Page 62 of The Searching Songbird

“Hmph.” She pursed her lips in displeasure. “No killing the staff, Draven. I mean it. It's not their fault their employer is insane.”

He sighed. “I'll do what I can to spare their lives, but Lily... I'm afraid it's quite possible that some of the staff will be a bit deranged, as well. Particularly those who've been serving there for years. I mean, the man had his entire home surrounded by an enchanted barrier. That kind of thing will change a person. It warps their thinking, and eats away at their conscience. It'll make things like keeping a woman in a cell to be beaten for pleasure seem normal. I'm not about to take any chances, not with people like that. Not when your safety needs to be my priority.”

“And Fia's.”

“Right. And Fia. Getting the two of you to safety is all that matters. If a few people get injured along the way, well, shit happens.”

It was Lily's turn to sigh as she placed a gentle hand on Draven's sleeve. She waited until he looked down to meet her eyes. When he did, she gave him a beseeching look. “It's not their fault their minds have been poisoned.” He opened his mouth to protest, but she continued before he could say anything. “All I'm asking is that you don't kill anyone. That's all.”

He stared down at her, his face softening as a warm light kindled in his eyes. “You're a good person, Lily.” His hand lifted to her cheek, and he stroked his thumb slowly over her cheekbone, the sensation setting loose those pesky butterflies in her stomach. “I promise I won't kill anyone unless its absolutely necessary.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, unable to tear her gaze away from his. She swallowed, and his eyes grew hooded as he took in the subtle movement. He lowered his head, closing the distance between them inch by agonizing inch. Lily's heart took off at a gallop as she felt his breath on her lips, and her eyes fluttered closed.

His lips brushed against hers lightly, teasing her senses, before moving across her cheek and whispering in her ear.

“Except for the baron. I suspect I'd enjoy killing him.”

It took a moment for his words to sink in, but, when they did, she gave him a quick punch in his gut. Which wasn't really a gut so much as a rock wall...

“You're impossible!” she hissed, shaking her hand out and leveling him with her fiercest glare, which he met with laughing eyes and a fond smile. “And don't for a minute think this means I trust you. Because, I don't!”

He chuckled. “I'll keep that in mind. Now, if we could get back to the matter at hand?”

“As if I'm the one going around distracting people,” she grumbled.

He grinned. “You find me distracting?”

Her lips thinned into an annoyed line and she jabbed her finger at the somewhat rumpled paper still clutched in her hand. “So, we come in through the study,” she said, ignoring his question, “and then it looks like the rooms we're headed for are in the same wing. Actually, it looks as though there's a fairly direct path there, just a few corridors and two flights of stairs.”

“Convenient,” Draven murmured, following her finger as it traced out their route. “For both us and him. I imagine he likes having them close by.”

“Well, his enjoyment ends tonight,” Lily growled. Folding the layouts back into a square, she shoved them down into her skirt pocket, where her fingers immediately met with cool steel.

“Oh! I completely forgot I had this.” She pulled out the small knife she'd placed there earlier that evening. “Huh.” She gave the knife a few practice jabs. “Damn, I could have stabbed him earlier. I can't believe I forgot.”

Draven eyed her movements doubtfully. “I'm thinking it might have been for the best. How about you focus on the scouting, and I'll worry about the knife work, eh?”

She made a face at him, but returned the knife to her pocket without comment. “Are we going to do this or were you planning on standing around in the forest until the sun comes up?”

“After you, my lady.”

My lady. A weight settled in the pit of her stomach at the reminder of the baron's revelations. Later. I'll think about that later. Right now, I need to focus on Fia.

“Lily... are you okay?” Draven looked down at her, his teasing smile fading into concern. She took a deep breath, lifting her head and pulling back her shoulders.

“Never better. Let's do this.”

Chapter Thirty-One

“We good?”

Lily held her hand up, shushing him, and Draven shifted his weight from one foot to another as he stared out over the moonlit lawns. It looked empty enough. He bit back a sigh of impatience as Lily continued to stand motionless at the edge of the treeline, her eyes closed in concentration. Finally, she looked up and gave him a short nod.

“We're clear to the balcony. Let's go.”

They took off across the grass, and Draven felt a thrilling rush of adrenaline as they raced toward the mansion. It was about time he had some real action.

They slowed down as they approached the wall beneath the balcony, and once again Lily held up a finger as she waited for Suzu to let them know if the study was unoccupied. The bird fluttered around the doorway as it peered through the glass panes, looking very un-phoenix like in its smaller state. No wonder he hadn't noticed her skulking around The Burrow. Sneaky bird.