Shadow

16

Teval sits in the corner of a solitary cell, his head leaned back against the wall in the hopes that it will stop his nose from bleeding. That last punch Jiyo gave him really did a number on him, and he's still a little dizzy. In fact, his whole body still aches from the last day he's spent with Jiyo's team heading back to Kastil. So does his stomach, since Jiyo kicked him there multiple times, but at least his back didn't get messed up this time. Teval doesn't mind a broken nose so much since it'll give his face more character. As long as they never find Lexton, that's all that matters.

Someone approaches the cell and Teval looks toward the movement to see Sergeant Bura standing in front of the cell, papers in hand.

"Could I get a handkerchief?" Teval asks.

Bura looks down at the papers, and then back up at Teval. "There's something I don't understand."

"Why he punched me? Jiyo likes punching people. Gonna have to report him again for misconduct," Teval grumbles.

"Not that."

"Why I left then? I mean, I think it's obvious why I left." Teval gestures at his face with both hands since they're cuffed together. He's very aware that when he was dragged into the station, blood had run down his neck and onto his shirt, but Jiyo ordered the officers not to help him and kept Ista away from him.

"No," Bura says softly as he glances over his shoulder.

Teval follows his gaze, unable to see any other officers nearby.

"It says here that you were involved in a bank robbery, but it doesn't state the bank, nor when or how. Just that you're dangerous and your attribute can kill," Bura relates. "The report is so short that I'm a little lost as to what happened. How exactly did you use your vibration attribute to rob a bank?"

Teval finally sits up, glad that he doesn't feel blood drip out of his nose as he tries to understand what Bura is saying. "I do not recall stealing anything, let alone from a bank."

The sergeant hums. "Where is the rest of your team?"

"I don't know."

"Why weren't they with you?"

"Ista and I went to bring back Orem for the bounty."

Bura snorts. "You do have a history of abandoning your team for bounties."

Teval can't argue with that and shrugs. "What can I say? The reward was quite appealing. Can't say the same about mine, considering Jiyo won't get much for it."

"So, you have no idea where your team is."

"Not a clue." And that's the honest truth.

"I had a feeling that might be the case, but I can't get anyone to budge on this. So until we get some answers, I'm going to have you transferred to one of the city jails," Bura tells him.

Teval watches him for a moment, noting his tense stance and tight grip on the papers. "Do you think maybe there are maybe some other bounties that had short reports like mine?"

Bura's eyes catch his. "It's possible."

"Is that something you could look into?"

"We'll see."

The sergeant walks away, leaving Teval alone at the far corner of the station. It doesn't seem like Bura can help him any more than what he's currently doing, so all Teval can do is wait.

He stares up at the ceiling again and hopes Ista and Orem are doing okay.

*