Page 60 of The Searching Songbird

“No,” Lily said flatly. “He only kidnaps them. What a saint.”

“She would have been safer with him than the baron,” he insisted, feeling the need to vindicate himself somehow. Why couldn't she see he only had her best interests in mind? That he was trying his best to find some sort of acceptable solution in this giant mess?

“Not a monster?” She snorted. “Do you even know who it is you're working for? Do you, Draven?”

“I know what I've seen,” he retorted, feeling his hackles rise. “A man who would step in and save a stranger and his family from persecution. A man who cared for that family, taking them under his protection. A man who would sit at a woman's side, holding her hand as she...” His voice cracked, and he squeezed his eyes shut against the memory. “... As she withered away, too overcome by the past to go on.”

A soft hand touched his cheek, and he leaned in to it, taking the comfort that was offered. “He saved us, Lily. He saved us, when he could have just as easily kept on walking. So, no, I don't think he's a monster. Not after everything he's done for us.”

He opened his eyes and lifted his hand, placing it over Lily's as she cupped his cheek. Her eyes glimmered with unshed tears.

“I'm sorry,” he whispered, running his thumb over her hand. “I'm sorry I lied to you. That I wasn't there for you tonight, when you needed me. When I saw what he did to you on that balcony... I wanted to rip his filthy hands from his body for touching you like that.”

A fresh wave of rage rolled over him at the recollection. He hadn't felt that helpless since that fateful day he'd returned home from the army.

“I am grateful your boss saved you that day, but, Draven, you have no idea who he truly is.”

Anger gave way to confusion as he stared back at her. “What do you mean? Have you met him?”

“I haven't.” She paused, watching him carefully. “But Suzu has.”

“Suzu...” He dropped his hand, confused. Her hand slid down, as well, falling to her side, and he mourned the loss of its warmth. “Your phoenix met him? How? When did this even happen?

“Oh, about two hundred years ago, give or take.”

“Two hundred years ago,” he repeated, giving her an incredulous look. “You expect me to believe my boss is over two-hundred years old? Are you serious? I'd be surprised if he's more than thirty. Early thirties at the most.”

“Well, it would seem demi-gods don't age the same way we do.”

“Demi-gods don't age...” He pressed a hand against his temple, feeling a sudden headache coming on. “What in the bloody hell do demi-gods have to do with my boss?”

“Your boss is a demi-god. The same demi-god, in fact, whom the Shendri were created to prevent from dominating all of Lehi. He's Bade, Draven. That's his true name, despite whatever alias he may have given you.”

“He never gave me his name at all... just goes by 'the boss'... said he liked his anonymity.” Draven shook his head in bewilderment. “He's the Bade? Son of the moon goddess? The one you told me about on the boat?”

“The very one.”

“But... I thought you said he was gone? Chased into the mountains, never to be seen again?”

“He was.” She threw her hands up. “And now he's here. And apparently looking to get his hands on one of the Shendri for some reason or another. None of which, I imagine, are too good.”

“This is crazy. You know that, right?”

She shot him a look. “We've been hunting down a man I saw in a vision after a dragon visited me in a dream and asked me to save his Shendri, and this is what you find crazy? Really?”

“I hear you. It's just a little overwhelming, you know?”

She huffed, planting her hands on her hips. “Well, you'd better get over it soon, because we don't have time for you to sit around mulling the whole thing over. We've got some serious planning to do.”

“We do?” he asked, feeling more than a little lost. She widened her eyes at him, as if the answer should be obvious. Should it? Damn, he was off tonight.

“Fia, Draven! We have to go back for her.”

He blinked in surprise. She wanted to go back there? Tonight? After everything that had happened to her, she was still willing to go back and fight for her friend? An overwhelming sense of awe washed over him as he stared down at the impressive woman standing before him. Gone was the girl with the tear-filled eyes and trembling shoulders, replaced by a golden-haired warrior with blue flames in her eyes and determination in her chin.

His lips pulled up to the side in a crooked grin, the first he'd had since his boss – rather, Bade – showed up at the theater.

“Alright, Shendri. Where do we start?”