Phantom Hunters | Saphir Casters Academy

9 | Consequences of Runaway Barrels

IX | CONSEQUENCES OF RUNAWAY BARRELS

    One by one, like a small stream of water, the frozen forms of spectators began to move.

    Kael walked up to the girl, dusting his pants along the way.

    "Hey, are you okay?" he asked.

    She narrowed her burning hazel eyes at him; her freckles darkened as if suspicion filled them with colour. "Who are you? Know what? Never mind. Thanks for the concern, duke. I'm fine. Now, where's the bastard who wrecked my barrel?"

    The slight clinking of heavy boots hitting the ground answered her question. Kael peeked past the girl to look at the man, taking in every detail.

    The man's guns were holstered on his belt, barely visible from behind the flap of his poncho. His dark eyes pierced into them, seeming to burn in the bright sunlight. His rugged jawline contrasted sharply with the shadow cast by his gambler hat.

    "You kids ought to be careful," he said in a slight accent Kael couldn't place.

    "You," the girl hissed. Her gaze rivaled his in sharpness. Kael could almost feel electricity buzz from the tension between the two. "You destroyed my barrel!"

    "I saved you and an ol' lady," he retorted, reaching into the flap of his cloak and retrieving a cigar. "Coulda left you, but didn't."

    "You should've minded your own business! I had it in control!" Her face flushed, turning into a shade of red as deep as her hair.

    "If you really did have it under control, I'd think the situation would have been much less destructive." He gestured around him to the aftermath of the chaos.

    Kael now noticed the mess in the market. Coins were strewn about, scuffles ensuing as people clambered to pick them up. Children were bruised. Women who were casually shopping sported bruises, shocked expressions, or ripped clothes.

    The girl opened her mouth to reply, but as she looked around her, she realized her mistake. Her face turned even redder, and she glared at the floor in what Kael could only describe as shame.

    The two guards ran up to the girl, roughly grabbing her by the arms.

    "Hey! Let me go!" she protested, jerking her arms in an attempt to free herself.

    "It's a good thing I was around, or that old lady woulda been crushed. I'm trusting the guards will take care of you." The man tipped his hat at the guards, and they saluted in return.

    He walked away from the market entrance and through the mayhem, disappearing into the settling dust.

    "You! What the hell were you doing?" the first guard Kael met scolded the girl. "You think this is a playground? Someone could have gotten seriously hurt!"

    At that, she turned to look at the old woman, who was cluelessly patting her daughter's head.

    The girl fell silent with gritted teeth.

    "Um, sirs?" Wynt said, slipping in next to Kael. "What are you going to do with her?"

    The guards exchanged glances. Then, with hardened expressions, looked down at the boys.

    The second guard, a man with a bushy brown beard, answered, "She'll be taken to the detention center, where her actions will be analysed and rightly judged by a constable at the academy's peace and security control department."