Constantine (Daughter of War #1)

Bonus: Winter Special

Surprise, my Champions! I've decided to participate in the Winter Anthology organised by AdventureCommunity, and so, here I am. This is way after Christmas, but hey, we can still celebrate the New Year! Anyway, enjoy!

******

"Constantine, I need you to come down to the station ASAP. We've got an emergency case," the voice crackles over the receiver.

I groan and sit up on my bed in a messy heap. "On Christmas? Really? Couldn't this have waited another day, Sergeant?"

"No," he replies sharply. "Come over now. Make sure you've got your voice and brain intact."

"Okay, okay." No matter how I could try to protest, orders were orders. Plus, the Sergeant would haul my ass out of my bed if he had to. And that idea doesn't sit well with me.

Twenty minutes later, I find myself sitting face-to-face with one of my fellow schoolmates in the interrogation room.

Uneasily, I flip through his records set on the table. Name: Gilbert Falkner; age: 17; height: 6' 1"; weight: 170 pounds; hair color: black; eye color: amber; ethnicity: Italian dominant, American secondary; known disorders: none; previous records: ditto.

I snap my eyes up from the records. Very clean, except for the fact that he was arrested last night. I don't think I would've believed that he was a thief and liar until I saw him under lockup in the police station—Gilbert Falkner, most popular boy in my high school, quick-witted and annoyingly cheerful, teacher's pet, everyone's best friend. In conclusion, his reputation around here is excellent.

I arrange the words carefully in my head, otherwise my ability wouldn't be of any use. "So, Gilbert, it seems like you have a clean record here," I start smoothly.

"I didn't do anything," he protests. "You guys all have it wrong, I swear!"

I roll my eyes. They always try to deny in vain, even when the proof is right before them. No matter. That's why I'm called in to crack these especially tough nuts. My silver tongue—literally—gives me an edge no cop could ever hope to master.

"Yeah sure. And that's why my buddy Sergeant Eldric Hayes caught you climbing out of a window with a sack of goodies while he was on patrol," I say sarcastically.

"Please, I swear I didn't do it!" I actually feel kinda sorry for the guy—it's Christmas Day after all. But rules were rules.

"Then maybe you can explain why your fingerprints were left all over the fireplace?" I cock a brow; he shrivels into his seat. "Dammit, I almost believe you, you know? No criminal would be that stupid to not wear gloves while stealing, even if you're just a teenager."

"I'm not stupid!"

"The evidence says otherwise."

He glares at me; I glare back. We're going nowhere by arguing back and forth. I feel the Sergeant's eyes pinned onto me from the outside, urging me to hurry on with the job. Why couldn't these imbeciles give me an easy time for once?

"You are going to let me out of this room, you are going to clear me of any charges, and you are going to forget everything ever happened." His voice rings with a strange tone, a deep compelling bell which binds me to it. I suddenly feel so drowsy. Maybe I should let him off the hook this time. After all, he's so nice...

My mind goes blank.

******

"He's another Silvertongue!"I yell at Sergeant Eldric. "We have to go after him!"