(The following is a piggy back on the child abduction and murder in the Old Temple District.)
"Bloody hell, woman! What do you want me to do?" Sergeant Cullen of the Watch twisted his disgruntled face toward Isuelt.
"I don't know Cullen, how about letting me in on some of the details" Unless you want my help without me knowing what the hell I'm looking for!" She snapped back at him. Both had been up all night and were heading toward that razored mood where logic and manners ceased to exist.
The two of them glared at each other for a good thirty seconds of rugged silence before Cullen rolled his eyes and looked away from the Scathachian with a heavy sigh to his shoulders. Isuelt, as well, let her guard drop as she leaned her head to the side and cracked her neck.
"Look, I just don't want this happening in this district," she began quietly. "I don't want it happening anywhere, but here is just...just wrong. The Temple district is just that: places of worship and safety and divine protection. This is...this is..." she shook her head, nearly sick. Isuelt, curiously enough, had always had a soft spot for children. Even though she was terrible with them, she had marveled at their wonder and candor. After years of hoping she would have her own, she knew that that time had passed her by and the only way she could live the vicarious part of a mother would be to protect children that were not hers.
"All right, look DeRomiano," Cullen's voice pierced her moodiness, "This is all we know at this point." He handed her the file on the child identified as Edgar Schiff: Age 6. It contained the original missing persons report as well as the Watch report of discovery and coroner's report.
Isuelt's hand reached for the file and as she opened it and began leafing through the paperwork. She sighed heavily and reached up to rub the back of her neck. "You know this isn't just a chance killing, Cullen."
"Yeah, I know." His voice was a quiet tone of defeat.
"Heart, teeth missing. Specific cuts." The Scathachian continued to flip through the paperwork in silence as the Watch Sergeant turned to watch a few patrolmen keeping the public away from the scene in case it needed to be gone over again. "We may be looking at a ritualistic killing. A cultist, someone searching for ingredients for something." It sounded disgusting coming out of her mouth. "Spells call for virgins' hearts and the like. I'm thinking this is an untouched heart. Are there spells for children's organs?" As she lifted her dark lashes from the pages of the report to look at Cullen, his expression answered her question. "Yeah, thought so."
"Tell you what, DeRomiano," Cullen turned and took her arm, beginning to lead her away from the scene. "Why don't you take that and look it over, but so help me, if I don't get it back by tonight, I'll come and fetch it myself. Understand?"
She nodded to the Watchman as her lips parted for a silent answer.
"Now get out of here. And for gods' sakes, put that file away until you get home!" His whisper nearly skinned her ear.
"Thanks Cullen." As she turned, he nodded to her and she mounted her horse to hightail it back to the Sanctuary for some reading before a much deserved sleep.
"Bloody hell, woman! What do you want me to do?" Sergeant Cullen of the Watch twisted his disgruntled face toward Isuelt.
"I don't know Cullen, how about letting me in on some of the details" Unless you want my help without me knowing what the hell I'm looking for!" She snapped back at him. Both had been up all night and were heading toward that razored mood where logic and manners ceased to exist.
The two of them glared at each other for a good thirty seconds of rugged silence before Cullen rolled his eyes and looked away from the Scathachian with a heavy sigh to his shoulders. Isuelt, as well, let her guard drop as she leaned her head to the side and cracked her neck.
"Look, I just don't want this happening in this district," she began quietly. "I don't want it happening anywhere, but here is just...just wrong. The Temple district is just that: places of worship and safety and divine protection. This is...this is..." she shook her head, nearly sick. Isuelt, curiously enough, had always had a soft spot for children. Even though she was terrible with them, she had marveled at their wonder and candor. After years of hoping she would have her own, she knew that that time had passed her by and the only way she could live the vicarious part of a mother would be to protect children that were not hers.
"All right, look DeRomiano," Cullen's voice pierced her moodiness, "This is all we know at this point." He handed her the file on the child identified as Edgar Schiff: Age 6. It contained the original missing persons report as well as the Watch report of discovery and coroner's report.
Isuelt's hand reached for the file and as she opened it and began leafing through the paperwork. She sighed heavily and reached up to rub the back of her neck. "You know this isn't just a chance killing, Cullen."
"Yeah, I know." His voice was a quiet tone of defeat.
"Heart, teeth missing. Specific cuts." The Scathachian continued to flip through the paperwork in silence as the Watch Sergeant turned to watch a few patrolmen keeping the public away from the scene in case it needed to be gone over again. "We may be looking at a ritualistic killing. A cultist, someone searching for ingredients for something." It sounded disgusting coming out of her mouth. "Spells call for virgins' hearts and the like. I'm thinking this is an untouched heart. Are there spells for children's organs?" As she lifted her dark lashes from the pages of the report to look at Cullen, his expression answered her question. "Yeah, thought so."
"Tell you what, DeRomiano," Cullen turned and took her arm, beginning to lead her away from the scene. "Why don't you take that and look it over, but so help me, if I don't get it back by tonight, I'll come and fetch it myself. Understand?"
She nodded to the Watchman as her lips parted for a silent answer.
"Now get out of here. And for gods' sakes, put that file away until you get home!" His whisper nearly skinned her ear.
"Thanks Cullen." As she turned, he nodded to her and she mounted her horse to hightail it back to the Sanctuary for some reading before a much deserved sleep.