Chapter 395: Till Arrest Do Us Part

By the time they reached intake, Kael had accepted three things. One: this was happening. Two: she was going to enjoy it. Three: he was going to enjoy her enjoying it, and there was no point in fighting it.

"You’ll be processed separately," an officer stated.

"Would it be alright if my companion comes as well? He volunteered to be arrested and I want to ensure we can maintain verbal communication for the duration of our stay."

"Your stay," the officer repeated.

"Yes. Our stay," Kael cut in. "That means together. Or I make this difficult."

The guard looked at Veyron. Veyron looked at the ceiling. The ceiling offered no guidance.

"Together. Fine. Move them through."

What happened next could only be described as the best and worst date of Kael Ashenvale’s life.

FINGERPRINTS:

The guard held up a glowing plate. "Hand."

Guinevere placed her palm on it.

The plate went supernova. The guard shielded his eyes. The officer behind him stepped back.

"How fascinating. What is the function of this device?" Guinevere asked, peering at it with genuine curiosity.

The guard lowered his arm, squinting. "It’s not working."

"Well, it looks beautiful. You should be proud."

The guard picked it up and turned it over, examining the underside. The plate flickered twice and went dark.

Veyron pinched the bridge of his nose. "Another plate. Now."

Another guard brought a second plate. Guinevere placed her hand on it. It cracked down the center in four seconds.

Next to her, Kael’s barely glowed. "See that, Guinevere? One finger. Barely a glow. That’s how it’s supposed to work."

The officer operating Kael’s plate looked at the guard operating Guinevere’s plate with judgment in his eyes.

"Now you’re just showing off." Guinevere grinned. She looked back at her police officer. "Third time is the charm?"

The officer didn’t answer, already signaling for a third plate. His hand movements suggested he had accepted his fate.

Third time was not the charm.

Fourth time wasn’t either. By plate five, the guard had stopped flinching. By plate six, he had stopped making eye contact with Veyron.

It took eight plates before they got her fingerprints.

Kael slow-clapped. In cuffs. The chain rattled. "Congratulations. You did it."

Guinevere beamed. "Thank you, Kael."

"That wasn’t a compliment."

"Too late. I’m taking it as one."

MUG SHOTS:

The man in front of them wore an eye-patch and looked angry, so Guinevere assumed he was also being arrested.

FLASH.

White light flashed. Image captured into crystal. A police mage projected the image to verify.

Guinevere started clapping again. She couldn’t help it.

"Wow! Kael, did you see that? The imaging technology here is crystal-based. No paint. No sketch artist. No sitting for hours. One pulse and it captures a full likeness."

The eye-patch man turned around. Even he was confused.

Next to her, Kael was resting his chin on his fist, lips twitching.

"Okay. Fine. I’ll admit. That technology is interesting," he conceded.

"Oh, good, it’s our turn," Guinevere said, grinning from ear to ear now.

"Guinevere, honey, try to look sad about being arrested. This isn’t supposed to be fun."

"Oh, right." She lowered her voice to library volume and looked at Commander Veyron. "My apologies. Please let me know if you would like us to participate in that activity."

Veyron’s jaw shifted once. "Step forward. Face the crystal. Stop clapping."

She gave a single nod. "Yes, sir."

The guard handed her a crystal placard. Name, intake number, date, all inscribed in glowing Luminari script.

She looked down at it. "Oh, how efficient. Now for the image, should I smile or be more serious?" she asked, holding the placard at her chest. "Based on the gentleman’s expression prior, I’m unsure of the protocol."

Veyron pinched the bridge of his nose.

The police mage, the one Guinevere had clapped for, answered. "More serious."

She gave a nod. "Of course." Her face rearranged into serious. It looked like a woman trying very hard to be serious.

"You still look like you’re having fun," Kael commented.

"How’s this."

"Better."

FLASH.

The crystal pulsed.

Her glow whited out the entire image on the crystal. The guard looked at the result. It was just light. No face. No features. Just a rectangle of pure white gold.

"What on earth?" the mage police officer muttered after a moment.

"It might take a few tries," Guinevere offered. "Please take your time."

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER

"Did that help?" Guinevere asked.

The mage police officer checked.

"No."

"I’ll do it," Octavian snapped. The officer lifted both hands in surrender.

FLASH.

Runes ignited across Guinevere’s body. She glanced down as they crawled on her skin, missing the shot.

Octavian held up the crystal expecting victory. The image showed glowing runes, white hair, and no face whatsoever.

"Your Highness, please look at me," Octavian said calmly.

"Whoops. Yes, absolutely." Guinevere looked at the crystal, fixing her face to criminal-serious.

FLASH.

Octavian set the crystal down. Veyron dragged a hand down his face.

"There are markings on her skin. We need one without the markings."

"Good luck," Octavian said, stepping away.

"To whichever fine officer takes me to the next activity, I should warn you that my runes are contagious. As you can see in my companion here. The last thing I want for your community is a runes outbreak."

Every officer and criminal in the police station stopped what they were doing and looked at Kael who did, in fact, have runes spreading across his body, matching Guinevere’s.

Kael was unimpressed.

"For a city that glows, you’re all very judgmental," he snapped, stepping into the image-capturing area.

"Oh this is not necessary for you, Ashenvale," Octavian said.

"Too late. I want one now."

FLASH.

Kael’s mugshot was captured in one pulse. Clean. Fast. No equipment damage. No complications. The guard moved on efficiently.

"Well done, Kael," Guinevere praised. "First attempt. Showing off."

"One of us had to give them a win tonight, Guinevere."

"I wonder if we can come back here someday and do one together." She glanced at the officer next to her. "After serving time, of course."

The officer’s mouth formed a shape that wasn’t yes, wasn’t no.

"Would it be possible to get a copy of the crystal?" she asked.

"No," Veyron answered immediately.

Kael looked at Guinevere. "I’ll find a way."