Avoiding a drunk man as I stepped outside, I turned to follow her directions and began to make my way down the street. I made it a few steps before my gaze skipped over a dark mass that had my feet stilling and my head snapping back toward it with wide eyes. Perched atop a sign protruding from a building across the street was a large, sleek, black raven.
Artemis.
My heart skipped a beat as I turned, my head jerked side to side as I frantically scanned my surroundings for signs of Silas. He was never far from his familiar.
Artemis silently watched my panicked movements, canting her head. Her beady eyes held an intelligence that always left me perturbed when they were pointed my way. Once again, I found myself wondering if she could somehow communicate with Silas as I contemplated my next move. It always seemed that way with how easily they interacted, silently knowing what the other needed.
If she could, he would be here with her. But...
He was nowhere to be found. He wasn't here.
Yet.
Pinning my eyes back on the bird, my lips pressed together, not liking the idea of being followed and hating that I only just noticed. Her feathers blended into the night effortlessly, making it hard to see her unless she wanted to reveal herself.
Dragging my eyes away, I turned to continue down the street, determined to keep going. If Silas became a problem, I would deal with him when the time came. Right now, it was only the bird whose talons scared me. A glance over my shoulder found her following me.
It was better than her heading back and waking Silas.
Continuing to keep track of her, I made my way to the corner with the closed bakery that had another street branching off after it. Its empty window displays were illuminated by a street lamp. Here, the night had grown quiet again, the noise of the tavern and stumbling drunks having faded several steps back.
Turning, I continued down the branching street that was lined with a mix of townhouses and businesses, some acting as both. Steady flames in streetlamps lit the immaculate and empty street. The odd window here or there was illuminated from inside, but aside from them, most of the homes had dark windows, their occupants likely sleeping.
Hopefully, Silas still was too.
My worry that he would wake up grew as time continued to pass. Thinking about how he would react when he did and found me gone had my hands growing damp with sweat and my eyes darting towards his bird, confirming that she was still flying from perch to perch after me. I wasn't looking forward to having to face him again.
Hopefully with a portal key in hand to soften his temper.
Though, knowing him, it may just rile him up further.
Pushing him from my thoughts, I shifted my attention to my surroundings, focusing on each sign I passed in search of the one that pointed to the Stone Inn. But as minutes passed in my search and the bakery grew into a mere speck in the distance behind me, I began to grow skeptical that the Fae from the bar had pointed me in the right direction. Maybe I hadn't given her enough coin for the right directions.
"See any sign of the Stone Inn from up there?" I asked Artemis with a soft laugh as she lowered from the air to land on the fence beside me. It held more frustration than humor.
She tilted her head.
Although she couldn't point me in the right direction, her presence was proving to be a source of comfort. It meant I wasn't alone.
Letting out a tired breath, I continued down the remaining stretch of the street that led to a wall of twisting trees. I wasn't going to come this far to turn around before confirming my doubts.
The yellow and red leaves that still hung onto dark twisting branches were faintly illuminated by the distant glow of the street lamps. They ended before the cobbled path turned to dirt. The trampled dirt cut through grass that was covered in dead leaves and led to a dark and daunting opening in the trees.
The sight had me swallowing. Maybe I had gone far enough-
My eyes widened when my next hesitant step had a sliver of white appearing around the end of the row of houses that obstructed it from view. Picking up my dwindling pace, A square three-story building came into sight. It was set apart from the joined structures lining the street and sat further back from the street. I didn't need to read the sign hanging by the entrance of the drive that formed a half-circle to know I had found what I was looking for. The structure made of creamy white stone lived up to its name.
Picking up my pace, I made my way down the cobbled drive towards it, determination fueling my steps like it had been ever since I had caught sight of the necklace that could take me home. Take me to Ash. But... as I drew closer to the double door that led inside, it withered into unease and uncertainty. It had me changing my trajectory to the stables that stood on the other side of the near the daunting treeline before I could even consider going in. I rounded the wooden building filled with soft animal noises and pressed into the darkness as the rational part of my brain that I had blocked wared with the half that was blinded by my need to get back to Ash.
They were the Autumn Guards. Soldiers. Even if they had been out drinking, how was I going to break in and steal from an inn housing them when I didn't even know what room I needed to aim for?
Maybe Silas had been right...
I don't know how long I stood there in a mental debate before a soft creaking noise had me jolting. Straightening, I peered around the stables to find a man stepping out onto one of the balconies that lined the top floor. He had his head lowered to his cupped hands that surrounded a flame. The cherry of his cigarette burned bright as the flame went out and he straightened. Moonlight glinted off his auburn hair that appeared dark red where it hit.
Rowan.
He moved to rest his forearms against the balcony's railing, tilting his head back as he blew a cloud of smoke into the sky before lifting his hand to take another drag of the burning stick he held. He didn't lower his head, finding interest in the sky above while I found it settled around his neck. I followed the stretch of his skin down to the crystal that hung around it.
My dwindling determination sparked once again at the sight that had my fingers twitching. It was right there. Silas's words from when we first met came back to me to reinforce it. Two weeks was already too long, I couldn't risk waiting months or possibly years for a safer opportunity.
Ash may not have that long.
No, a part of me knew he didn't. Not with the condition he was in. Not when all he had to rely on was my parents who were responsible for his malnourishment and abuse. The last thing on their mind was feeding him.
Plus, breaking into an inn had to be easier than a castle which seemed like our only other option according to Nolik.
Blood Stone or not, I would rather take the risks Silas feared to save Ash than wait knowing that he was withering away with each day that passed.
With my mind made and my heart filled with the hope that the rest of his group was passed out drunk, I moved towards the treeline and ducked behind a tree that gave me a better view of the Inn and Rowan as he smoked. He looked out into the night sky with a slight frown, unaware he was being watched.
Leaves rustled above me, drawing my eyes to Artemis as she peered down at me. Ignoring her, I returned my eyes to Rowan, watching him finish his cigarette as he watched the stars. I didn't take my eyes off him for a moment while he was outside. It was only when he was done and turned to make his way back through the French doors leading to his room that I dragged my eyes away from his balcony to take a closer look at the rest of the building.
My eyes skimmed over the stone structure, trying to strategize how I was going to make my way into his room without being seen or heard. Just as I was contemplating if it would be possible to slip in through the front door unnoticed or if I could find a back entrance that was unlocked, my eyes locked onto a drain pipe that ran up the corner of the building nearest me. It had metal bands bolting it to the stone that could act as steps if it was sturdy enough. Though it held the risk of falling and cracking my skull open, it also reduced my chances of running into someone or getting lost the most. All I would have to do was climb to the first balcony and then make my way across it to the next one that Rowan had stepped out onto.
Keeping an eye on his window, I made my way toward the pipe while sticking to the shadows. When I reached for it, I felt the cold of the metal through my gloves but it was sturdy when I pulled at it. Testing it further, I placed the toe of my boot on one of the metal bands holding it in place while reaching a hand up to grab one level with my eyes. I lifted my other foot from the ground to see if the holdings could carry my weight. They could.
With my course of plan growing clearer, I carefully made my way back to the tree where Artemis was watching me. Now all that was left to do was wait for Rowan to fall asleep.
Taken is complete and available on Patreon.
Captive, book 2 of The Blood Stone Series, is currently being updated. Read more at:
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