Chapter 174 The Heartbeat of a Drowned Man (2/2)

”Now, Lua!” Kaesius snapped, ”This is not a matter for you to be involved in”.

Lua frowned, released the man and swimming past Kaesius towards the gates with an angry glare. Lia hesitantly followed behind her sister. After a moment, Lua stopped and turned back, right as the guards passed them.

”There was someone after him,” said Lua, ”A Magician woman who seemed adept at both water and shadow elements. She was quite angry when she didn't find him, and she went west after we succeeded in hiding his presence”.

Kaesius's expression turned grim, but before he could say anything, Lua turned back towards the city, her sister in tow.

Kaesius handed the body over to the two guards, ”Follow me. This is a matter for the council of elders”.

***

The elders were debating seriously two hours later as they took turns trying to read the black Life Lines as well as feeling for the heartbeat of the otherwise drowned man.

”You said there was a hybrid magician after him?” asked Ilo, one of the elders.

Kaesius nodded, ”From what Lua implied, she did not have good intentions and she left quite unsatisfied”.

”We can't keep him here,” Tarion insisted, ”We have no idea who that Magician is or what her intensions are. If she somehow finds her way here, we'll end up being exposed”.

”I agree with Tarion,” Juline stated, ”We may be able to handle a single Magician, but what if she brings others next time? Our city is not equipped to sustain a long-term siege, nor should we have to for the sake of an outsider”.

”Still, black Life Lines?” asked Yulan, ”You don't think he is like Her do you?”

”You know that no matter what form they take they cannot hide their true nature,” Runa stated, ”I see no tails nor ears on this man”.

”Runa is right, he is not Kitsune,” said Juline, ”Still, with black Life Lines, She would no doubt be better qualified to address this situation”.

”And, you know how difficult it is to find her, if we didn't have the crystal she gave us its unlikely we would ever encounter her again if we looked,” Tarion said, ”He will be better off with her, and with him gone the city will no longer be in danger”.

The five elders lapsed into silence, a silence that was broken by the entrance of the King.

”I heard that a stranger was brought in?” asked the King, and he too assessed this drowned man with a heartbeat and black Life Lines before he concurred with the elders.

”I think taking him to someone even vaguely like himself is the best option,” the King stated as he turned to Juline, ”Might I ask you, Elder?”

Juline sighed, ”Very well. I suppose I haven't seen her in years”.

Though, the unspoken rule was that she was not to be visited unless under dire circumstances. The Merfolk may have been some of the few people that had connections with the Kitsune of the Fairy Forest, but with that came an understanding. An understanding that Kitsune preferred to be alone.

”Prepare an escort guard,” the King order Kaesius, ”You'll leave in the morning”.

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It was a fortnight-long journey to the Fairy Forest. They needed time to make appropriate preparations.

With that decision made, the council of elders parted ways, leaving the pale human alone in a solitary chamber whilst they made their preparations.