Still, I felt my anxiety easing away. “You seemed to be having fun.”

“Pshh that?” Waving her hand in dismissal. “That was nothing.”

“It was entertaining to watch, pixie. I have an opening on my stage if you are interested?” Mathius walked up to them lazily.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, suspicious.

“And I’m not a pixie!” Nee fumed.

“Like you, just giving my statement.” He answered with a slow smile. “Maybe we could chat about our findings, hmm?”

I was about to refute when Raven stepped into the room and stopped seeing Mattius. “Mattius.”

“Raven, it’s been a long time.”

They stared at each other like they were in a cage match, circling, waiting to see who would make the next move.