When The Heart Sings

Chapter 73

Serena's POV:

My mind was lethargic and didn't want to cooperate with my attempts to wake up. My body was being even more stubborn and I couldn't move. The first thing that stood out was that someone was holding me, but it wasn't Darien.

I realized I had felt like this before, and I knew I had been drugged once more. My hazed mind traced the mate bond, but Darien was not close by, although he was heading in this general direction.

I could hear faint muffled voices nearby, but couldn't make out what they were saying. I didn't recognize the voices though. My eyelids finally cooperated and I managed to open them. Very dim light came in through several tiny ventilation slits higher up and showed that Saphira was holding me.

She held her fingers to her lips as a sign for silence. I still couldn't move yet, but I took heed of the warning. This drug wore off slowly, as I knew from past experience. It would probably be five minutes before I could manage to stand.

Faint vibrations showed that we were moving, but more slowly than when I had blacked out. Saphira kept half an eye on me while also watching the walls of whatever box we were in. There wasn't enough light to really see colors, but the dark color of Saphira's skin and her bristled hair showed that she was not impressed.

I started flexing my fingers as I tried to regain control over my body. It was slow going, but as minutes ticked by, I regained my mobility. I started to very softly hum the calling song to direct Darien to me. Once it peaked, I dropped it, lest the goons outside realize that I had woken up.

Hopefully, the longer they thought I was unconscious, the longer they would leave me alone. Hopefully. The box was still moving, which was either a good thing or a bad thing. At least I wasn't alone this time. Saphira put me down so I could sit on the floor, although I still leaned against her side as she kneeled beside me alertly.

Darien was much closer now, and still headed this way, although he was some distance out. I held my breath as a voice I recognized spoke loudly.

"Well, well, well. So you did manage to take her alive. I am quite impressed. Let's have a look at her."

The sound of bolts and clips being removed had Saphira crouching down in a defensive position in front of me. One side wall was pulled away from the thick metal bars to show Councillor Mitchell.

He blinked in surprise, "You didn't mention that you also managed to catch a Dranek. Both seem unharmed as well." His evil grin spread across his face, "I am very impressed. I will triple your payment for this delivery."

The two Valrid stared at Saphira in surprise, they must not have known she had been in here with me, but they nodded their acceptance and left. It was eerie how their faintly dappled dark grey fur and dark clothing blended into the shadows of the lantern-lit hallway and practically made them disappear.

He watched us for a few moments, "Interesting, very interesting..." He glanced to the side, "Push them into the room and put the cage on the platform."

Others I couldn't see continued pushing the cage as Saphira glared through the bars at the Tarulk who seemed far too pleased with himself. I uneasily shuffled backwards until my back was against the wall of the cage.

There were at least a dozen armed fighters around us, possibly more that I couldn't see through the walls. I doubted Saphira could fight so many at once. I didn't see a door on this cage either, which also complicated our escape. I wrapped my arms around my knees nervously before humming as quietly as I could to Darien once more.

I kept an eye on the Councillor. I didn't trust this Tarulk in the least, and I knew he had been behind my earlier kidnapping as well. He was far too cheerful about having trapped a Dranek and a human who was soulbonded to a Tarulk. It looked like he might have also been the one to put a bounty on my head as well...