Page 35 of The Searching Songbird

Chapter Seventeen

What the hell were you thinking?

The same question that had kept Draven tossing and turning all night now came back to haunt him this morning, as he stared bleakly at his reflection in the small, gilt mirror that hung over the wash basin in his rented room.

The pathetic figure staring back failed to give him an answer. The worthless lout.

Wasn't it bad enough that he'd been hired to steal her away? And, now, he'd what? Flirt with her? Court her? Steal kisses outside hired hackneys? All before whisking her away to whatever untold horrors awaited her in Antos?

“You're a right, bloody bastard.”

Sick of looking at his own guilt ridden face, he turned on his heel and stormed across the room, dropping into a stiff-backed armchair that sat tucked away in the corner. Leaning his head back, he stared up at the dingy ceiling, his eyes settling blankly on a large water mark that looked rather like a one-eared cat if you stared at it long enough.

And he did.

He sat in that chair, staring up at the ceiling in a state of silent brooding, for quite some time. Occasionally, his mind would wander downstairs to the boarding house's tavern and his throat would burn with the need for a stiff drink, but each time he'd give himself a mental shake, reminding himself that it was much too early in the day for hard liquor. Even by his standards. And besides, he needed a clear head right now.

He could quit. Turn his back on the boss and all of his underlings and simply not do what he'd been tasked to do. He could wipe his hands of the whole thing.

But would it make a difference? Not only would he be letting down the man who'd saved his family, the boss would just come and take her himself, anyway.

He could warn Lily of the danger she was in. He could take her somewhere safe, somewhere the boss would never find them.

Although, he wasn't entirely sure he could hide from the boss. The man seemed to have eyes and ears everywhere. And there was no guarantee Lily would listen, or that she would want to go anywhere with him once she knew the truth behind his presence here. It was more likely she would curse the day she met him and cast him from her life altogether.

With a groan, he let his head fall forward, dropping his face into his hands. There had to be another option. There had to be something he could do, anything to remedy the precarious situation he found himself trapped within. If only he knew why the boss wanted her, what his intentions were...

I could ask him.

The sudden thought had him shooting to his feet, a nervous energy building in his gut as the idea took root. Pacing the length of the room, he mulled the words over in his mind as he tested the wisdom there.

The boss had said he would come for Lily himself if Draven took too long, which implied he would be traveling to Flores to get her. If he could intercept him, demand a meeting... perhaps he could find out what the boss's plans were. Maybe even convince him of an alternative path, if one was to be had.

And if he says no? If he tries to take Lily away, despite your best efforts? What will you do then?

He squeezed his eyes shut as the image of his beautiful, sweet Lily flashed before him, bound and gagged, her eyes full of terror. It'd been a hard image to stomach before he knew her, when she was simply 'the target', but now? Having seen just how brave and compassionate she was? A young woman who would travel alone to an unknown city in order to save someone she'd never even met?

Impossible.

He couldn't abandon her to her fate. He wouldn't. If it came down to it, he would do whatever he could to protect her from the boss, debt or no debt. He only hoped the boss would hear reason when they met.

Energized by his decision, Draven all but leaped out of his chair and out the door, feeling the need for fresh air and sunshine after so much time spent moping around his room. With a spring in his step, he took off down the city sidewalk, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of his future meeting.

Now, what to do in the interim?

You did make the lady a promise – to help her in her search for this mystery girl and her alleged captor.

If, indeed, there was such a person here in Flores. Not that he doubted the presence of wicked men within the city. It was more the fact that all of her information came from dreams and visions. Hardly concrete evidence.

Then again, the woman did have the ability to produce a phoenix out of thin air. So, perhaps there was something to it, after all. Either way, she believed it was real. There had been no questioning the sincerity in her voice as she'd laid her story out before him. The least he could do was support her in her search.

It would be wise to keep an eye on her, regardless, in case the boss decided to bypass him and take her without his realizing.

He started off down the sidewalk, passing shop after shop until his feet slowed to a stop in front of a red, painted door. A large sign hanging above it announced it as the local barbershop. A slow smile spread across his face as he pushed the door open and strode inside.

He was done hiding.

Chapter Eighteen