The Necromancer's Blade by Falstaff

Author:Falstaff
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mad Cow Press

CHAPTER 24

VANISHING ACT

Illiana's eyes fluttered open to unfamiliar surroundings. For a moment, panic seized her - where was she? Then, memories of the escape filtered back. She was in an apartment under the protection of the private investigator Blackwood and his allies.

Her gaze settled on Rocco's bulky, sleeping form sprawled on a nearby sofa. Illiana felt an unexpected fondness for the gruff bruiser who had saved her from the cultists. On impulse, she rose gracefully and gently kissed Rocco's cheek before slipping silently out the window into the predawn gloom.

Later that morning, the apartment door slammed open with a bang, jolting Rocco from restless sleep. In stormed Lyra, eyes blazing like green fire at the sight of the bruiser sprawled on her mother's floral sofa. Her ginger curls seemed to crackle with electricity as she planted fists on her hips.

"Rise and shine, Muscles!" Lyra shouted, roughly shaking the brute awake. "Just what do you think you're doing camped out in my ma's place, huh?"

Rocco jolted upright, wincing. "Keep it down, will ya? Blackwood had me keeping an eye on that sprite girl Illiana here."

"Oh, he did, did he?" Lyra fumed, hands clenched on hips. "And you didn't think to mention you'd be squatting in my family's home with some floozy?"

Rocco threw up his hands defensively. "Whoa, now, nothing untoward happened! I was just following the LT's orders."

Lyra jabbed an accusatory finger into Rocco's broad chest. "I don't care what Blackwood told you. This is MY home, and I don't take kindly to beefcakes lounging around uninvited!"

Rocco stood, chagrined. "You're right. He should've asked first, but you were gone. He didn’t mean any disrespect. But speaking of our guest, where is she?"

Lyra scanned the empty room, outraged. "You tell me, musclehead! It seems you lost our little tagalong."

Rocco paled, cursing himself for negligence. Blackwood would have his hide for this. They'd have to pick up the Sprite’s trail fast before she got into deeper trouble alone.

Rocco limped hurriedly down the apartment steps, still cursing under his breath. His injured leg from the cultist fight throbbed, but he pushed past the pain. Finding Illiana before any harm came to her was all that mattered now.

Lyra followed close behind, scanning the empty predawn streets for signs of the wayward sprite. But Illiana had vanished like mist.

Leaning against a lamppost to take the weight off his bum knee, Rocco wracked his brain where Illiana could have gone. Her kind tended to seek out nature when distressed. Perhaps the city gardens?

Lyra seemed to read his thoughts. "I'll check the park and arboretum. You head to Blackwood's office in case she turns up there."

Rocco nodded, resigned to face the Blackwoods' wrath over losing their vulnerable charge. Lyra gave his arm a slight, sympathetic squeeze before they parted ways to cover more ground.

Limping along the foggy sidewalks, Rocco kept his eyes peeled for a slim, graceful figure with gossamer wings. "C'mon, sprite, don't make me chase you all over this blasted city," he muttered through gritted teeth.

The street lamps extinguished as dawn light filtered between buildings.

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