CHAPTER 79: CH 79: CATCH ME IF YOU CAN - PART 3

The click of Lysera’s boots echoed in the corridor as she approached her office, her mind already running through the list of urgent matters that needed her attention.

She reached for the door—only to have it swing open, revealing Sergeant Sergeant Delran standing there as if she’d been waiting.

The air between them tightened instantly. Both women locked eyes, neither willing to look away first.

A silent challenge passed between them—an unspoken acknowledgment of two sharp minds and stronger wills colliding in the same space.

Finally, Sergeant Delran tilted her head slightly, breaking the hold, and gestured for Lysera to follow.

Lysera stepped inside, noting immediately that her office had an intruder. An unfamiliar man sat comfortably in the guest chair, legs crossed, hands folded neatly on his lap.

His white-and-gold priest robes were pristine, and the pleasant curve of his lips gave him an air of harmless civility—one Lysera didn’t buy for a second.

"This is someone from the temple. He’s here regarding the recent attack on Priestess Jenna."

Sergeant Delran said, voice flat.

Lysera’s eyes narrowed slightly.

She wasn’t surprised the temple had sent someone—news of that attack would have rattled more than a few people—but something in this priest’s smile didn’t sit right with her.

"Lysera is in charge of the investigation."

Sergeant Delran continued, turning toward the man.

The priest’s smile widened.

"What a relief. I’m from High Priest Rudy’s faction. Our High Priest was deeply concerned by this brazen attack, and I am here to... assist in any way I can."

He rose from the chair with a smooth grace and extended his hand. Lysera clasped it briefly—and the moment she did, she felt it.

A faint thread of magic, subtle but insistent, trying to creep past her defenses and influence her.

Her expression didn’t change. She shattered the spell in seconds, letting the residual energy dissolve before it could even take hold.

The priest’s face didn’t flicker either, as if the attempt had never happened.

"Welcome."

She said evenly, withdrawing her hand.

Sergeant Delran, watching closely, spoke again.

"You’ll be taking the priest with you for the investigation."

Lysera inclined her head in acknowledgment, masking her irritation.

"Understood."

But as she turned to leave, Sergeant Delran’s hand shot out, gripping her arm. She leaned in, her voice dropping low enough for only Lysera to hear.

"Keep an eye on him. He’s suspicious. I want to know exactly what he’s after."

Lysera’s lips curved faintly.

"Understood."

They stepped out into the sunlight together, Lysera keeping a measured pace while the priest strolled alongside her as though they were out for a casual walk.

She was already running through scenarios in her mind—how to probe his intentions without giving him the upper hand—when a sudden movement ahead caught her attention.

Kana.

The girl was rushing toward the intersection ahead, hair slightly mussed, her breathing uneven. She looked like she’d been running—hard.

Lysera’s first instinct was to close the distance immediately, to check if Kana was hurt. But she stopped herself mid-step, her thoughts sharpening.

If the priest saw her interacting with Kana, his interest in the girl might be piqued—and that was the last thing Lysera wanted.

She pivoted her gaze away and started to turn down a different street, planning to circle back later.

But the priest had already seen her.

His eyes lit with recognition—or perhaps intrigue—and without waiting for Lysera’s lead, he stepped ahead, his robes brushing past her as he moved directly toward Kana.

Lysera’s expression stayed neutral, but her mind tightened around one thought.

’This is exactly what I didn’t want.’

______

Kana slowed her steps only slightly, chest rising and falling with shallow breaths as she scanned her surroundings.

Her eyes darted toward an alley, but before she could decide, the priest’s voice carried across the space—warm, polite, yet somehow laced with intent.

"Oh? You seem troubled, young lady. Are you hurt?"

Kana froze for a heartbeat, her mind snapping into overdrive. She had just shaken off her pursuer, and now this smiling stranger—dressed in temple robes—was approaching her without hesitation.

Her instincts screamed danger, but her face remained neutral, lips pressed in a thin line.

Lysera’s gaze sharpened at the sight.

She caught the faint flicker in the priest’s eyes, a glint that reminded her of manipulation rather than compassion. She stepped forward, deliberately placing herself at the priest’s side.

"This one isn’t involved in our investigation."

Lysera said evenly, tone leaving no room for argument.

The priest didn’t stop smiling.

"Oh, but she looks frightened. Shouldn’t we—"

"I said, she’s not part of this."

Lysera interrupted, locking eyes with him.

Kana took the opportunity to step back, her body angled subtly away from the priest. She recognized Lysera’s expression—not exactly friendly, but protective in its own way.

The priest tilted his head, clearly displeased, but unwilling to push the matter here.

"Very well. I’ll follow your lead, Officer."

Lysera gave a curt nod, turning on her heel without a backward glance.

Her stride was brisk, but not hurried, forcing the priest to keep pace with her rather than approach Kana again.

Kana watched them go, exhaling a slow breath. Whoever that man was, she didn’t like the way he looked at her. Her system gave a small warning ping, confirming her unease.

That’s the second time today, Kana thought, her lips curling downward. First the guard, now this priest.

She glanced at the retreating pair and quietly decided she’d need to be even more careful.

Something told her that both of those encounters weren’t coincidences—and the day wasn’t over yet.

Kana adjusted her hood, pulling the fabric lower to hide her face as she slipped into the flow of foot traffic.

The priest’s lingering smile was burned into her mind—too calm, too practiced, as if it had been worn many times to disarm suspicion.

She didn’t get far before she felt it: that prickle on the back of her neck. The one that told her someone’s attention hadn’t left her.

Kana quickened her steps, weaving between merchants shouting over crates of fruit and customers haggling in tight clusters.

She resisted the urge to look back immediately, instead catching glimpses from the corner of her eye.

There. A flicker of black among the crowd.

Her pulse jumped. She’d been right.

Kana took a sharp turn into a narrow lane between buildings. It smelled faintly of damp stone, the sun barely reaching between the overhanging balconies.

Her steps grew lighter, almost playful, as she skipped over a cracked water channel.

If he wanted to follow, she’d make him work for it.

A soft scrape of sandals on cobblestone echoed behind her, confirming her suspicion.

She darted right, then left again, looping around piles of crates and squeezing past a shuttered shop.

Her breathing stayed even—her body hardly tired—but she made sure her movements looked hurried and desperate. Let him think she was panicking.

The footsteps quickened.

Kana’s lips curved into a faint smile as she slipped behind a stack of barrels and waited, her body perfectly still.

The kidnapper stepped into view, scanning ahead, his expression finally losing that unshakable calm.

Kana didn’t give him the chance to spot her. She slipped out behind him and vanished into the next street, leaving only the faint echo of her retreating footsteps.