Talk of cannibalism sent a wave of revulsion through Jenkins. Despite his robust constitution, he broke out in a cold sweat, a sensation the chilly wind did nothing to help. Then again, the overly warm cat tucked inside his coat might have had something to do with it.
Judging by his expression, Captain Bincy was even more disturbed than Jenkins—after all, he had seen what was left of the corpse.
"I'd rather not dwell on it," Bincy said, shaking his head. "Alright, long story short: the woman invited by the victim, Mr. Stan, is the one who ate him. At first, we suspected a troll disguised as a human, but we later found the woman's behavior was more akin to a praying mantis. You know how the female, after mating, will..."
Jenkins nodded, burying his face in his hands. He'd heard about the grim habits of the insect world. "If that's the case, it's a terrible tragedy. But what could have caused this? And where is she now?"
"We don't know. We'll have to catch her to find out. There are three squads operating in this area; we're assigned specifically to the station. Divination places her somewhere in the surrounding blocks."
As he spoke, Captain Bincy glanced over his shoulder, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
"I see. Oh, please don't mind me. Carry on with your work. I'll be on my way shortly—just heading home to get some rest."
"A human acting like a praying mantis... what could be the cause?" Jenkins mused, his brow furrowed. "An evil Enchanter's experiment? The awakening of some ancient bloodline? A bizarre, unknown creature? Or perhaps a Mysterious Object?"
Jenkins mulled over the possibilities, his eyes downcast. Cane in hand, he started toward his companions, intending to make small talk about the delayed train. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he turned back to Captain Bincy, who was still nearby.
"What about the rose..."
"Ah, that. It seems to be some unknown phenomenon. The cannibalistic woman is exceptionally sensitive to red roses and has a tendency to attack any man holding one. It's like an animal instinct, you see?"
Jenkins repeated the word.
"Yes. We've only been able to track her because of these frenzied assaults. Here," Bincy said, "this is evidence from an attack earlier this evening. I haven't had a chance to take it to the church yet."
The captain produced a completely dried and withered flower. He'd shoved it carelessly into his pocket, further crushing the fragile bloom.
The sight of it immediately brought to mind the vibrant red rose he had seen just moments before. Suddenly, a scream erupted behind him. Miss Rick had collapsed to the ground. A heavily cloaked, humanoid figure had Garcia—and his red rose—tucked under one arm and was sprinting away, heading to the right of where Jenkins and Captain Bincy stood.
The platform was sparsely populated, lit only by a few old gas lamps mounted on pillars and walls. Their dim, yellow glow cast long shadows over the drowsy passengers. The creature holding Garcia had chosen a clear escape route, completely devoid of people. Even the nearest bystander would be hard-pressed to intercept it before it scaled the high wall at the edge of the platform.
"Aren't those your friends? The ones who were... eloping?"
Captain Bincy asked, leaning in and lowering his voice, mindful of their privacy.
"Yes," Jenkins replied grimly. "I hope my cursed luck didn't bring this down on them."
Jenkins muttered with a frustrated frown, but neither he nor Bincy moved from their spot. He took the flower—now little more than a stalk—from the captain's hand and gently rolled it between his fingers.
"Hey! Over here!" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel✦fire.net
He yelled, slowly twisting the stem between his left thumb and forefinger. A wisp of green smoke emerged and infused the stalk. In a matter of seconds, the flower magically reenacted its entire life cycle, from a nascent bud to a fully blossomed rose.
The woman glanced their way, her sprint screeching to a halt. With a guttural cry, she changed direction and charged straight at them, still holding Garcia. Jenkins swung his cane, but the woman raised her right arm to block it. The impact produced a sharp clang, like wood striking metal.
Bincy lunged for her left arm, but the instant his hand made contact with the sleeve, a deep gash split open his palm. The sheer force of her momentum sent him sprawling. Despite this, a rope shot out from his cuff, snaking around her arm and tightening its grip.
With a sharp cry, Jenkins brought his cane down again, this time with even more force. The sleeve shredded completely, revealing an arm of metallic black. In the few seconds Jenkins had managed to stall her, the other Scribes had swarmed the area.
Wary of making direct contact after seeing what happened to Bincy, the Scribes resorted to ranged attacks. Finally, a volley of Freezing Runes encased the woman's legs in ice, rooting her to the spot. Only then did they move in, using the church's specially-made restraints to subdue her.
"Mr. Williams, this..."
Garcia was conscious; he'd been flung aside when Bincy's rope had found its mark. The man was utterly bewildered, staring as if he'd just stumbled out of a knight's tale.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think you and Miss Rick will be able to leave."
Jenkins knelt and healed the gash on Captain Bincy's hand. He offered an apologetic smile but avoided looking at the couple's faces. Just then, the squad's sole female Scribe escorted Miss Rick over.
"I'm truly sorry, but your wish to disappear for a while can still be fulfilled."
Head bowed, he pressed the freshly bloomed red rose into Miss Rick's hand. It was as cold as ice. She opened her mouth to speak, but another Scribe, clearly prepared for this, had already taken hold of her.
Jenkins gave Captain Bincy a nod, then watched as the Scribes led the bizarre woman and all the witnesses away from the station.
"Oh, great Sage," he sighed. "What a mess."
He murmured this to himself, face in his hands, only after everyone was out of sight. But he had to pull himself together. Two other ladies were still waiting for him outside.
Jenkins waited until the delayed train finally pulled in five minutes later before leaving the station. Just as he'd expected, Hathaway and Briny were fast asleep. When he told them that Miss Rick and Garcia had already departed, neither of them suspected a thing.
This lie wasn't likely to be exposed anytime soon. Miss Rick and Garcia weren't like Fini; the confidentiality pacts they would be required to sign were far more stringent and complex. Jenkins was fairly certain no one would see them again for at least six months. In a way, he thought, their dream of eloping had come true after all...