They had split into two groups when they arrived: Yiran, Ada, and Eddy heading to the sensors first, while Ash and Teshin did a ground sweep. There weren’t supposed to be any more Revenants left in the area, but Ash had wanted to be sure.
“Ever been here?” Eddy asked. He was an apprentice in the Guild’s technology department. Only a couple of years older than Yiran, he had a mop of curls and an affable, self-deprecating air about him.
“Nope, I’ve never been here,” said Ada, looking extra zippy. She’d downed a can of double espresso in the car.
“Neither have I,” Yiran said. The squelch of his boots on muddy ground was starting to annoy him. He glanced at his surroundings.
This old neighborhood had nothing to offer. It was near the city margins, run-down and close enough to the marsh to smell funky in the summer. The real estate company in charge of the redevelopment project here had gone bankrupt the year before, and illegal squatters moved in.
The Guild’s new spiritual energy sensors had recently detected unusual activity within its borders. That’s when the dead bodies were discovered. Since the squatters were destitute, no one knew they were missing in the first place. Yiran wondered how many others had perished the same way, their absence unreported and unnoticed because they had become an invisible part of the city through some misfortune.
“It should be in and out for us,” Eddy said as he scanned the desolate half-finished blocks of apartments and the ramshackle huts that sproutedbeside them. “Just need to make sure those sensors are working. Maintenance work, really. That’s why they sent me.”
He nodded at Yiran. “I heard you joined the Academy not too long ago, but you’re already on your first official mission. You must be really talented. Must run in the family, huh? The great gift of magic.”
“It only means I’ve a lot of catching up to do,” Yiran said lightly.
“You’ve been doing fine,” Ada said. “You wouldn’t be here if Ash didn’t believe in your abilities. He’s not the sort to risk things.”
She was probably right. But Yiran’s impostor syndrome was alive and well.
“Captain Song’s a good man,” Eddy said.
Yiran couldn’t help but smile. “He is.”
“I’m not good at magic myself,” Eddy went on. He seemed the sort who enjoyed striking up conversations with strangers. “My spiritual energy level’s right on the border. Can’t really fight either. I’m just glad the Academy took me in. Taught me how to manage myself. Plus, it pays the bills. My younger siblings are normies, and I can help put them through school. You know, give them the normal life I can’t have.”
Yiran hadn’t given much thought to people like Eddy. Borderline cases whose spiritual energy didn’t allow them to wield a weapon or cast spells well enough to become full-fledged Exorcists. They didn’t attend Xingshan Academy, studying at an affiliated school in the city instead, learning the technical skills that made them the support network for Exorcists who went into combat. Their jobs weren’t flashy. No one knew their names or faces, and they would get no accolades or glory if a Hunt went well. No normie would know to thank them for saving lives. But they were the backbone of the Guild. Ash was right; Yiran needed to pay more attention to the people who really mattered.
“What song is that?” Ada asked suddenly.
Eddy stopped humming. “Sorry, got an earworm. It’s my kid sister’s favorite song—something about a super fish. Tuna, I think. Drives me up the wall when she plays it, but here I am, singing it all the time myself.”
They all laughed.
As they walked on, Yiran decided to put his new glove on. He flexed his fingers, marveling again at Tesha’s craftsmanship. It fit like a second skin, allowing for dexterity. She’d promised that the other would be ready in a few weeks to complete the pair, and he couldn’t wait.
Minutes later, Eddy stopped at a tree, pulling out a meter-like contraption from his backpack. “Here’s our first.”
Yiran looked at the ground. “Where’s the sensor?”
“Up in the tree. There—right by that branch. See it?”
Yiran spotted the slim device. It was a few inches long, attached to a branch and camouflaged to look like tree bark. “Uh huh.”
“I’ll do a test, check if it’s functioning. They’re temperamental things, but hopefully the upgraded versions will work better. It’ll take a few minutes, then we’ll go to the next one. We’ve got about nine of these.” Humming the super tuna song, Eddy fiddled with his machine.
Ada nodded at Yiran. “Stay alert, Cadet Song.” Hand on her whip, she paced in an arc around the area.
Yiran wiped the rain off his face, scanning the area for anything unusual. At least it was only a drizzle now, though it was misty because of the wetlands nearby.
They moved on to the next few sensors, going farther away from the buildings and closer to the marsh. Eddy continued his work, always humming the same tune.
The light dimmed as the day wore on, and it seemed to make the work duller. The comms remained quiet. Yiran wondered why they hadn’t run into Ash and Teshin yet.
He was starting to lose focus. Starting to think about narrow gray eyes sparkling with intelligence, an elegant neck he longed to trace with his own fingers, the cold touch of full lips—
Stop.
