Page 10 of The Searching Songbird

Yep. He definitely needed a drink.

Chapter Seven

Lily lifted her face as she took a deep breath of salty sea air. The wind was making a mess of her hair, and a fine mist of sea spray dampened her blue traveling dress.

It was glorious.

“Looks like we've got some rain headin' our way, miss. You'd best head into your cabin.” One of the crew, a younger boy who looked like he may have been about fourteen at the most, appeared beside her, his arms full of rope. He had a mop of red hair that fell over his freckled face, and his arms and legs looked too long for his body, as if they were waiting for the rest of him to catch up to their growth spurt.

She smiled. Rain didn't bother her. Nor did the swell of the waves, as they rocked the ship back and forth. Like a cradle. Ignoring his comment on the weather, she nodded toward the rope he was holding. “Need any help with that?”

He reared back, looking horror struck at the very idea. “No, thank you, miss. I've got it all right. Sides, you really ought to be gettin' in. The cap'n won't like to see you out here in poor weather.”

“Hmm. If you're sure. I'm pretty handy with rope, you know. I know all the different knots.”

He gave her a skeptical look. “What's a fine lady like you doin' knottin' rope?”

That elicited a laugh. “Fine lady? Is that what I am? More like a penniless orphan who was adopted by a family of Kalo. Fine, yes, but hardly a lady. At least, not by society's standards. And as for knots, I learned 'em on the islands when I was a girl. Spent loads of time fishing.”

His face lit up. “Yeah? I go fishin' all the time, when I'm home.” He gave her an appreciative once-over. “You're not too bad, for a girl.”

“Gee, thanks,” she laughed. “I suppose you're not so bad, yourself. For a boy, anyway.”

He chuckled, shifting the ropes in his arms. “Fair enough. I'd better get these over to Dom. He wants to make sure everything's secure, case it turns into a storm.” He started to hurry away, calling back over his shoulder as he went. “Don't forget to head in soon.”

“I will,” she called after him. With a satisfied sigh, she took one last look at the sea before turning toward the main hull.

What do you think, Suzu? Are you excited to see Flores?

“Indeed,” the phoenix replied, her soft voice filling Lily's mind. “It'll be interesting to see how much it's changed over the past two hundred years.”

You've been to Flores before?

“I have. My original Shendri host was from Roshka, if you recall.”

That's right. I've traveled through Roshka, myself, but somehow I've never made it down to Flores. From what I've read, it sounds like a pretty big city.

“That will make our mission rather challenging. Finding a single girl we've never met in such a large place.”

True. But I'm fairly certain she has long, red hair. So, that's something.

“I suppose.”

And, don't forget the mansion I saw in the dream. It must be connected to her somehow, or else I don't think the dragon, Artemis, would have shown it to me.

“Or maybe it was just another way of identifying the city of Flores, like the cathedral you saw. Perhaps if you kept looking, you would have found the mansion depicted in the book, as well.”

Maybe. But my gut is telling me that's where she is. Or was, anyway. Ultimately, I'm hoping we'll be able to sense her once we're close enough. Use the Shendri bond to feel her out.

“And what are you going to do if you find her?”

Depends on the situation, I guess. Let's worry about finding her first, before we start making rescue plans. For all we know, she could be free by now. Either way, I want to meet her.

Lily stopped in front of her cabin, located next to the captain's own private quarters. Ducking inside, she pulled off her wet things. Spotting a towel near her empty wash basin, she dried herself off before wrapping her hair up, using the towel like a turban. Her trunk was pushed up against the wall of the small room, near the foot of the bunk. A quick search inside produced a simple peasant blouse and a flowing, rose-colored skirt. She found some stockings, as well, but decided against them.

By now the rain had picked up, streaking down the glass of the small porthole-window beside her bunk. Curling up on the soft mattress, she closed her eyes, letting the sound of the rain lull her to sleep.

∞∞∞