[10 minutes later]
"Haaaah! Cough, cough." Coming out of the shadows, I doubled over, clutching my knees as a violent coughing fit tore through me. Each inhale burned my lungs, smoke and dust still clinging to the back of my throat from the last fight. My ears twitched, flattening back against my head in annoyance at my weakness.
"Sorry, ma'am, but—" The shadow closest to me began speaking, her voice tight with guilt, but she quickly stopped when I raised a hand sharply.
"No, don't explain." I forced myself upright, holding her gaze despite my labored breathing. "I know why. They were determined to catch us. More determined than usual. "In fact, check if your entire squad is here."
While she began signaling with subtle hand motions to the others, I took a moment to glance around. My eyes adjusted to the pale glow of lanterns further down the alley, and realization struck me—we were at least twenty blocks away from where we had started. The sheer distance I had pulled us through shadow hops and teleport bursts left a hollow ache in my core.
"Yes, ma'am," the shadow leader confirmed after a headcount, her tone firm. "We haven't lost one person."
Relief flickered through me, easing some of the tension in my shoulders. "That's good to hear." I shifted my weight, adjusting the limp girl hanging against me. "Then let's get on the roofs and run to the mansion. We'll cut through faster up top."
"Yes, ma'am. About the hostage—" the leader hesitated, her voice dipping low, worry etched across her features as her eyes lingered on the unconscious form I carried.
I snorted softly. "I just shocked her. She passed out, nothing more. She isn't dead." To emphasize my words, I tightened the weave of icy threads I'd wrapped around her arms and torso, binding her snugly to me so she wouldn't slip. The cold bit faintly at my skin, but it was a small price for security.
Unsurprisingly, the girl also possessed lightning magic. The crackle of it had stung against my control, but in the end, magic purity was everything. And mine? Untouchable. I couldn't stop a low laugh from escaping at the thought.
"Okay, let's move out, ma'am. You'll stay in the middle of the formation," the shadow leader offered.
"No," I cut in immediately, shifting Dea higher onto my shoulder as if she weighed nothing. "I'll be in the front. You're too slow." Before she could form an argument, I pushed off the cobblestones, vanishing in a blink as teleportation carried me to the roofline. My laughter echoed faintly in the night air.
From below, I caught the resigned sigh of one of the shadows. "Right… she is Lady Stacy's daughter."
[20 minutes later.]
"Kitsu, I am sure I told you to just look around!" Kayda's voice snapped like a whip as she slammed the prison door wide open. The clang reverberated down the stone hallway.
I looked up from the bindings I was securing around Dea's wrists. "Actually, no, you didn't. You said, 'Go check it out. I'll follow you tomorrow." I mimicked her voice as I clicked the final lock into place.
Kayda blinked at me, then let out a groan. "Touché. Well, who is this?" She jerked her chin toward the girl slumped in the chair.
"Dear Pendragon. Apparently she's a commander of some sort," I answered carelessly, scratching my cheek as if the name barely stuck.
Kayda's sigh was heavier this time. "Dea Pendragon, commander of covert operations. Her older brother leads the frontal force squadrons at our borders."
I tilted my head, ears flicking. "So… Have I successfully caught a large fish?
Her sharp eyes cut toward me. "Do they know you took her?"
"Yeah. They saw me drag her off. And yes," I added before she could push further, rubbing my cheek sheepishly, "they know who I was."
"Shit." Kayda pressed her fingers to her temples. "Then we'll be expecting a visit from her brother." She studied the unconscious girl, lips tightening with thought.
"Huh. So… should I torture her real quick?" I innocently asked the question while tilting my head again.
Kayda's glare could have frozen the air by itself. "No. Leave her alone. Take her to a guest room. We must avoid doing anything foolish while Stacy and that obnoxious brute are away.
I puffed out a small sigh. "Ah, okay?"
Kayda's expression softened for a moment. "Don't worry. You did well anyway." She bumped her shoulder against mine with a grin.
"Kayda, you're talking in riddles again." My tail flicked, betraying my growing annoyance at her cryptic reassurances.
"I'll explain later. For now, get her out of here and into a guest room. Make sure to monitor her closely. Kayda's smile returned, calm but sharp.
"Okay."
"Well, see you in a bit. I'm going to call Stacy and pray she can get here in time."
"I feel like I messed up," I muttered under my breath, dragging Dea out of the prison.
"Hey," Kayda called after me, her tone gentler. "Don't let her get hurt. And you didn't mess up. The information could help us get real intel on the Federation." She tapped my cheek playfully as I passed.
"I'll heal her if I have to. Don't worry," I replied with a small wave.
Once I left, Kayda sighed, turning to Rebecca, who had been silently observing. "Let's get Stacy back here before that obsessed man shows up."
