The Path of Time ★ [3] ✔ (EDITING)

You Ruin Me

⏳ 1888

"What were you two thinking?!" Freddy slammed his closed fist on his desk, everything on its surface jumping up upon contact. "We've been following this underground investigation for months! And you both managed to sabotage it in a matter of minutes!"

I leaned against the wall next to the threshold, arms folded over my chest. Eilian slouched in one of the chairs slightly angled in front of Freddy's desk. I watched him roll his eyes as Freddy continued to scold us. He was skating on thin ice. Sooner or later, he was going to fall through, and he was going to drag me with him.

"Do you have anything to say for yourselves?"

I kept my lips zipped shut, not even allowing breath to escape. But Eilian struggled to do that. He raised his feet and rested them on the edge of Freddy's desk, crossing them leisurely. "Calm down, Freddy. Don't get your knickers in a twist."

"That's Chief Inspector Abberline to you," he snarled.

Eilian raised his hands in a condescending fashion. "Chief Inspector." He rolled his eyes in an obvious manner as he kicked his feet off the desk. "Give me a break. If we hadn't jumped in, your boys in blue would've spent the night chasing their tails. Afterall, that's what their good at. Trained by the best it seems."

"Watch your mouth," Abberline growled through clenched teeth.

Eilian stood, squaring off with him, challenging him. "Or what?"

"I'll–"

"That's enough!" I interrupted, coming off the wall to stand in between them, gently pushing Eilian away. "Arguing like this achieves nothing. We need to find Jack before he kills someone else." I turned to Abberline. "Have you got any more leads?"

Abberline took a breath, calming down slightly. "That was our last lead."

"Then we better find another one." I hooked my arm through Eilian's and led him out of the office, closing the door behind me.

I led him outside into the cold street. Powdery snow sprinkled lightly from above. The flames in the lampposts flickered uneasily. The carriages began to drop away, leaving the streets almost empty.