An Oath In Blood (Book #3)

Chapter 07: Raven

CORVINA HAWKE

Trish pulled the car down the road, toward the Italian place Lily had traced Warren to. I stayed silent during the ride, focusing on trying to get my thoughts in order. Drumming my fingers against my thigh, I stared straight ahead, hoping Sebastian would listen to Lily and just go to bed early tonight.

"What are you thinking?" Trish asked, glancing at me briefly before speeding up, driving through the traffic as if he had a death wish. Well, when you were an assassin, death was the least of your worries.

"Trying to prepare myself for tonight." I released a breath, my hand reaching for the dagger at my waist. I didn't know when I went from playing with dolls and toy cars to blades and guns, but the transition was quick enough for me to not remember a life before–before this.

"It's okay, Hawke. The Big Guy isn't going to find out that you messed up big time." He responded and I rolled my eyes, smacking his arm with the back of my hand.

"You know I am not worried about him." I sigh.

"Then what is it?" He raised his eyebrows at me, emphasizing his words.

"I...umm...you know how the best part of our jobs is that our targets are just random strangers we have to take down?" I questioned, glancing at Trish briefly. He nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. "Well, I think I...uh...that I might know Warren Hale."

"What?" Trish frowned. "How? You have been in the academy for the past eleven years. It is only recently that you got out. And as far as I know, you have been keeping to yourself ever since." He added.

"I know. Before I went to the academy. Or was sold to the Big Guy." I grimaced as my childhood came crashing back into me. "It is hard for me to forget things. With my memory, I remember little details. And I remember Warren Hale."

"How do you know him?" Trish looked sympathetic and I wanted to shut up. But my friends were the only people I ever dared to open up to, Trish especially. We had a bond which didn't compare to anyone else's. So, I blew out a breath and began.

The party sucked. I would have been with my friends at Georgina's house, watching a movie and laughing about anything and nothing but I was at this party which was full of pretentious people, talking animatedly to show each other up. I sat in a corner of the room, my legs dangling from the bar stool I had stolen from the bar as I watched couples dance on the dance floor.

The dance floor seemed remotely better to me, with people who were in love, swaying to the flow of the music, their steps graceful and elegant. I watched one couple in particular. They weren't young but there was a youth reflected in their eyes as they looked at each other that even my twelve-year-old self couldn't miss.

The woman had blonde hair and a smile which would instantly make you feel better on a bad day. I wished my mother had that kind of smile. The man was a brunette with eyes that crinkled with love as he stared at the lady in his arms. He twirled her and she let out a soft giggle, blushing when he pulled her back into him. I found myself smiling too.

"They are my parents," A voice said and I felt someone shifting beside me. I glanced to my left to find a boy slipping onto the bar stool next to mine, his hair as blonde as the woman's. He must have dragged it from the bar like I had. "They look good together, don't they?" He asked as he looked at the couple but he didn't seem too happy about it.

"They look like they were made for each other." I smiled when I turned to stare at them again.

"They are." The boy responded. He didn't seem much older than I was so I didn't mind talking to him. I usually kept away from kids older than me. I knew they could be mean.