"Yes, ma'am," Rebecca answered with a firm nod.
Meanwhile, I dragged Dea upstairs into the mansion's second floor. Choosing the nearest guest room, I stepped inside and sealed the door with layered ice walls, thickening them until the entire frame shimmered faintly.
"Well, you can wake up now," I announced, tossing her onto the bed without much care.
"Kyaa! Don't just throw people like that!" Dea's shriek echoed, her body jolting upright.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Miss Gullible." I waved her off, already crossing to the table.
"This is for you, Lady Dea," she huffed while rubbing the back of her head.
"Yeah? Then I'm Master Kitsuna for you," I countered with a wide grin.
"You—!" Dea sputtered, grinding her teeth audibly.
"Miss Gullible," I said, my ears twitching at the sound, "you're a prisoner, even if the room isn't a prison cell. Furthermore, stop grinding your teeth. It hurts my ears."
She exhaled sharply, shoulders slumping. "Right… that's true."
"Now come here. We're going to play chess to pass the time." With a snap of my fingers, an ice board with crystalline pieces materialized between us.
"Why would I do that?" she asked, glaring.
"Because your brother is on his way, and it'll take him a while to arrive. Might as well kill time," I said coolly.
She clicked her tongue but dragged herself to the chair opposite me. "Tsk. Fine."
"Good choice."
Her eyes narrowed. "How do you play this game?"
"...Right. Okay, I'll explain."
[10 minutes of explaining]
"The king is useless," Dea declared at the end, making me nod.
"Many people in the real world are like that," I muttered darkly.
"...You know that's actually true," she admitted. Then her chin lifted proudly. "And as it should be. Women are the strongest."
I rolled my eyes. "Ready? Since you're the commander of covert ops, you should be good at this."
"Hah! That's right. Get ready to be defeated!" Dea smirked, sliding her queen's pawn forward.
"Good luck with that," I replied, already predicting the outcome.
[Kayda POV]
"What do you mean he's already on his way here?!" My shout rattled the walls. "How the fuck does he already know we captured her?! Fuck!"
Rebecca flinched slightly but held her ground. "I don't know."
"Shit. Fine. How long until he's here?"
"About three hours, Kayda."
I forced myself to breathe. "Okay… okay. That's enough time."
"Stacy won't make it," Rebecca reminded.
"She'll arrive in five hours. If we can delay him for two, we're fine." My mind raced. "I'll message Kitsu to reinforce the ice walls around the room. If she works on it the whole time, that'll give us another thirty minutes at least."
"That still leaves us short," Rebecca muttered.
"Yes… unless we distract him."
"We could stage a mock battle at the landing pads," she suggested.
A grin split my face. "That could work. Get all the trainees out there in two hours. Split them however you like."
"Will do, Kayda." Her eyes gleamed, already plotting mischief.
I texted Kitsu, instructing her to fortify. Moments later, my phone pinged again.
"Dea has a tracker in her head. It's most likely the work of her brother. He's already on his way." I read aloud, grimacing.
Rebecca froze. "She figured it out already?"
"Hah. At least we have an answer." I forced a laugh, though disgust churned in my gut. "But in her head? What the fuck…"
[Kitsu POV]
"How? How did you do that?"
I tilted my head innocently. "Huh, what?"
"You beat me in four moves!" Dea nearly slammed her fists on the table.
"Yeah. You left your king open for my queen." I pointed lazily.
"Again," she hissed.
"What was that?"
"We go again. This time I'm Black." She spun the board with determination.
"Okay."
"Go first," she demanded.
"Yes, yes."
She smirked. "Hehe."
"So… who's Candy?" I asked casually.
Her focus faltered. "Oh, she's my brother's right-hand woman."
"Like a wife or something?" I arched a brow.
Dea shook her head quickly. "No, but… I'm pretty sure they're a thing." A small, genuine smile tugged her lips.
"Figures. Both tigers are demis, huh?"
"Yeah. Oh, what about you? Fox or wolf?"
"I'm cunning. You figure it out."
"Fox, then." She nodded, satisfied.
"Don't use that blacksmith again," I warned suddenly.
"Of course not. You already got his tail."
I pulled out a warped piece of armor. "He made trash armor for you guys."
Dea's brows furrowed as she inspected it. "It got cut…?"
"Yeah. Easy." I sliced the shard further with a flick of ice.
Her lips tightened. "That's how you killed my guard, wasn't it?"
I only laughed.
Her glare sharpened as she moved her piece.
"Focus. Check." I slid my knight forward.
"Fucking bitch!" she snarled, capturing it with her queen.
"That's not nice," I chided, immediately capturing her queen with a pawn.
"Fuck!" she roared, clutching at her hair as my ears flattened against the volume.