thunderstruck | book #2 | discontinued

X X X I

Maksim scowled at the grey walls of the interrogation room. He was handcuffed to a table that barely looked as though it could hold the papers piled on top of it, never mind a criminal—or, in his case, a warlock that could very easily escape if he so pleased. He didn't, though, knowing it would be reckless to use magic in front of mortals. Even if they never saw him again, Remy would have to find a way out of the problem and that was not her burden to bear.

Still, the metal was digging into his wrists and he was tired of being stared at by the two officers opposite. He could feel his anger bubbling within and it frightened him. If he was to have another episode where he could not control his magic, people would be hurt. He didn't want that.

"It would do you well to take these silly chains off my wrists," he said when he could not take another moment of the silence. "They are unnecessary. I can answer your questions just as well when I am not attached to an inanimate object."

"With all due respect, boy, we have no idea who you are or what you're capable of. It's our job to find that out before we even think about releasing you," the male officer said, his voice irritatingly smug. Maksim read his name tag: Officer Smith. A painfully dull name to match a painfully dull man.

"Then I propose you begin your work rather than sitting there and gawping at me. I know I am utterly breath-taking, but I am also utterly bored."

"You must think you're very clever," the woman beside him chimed in, narrowing her eyes. Constable Rowley, he saw she was called. She looked no less unfriendly than the man, though far more patient. "It's all fun and games, being arrested isn't it? Do you think it was fun and games for Miss Morgan when you took her?"

He rolled his eyes, sighing in frustration. The pressure in his fingertips was building and he clenched and unclenched his fists under the table by way of preventing it. "It was not like that."

"Then explain to me what it was like, Mr. ... ?"

"Opal," he replied, glancing at the mirror behind the two officers. He was trying to be mortal, trying to at least look mortal, but he knew he was no good at it. All he could do was think of Remy and the way she acted, the things she said, and hope he could act in a similar way. "Maksi ... Max Opal."

"A strange surname," Smith observed, leaning forward and crossing his arms on the table as though this was the most interesting thing about Maksim. He supposed it was to a man named Smith. "You're not from around here, are you, Mr. Opal? You sound Southern to me. How long have you been in Calderdale?"

"I have paid a few flying visits." He raised an eyebrow when the officers looked at him doubtfully. "Do I look as though I would stay in a town as dreary as this one?"

"You can save the smart comments if you would, please." Rowley looked less than impressed as she jotted something down in her notepad.

"Spare me the silly questions and I will consider it."

Smith stood up at this, his chair squeaking as his round face reddened. Maksim could not help but grimace at the sight, his eyes icy as he looked without interest. "You don't seem to realise who's in charge, boy."

"Sit down, Smith," Rowley ordered calmly. Smith obeyed, shaking his head in disgust. "What my colleague means to say is that you are under investigation for the disappearance of a young woman. It is not a joke. In fact, this is rather quite serious—but if you're as innocent as we've been told, there's no reason why you can't co-operate with us, is there?"

"If you have been told I am innocent, why on Refilyn am I here? Remy is home, safe and sound, is she not? Or is it that I am such good company that you felt you simply must detain me?"