58 The Price

58 The Price
(Kyle's POV)

Ahead, the Maren couple had entered an underground clinic.

I suppressed my emotions and continued tracking. Through the half-open door, I saw Eli strapped to a treatment bed.

The boy's eyes were open, filled with numb despair.

After examining him, the doctor shook his head.

"He's in terrible condition! Chronic magical power overdraw, malnutrition, poor development. Looks like a child - you won't get much money for him."

Martin frowned: "How much do you think he'll sell for?"

The doctor spread his hands: "Pricing isn't my responsibility. Don't ask me."

The conversation between the doctor and Martin continued. Maren stood a few steps away, twisting a handkerchief, not interrupting. The examination room's light was dim, a dark yellow magical lamp hanging overhead casting blurred shadows on the floor tiles.

I watched Eli. He had awakened but no one noticed.

Then Eli acted. His body suddenly curled upward, lunging toward Martin with extreme speed, fingertips forward, fingers straight and rigid, nails glowing faintly.

Semi-mermaid form could easily tear apart a human.

Martin reacted quickly. He tilted his head slightly, stepping back sideways. But Eli's fingertips still caught him - from left cheekbone to ear, leaving three parallel wounds. Flesh split open, blood beads seeping from the cuts, trickling down his jaw. Martin covered his face, groaning as his body hit the iron shelf behind him. The shelf shook, medicine bottles rattling, one rolling off and shattering on the floor.

"You damned mermaid! I'll kill you!" Martin roared, covering his wounds, blood seeping through his fingers onto his collar.

Eli didn't land steadily, ankle straps still buckled. His body's momentum made him stumble forward, hitting the bed frame, shoulder striking the shelf edge. He struggled to stand but had only half-risen when Maren raised her hand.

Her lips moved, uttering a short syllable. Her wand tip glowed with dark purple light like invisible rope, wrapping around Eli's wrists and ankles. Eli instantly froze mid-air, muscles still straining but movement locked in place.

Martin straightened, covering his facial wound as he approached. He raised his foot as if to kick Eli but hesitated and lowered it.

"If not for selling at a good price... damned mermaid! Beast! Bah!"

The doctor frowned: "You need to pay me cleaning fees."

I observed all this, confirming one important thing - only four people were currently in the clinic: Martin, Maren, the doctor, and Eli.

A good opportunity, so I acted too.

Maren was first to notice me. She turned her head, gaze falling on me, mouth slightly open as if to cry out - but she only managed half a syllable. A short blade slid from my sleeve into my palm, cutting along Maren's neck from left to right, smoothly ending her life along muscle grain.

The dark purple light quickly faded, Eli's restraint released as he fell to the ground.

Martin's pupils contracted sharply. I saw his other hand reach into his coat, pulling something out before I could identify it and throwing it to the floor.

Black bone fragment with a nauseating smell.

When the fragment hit the ground, a mass of dark shadow rose from the floor. It expanded rapidly, outline constantly shifting in semi-transparent darkness, emitting low humming sounds. It spread its body, blocking my attack. Martin ran.

I looked at the doctor: "I have no money for cleaning fees."

The doctor shrugged: "Well then, Maren's purse is mine."

"Rest assured, the first rule of black market survival is keeping your mouth shut," the doctor assured me. "Many people die in the black market daily. I won't meddle in others' business."

"Remember what you said." I picked up Eli and left the clinic. Despite my power, I wasn't stupid enough to kill a black market doctor in the black market itself.

I wrapped Eli in my cloak. The black market had plenty of strange people, so we didn't attract attention.

"Thank you, but we can't leave together," Eli said as we were about to exit the black market.

"I'm taking you away." I needed to show him to Ella at least, or she'd worry.

"I have tracking magic and slave contracts..." Before Eli finished, I placed my hand on his neck, injecting my magic into his body. A thin layer of magical power was severed and scattered.

"Done," I said. "I've removed the tracking magic. As for the slave contract, who did you sign it with?"

"...Maren," Eli said dully.

"Maren is dead. The contract on you will automatically dissolve." I had no patience with mermaids. "Let's go quickly."

"No, I can't leave..." Eli lowered his head. "I... I have to save him..."

"What?" I grabbed this overreaching little mermaid. "I don't want to waste more time. Come with me now or I'll knock you unconscious."

"Please! I can't leave!" Eli's voice became increasingly firm. "I have to save that mermaid at the auction! I must go to the auction!"

"You?" I looked at this small, weak, fragile mermaid who probably hadn't received proper mermaid heritage training. So weak, yet wanting to attend an auction - it was suicide.

"Kind sir, could... could you help me? Please help me rescue my kinsman!"

I looked at the mermaid's pleading eyes and smiled.

"Even if it requires you to pay a heavy price?"

He answered without hesitation: "I'm willing to pay anything!"

I smiled slightly: "Then I want your pearl tears."