Fateful Signs (Ballad of the Seer, Book Three)

Chapter 16 - Once Upon a Time

It was early the next morning when a knock sounded on the hotel room door. Lily forced herself to get out of bed to answer the door. Duncan groaned when she pulled away. "Where are you going? Come back to bed."

Ignoring him, Lily went to answer the door. He rolled over to face the other way. She was only mildly surprised to find Tally on the other side of the door. Her golden hair was damp, but Lily didn't hear rain. "I told you not to use magic." Tally said, looking around at the doorjamb.

"It was necessary." Lily assured her. She stepped aside and held her hand out. "Come in."

Tally pushed past Lily, into the room. She tossed her bag onto the tabletop, causing Duncan to shoot straight up. "What's going on?" he asked. When he saw Tally he pulled the blanket up further, embarrassed. His cheeks burned bright pink.

Lily looked to Tally for an answer to Duncan's question. Tally used the band on her wrist to pull her hair up. "It's time to go." she said. "We have a very small window to do this and it's closing fast. So, get dressed. We're leaving in five minutes."

Duncan scooted across the bed toward Lily, climbing out on her side. He rushed into the bathroom while Tally's head was turned. Lily rolled her eyes and followed him, closing the door behind her.

"Which of these is mine?" Duncan asked, looking through the shopping bags by the counter. Lily grabbed the correct one and handed it to him. He dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts.

Meanwhile, Lily found a shirt - the cream colored one with the lace detailing around the neck that she liked best - and pulled it on. It was a thicker material than most of the others, but something told her that she would need it. She then put on the denim skirt and some tights. She opted to wear the tall, brown, lace-up combat boots instead of tennis shoes. Mostly, so that she could tuck a couple of the vials from Santos into each boot. It never hurt to be prepared.

"Aren't you going to be kinda warm in that?" Duncan asked.

Lily shrugged. "I just have a feeling."

Duncan pursed his lips considering that. He then stripped out of his clothes and replaced them with a long-sleeved blue cotton henley and jeans.

"Why did you do that?" she asked.

"I never doubt your feelings."

She smiled as they stuffed everything they could into the backpack, leaving out their other shoes and anything that wasn't necessary. They had to travel light. Anything they needed they could get later.

When they returned to the other room, Duncan took Lily's hand.

"Finally," Tally jumped up out of her chair and grabbed her bag. They followed her out the door, but not before Lily first removed her spell from the room. Otherwise, no one would ever be able to enter that room again, without her permission.

Downstairs, they all climbed into a black SUV - Duncan was bummed that they had to abandon the Ferrari at the hotel, but it only seated two. Tally took the front passenger seat, while Lily and Duncan got in the back. The driver was a man Lily didn't know and she paid him little attention as he pulled onto the street. She was preoccupied with who Tally was taking them to meet. Because she had a pretty good idea now, after that little hint Tally gave her back at Santos' place.

The SUV stopped in front of a building downtown. A very inconspicuous place. As soon as they were out, the driver immediately pulled away. Lily supposed that meant they wouldn't be leaving any time soon. Tally took them inside, around to a back hallway, where they got on a freight elevator.