Returning to work was liberating for Zeyang: staying at home inactive made every fiber of his being rebel.
However, he did not expect to receive a summons from General Lu in less than an hour.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Lombardi asked, not hiding his concern.
Zeyang reassured him. "It's not necessary."
---
When he arrived at the barracks where the general had temporarily set up his office, Zeyang was greeted by a soldier who rigidly escorted him to his superior.
Lu Wei, seated in an armchair behind a large desk, fixed him with an icy stare.
"Detective Li. Please, have a seat."
The policeman complied and waited.
"You involved a person external to the Unified Police in the investigation, also revealing sensitive details, without registering him as a consultant or any other regulated role. I found no documents concerning this."
Zeyang clenched his teeth but forced himself not to reply.
"You know that this person could have spread what you told him and put the entire operation in danger. Moreover, he might also have been an accomplice of those who later acted against the legitimate government of this city."
"Not all sorcerers are guilty of the actions of the few who rebelled," and you're talking about your own son, he added silently.
"The guild of sorcerers has been dissolved and, at present, every person who was part of it is under investigation."
Zeyang clenched his fists.
"In this critical situation I am forced to suspend you from service. Hand in your gun and badge to your captain. At the end of the investigation we will inform you whether further measures will be taken or whether you may be reinstated."
The detective stood up stiffly. "Suspend me, accuse me, if you want even indict me. But leave Lu Shen out of this," he said firmly.
"I don't believe you're in a position to negotiate," the general replied.
Zeyang looked at him with contempt, then decided, for the sorcerer's sake, to remain silent. He left without adding anything else.
Outside he crossed the courtyard until he exited the barracks and returned to his car. Anger boiled inside him and he wanted to punch the general.
Inside the car he struck the steering wheel with a curse, then let his head fall back, trying to regain control.
After a while he started the engine and drove to headquarters.
---
When Zeyang entered Lombardi's office, the captain stood up.
"I'm sorry," he began, walking toward him. "Give me some time and I'll put things right."
The detective placed his gun and badge on the desk. "I trust you."
---
Lu Shen was escorted to the general's door. The soldier knocked, then moved away.
The sorcerer saw the officer sitting behind the desk, his face hard and impenetrable as always.
"I expected you would come on your own initiative and not that I would have to summon you."
Lu Shen frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Lu Wei studied him. "So he didn't tell you anything. Perhaps he isn't that important."
The sorcerer's hands grew cold and sweat dampened his palms: the conversation was beginning to unsettle him.
"The detective you helped has been suspended. He disclosed information to someone outside the Police, without any confidentiality agreement."
"Do you doubt me?"
"There are rules that must be followed. Exceptions cannot be made, otherwise one could be accused of favoritism. When the investigation ends, if everything proves to be in order, he will get his badge back."
"What do you want?"
"Lu Shen, if you were still a member of the army there would be no problem."
"But I'm no longer part of it."
"You could rejoin temporarily. Your position would change, and your collaboration with him would no longer be under investigation."
Lu Shen clenched his jaw. "What do you need?" he finally asked.
"I've organized a rescue mission for two doctors working in a war zone. The village where they are is along the rebels' route. If you joined them and protected them during their withdrawal, I could close everything within a couple of days."
Lu Shen felt something die inside him. He was practically without magic, so he wouldn't be able to protect the group—or even himself. But if he didn't go, Zeyang would remain suspended for who knew how long: the general would drag things out after a refusal.
"Will you reinstate him regardless of how the mission goes?"
"Of course. But I know everything will go well with you on the team."
"What time will they come to pick me up?"
The general looked at his watch. "In less than two hours."
---
Lu Shen drove home automatically.
Back at the villa, he went straight to the bedroom and took one of his old uniforms from the wardrobe. Then he went to the study and gathered all the protection spells and talismans he already had prepared, placing them in a waterproof case that he put in his backpack.
He added a few things that might be useful and left it by the entrance.
He felt a weight pressing on his chest, together with a sense of loss…
In the bedroom he tried to summon magic into the palm of his hand. He felt only a faint warmth instead of the powerful heat he was used to.
He sat on the bed, rested his elbows on his knees and buried his head in his hands.
For a moment he allowed himself to think of Zeyang, of the days they had just spent together, of how, for the first time, he had felt the sensation of not being alone anymore. He smiled. It had been beautiful…
He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to draw air into lungs that felt crushed.
But he feared he might never have the chance to feel those emotions again.
He swallowed and stood up. Taking a sheet of paper and a pen, he wrote a few lines:
I'm sorry.
I will set everything right.
Shen
Then he carefully folded the sheet and placed it in an envelope on which he wrote:
For Zeyang
He put on the uniform and jacket, then called Ling.
"Deliver this letter to Detective Li if he comes," he said, handing him the envelope.
"Sir, where are you going?"
"I have to leave for a mission."
"But… sir, you haven't recovered yet…" The intercom rang and Lu Shen gestured for the butler to wait. "I'll go. I'll be back soon. I entrust the house to you."
Then he went out.
The cold froze his face and hands. With heavy steps he walked toward the jeep waiting for him.
He gave one last look at the villa, then got into the vehicle and banished every thought.