"Why didn't you mention something this important earlier?!" Fors shrank back, sitting close to Xio in fear. She nervously glanced around, shivering at every shadow outside the window. After all, they were living in Hilston District! The killer might be their neighbor!
"It's just a theory," Ashes said calmly, contrasting sharply with Fors anxiety. "While cultists usually can't resist their urge to kill, they typically don't commit crimes in the same place twice. So, staying here is relatively safe."
"Fors," Xio expression turned serious, warning her sternly, "try not to go out at night for the next few days."
"Of course, I know that," Fors muttered, running her fingers through her hair. But her increasing nervousness led her to reassure herself, "Besides, I rarely go out anyway. It should be... safe, right?"
"Not necessarily," Ashes said, rubbing his chin. "The NightHawk who was killed was a Sequence 8, and it happened in their own living room. So, you should stick together for the next few days."
"That's not very comforting. What good is it to stay together?" Fors complained. Even an official Beyonder of Sequence 8 was killed in their own home. What difference would it make for two Sequence 9s to stay together? Would it just make it easier for the killer to get two at once?
"Maybe you can resist a bit," Ashes shrugged nonchalantly. "If you're scared, stay somewhere with more people, like a salon or a banquet. You could even stay overnight there. The killer probably doesn't want too much attention and wouldn't strike in a crowded place."
Fors rolled her eyes. That wasn't very helpful either. Fortunately, she had her necklace. If she did encounter the killer, she could use it to escape.
"Does that mean you spent the whole day tracking the killer?" Xio asked, feeling a mix of emotions and a newfound respect for Ashes.
"Did you find any clues? About the killer, I mean," Fors quickly asked, eager to rid herself of the constant fear. If the killer was caught soon, that would be ideal.
"I don't know," Ashes admitted.
"Don't know?" Fors and Xio both looked puzzled.
"Why not?" Fors questioned, surprised. "Didn't you spend the whole day tracking clues? How can you not know?"
"Because after I left Earl Hall's house, I came back here and haven't had time to ask the other team members if they found anything."
"Wait," Fors sensed something off and pressed further, "When did you go to Earl Hall's house?"
"This morning," Ashes replied calmly, causing Fors and Xio to widen their eyes in disbelief.
"So, you investigated the crime scene in the morning, then went to Earl Hall's house and stayed there until dark?" Fors asked incredulously. Even Xio began to doubt herself for respecting Ashes earlier.
"Pretty much," Ashes nodded matter-of-factly.
"Pretty much my foot!" Fors couldn't help but retort. "You spent the whole day slacking off! I thought I was good at it, but you're even better! At least I'm a writer, working on my own schedule. But you're a NightHawk, getting paid by both the church and the police! And you still slacked off all day, even with a colleague brutally murdered! Don't you feel any urge to avenge them?"
Fors mind wandered as she realized she had never seen Ashes do any serious work. She often encountered him at salons, implying he had a lot of free time.
"Don't you have to work?" she finally voiced her doubt.
"I have a flexible schedule," Ashes replied lazily.
"How flexible?" Fors asked, not letting go.
"Good question," Ashes pondered for a moment before answering, "Basically, I work whenever I want and leave whenever I want. It's quite free."
"Are you really a NightHawk?" Fors face twitched. She had never seen a NightHawk like Ashes. She wondered if the church had become this lenient with its members.
"If all NightHawks are like you, I think I could handle it," Fors couldn't help but comment. Xio nodded in agreement. After all, slacking off isn't hard.
Thinking of her father, who was always busy as the head of the royal guard and rarely home, Xio felt that his dedication was futile compared to Ashes' leisurely life.
"Right," Fors eyes lit up as she thought of something. She looked at Ashes expectantly, "Ashes, can you stay and protect me for the next few days?"
"No," Ashes replied coolly, "I have work to do."
"You don't even go to work. What work do you have to do?" Fors retorted.
"Who said I only have one job?" Ashes asked back.
"Huh?" Fors looked at him oddly. "Do you take side jobs as a NightHawk?"
Xio often took side jobs, partly due to her personality and partly because she had no regular job, giving her plenty of free time. But Ashes was a NightHawk, an official employee. Taking side jobs seemed inappropriate.
Ashes remained unfazed by Fors skepticism. "Why risk my life for a few hundred pounds a month? Besides, I don't feel much loyalty to the Church of the EverNight Goddess. I take their money, drink their potions, and enjoy the perks. The most I'll do is give the EverNight Goddess a minor acknowledgement when I burn wood. That's my 'gratitude.'"
(End of the Chapter)
50 Power stones = Extra Chapters