Taken

Chapter 17 (Part 2)

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.