AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She followed the raven, sometimes haltingly as it struggled to fly at the right speed, away from Ansel’s house and along winding roads that led, finally, to an abandoned building that used to be a school. The building was beautiful, brick, old-fashioned-looking with landscaping that was still magnificent but hadn’t been cared for in a very long time.
Saber got out of the car and followed the raven up a stone staircase to the locked front door of the building. When she tried it and it remained locked, she looked up at the raven, who had landed on the stone entryway and watched her as she tugged on the door.
“It’s locked,” she said to the raven, who gazed back at her mutely. She wanted him to start speaking, and half expected him to.
There were signs everywhere warning that the building had a security system, so Saber didn’t want to break the door down.
Not yet.
Instead, she called Mia back.
“I’m at that abandoned school not far from Doug’s house. Do you know where I’m talking about?”
“Madrona,” Mia said. “It’s not actually a school, it was a nursing home.”
“Ah,” Saber said, stepping back a little and looking at the building. “Anyway, can you meet me here?”
“I’m already looking for my keys. Elijah and Doug are coming with me.”
“Perfect.”
While she waited, she walked around the grounds, calling Lozen’s name. The raven followed her, flying and hopping on the ground. Saber was cold and noticed that the sky was darkening like it does before a storm, but there were no storm clouds. The building seemed empty, and there was no evidence that anyone had been there for a very long time.
“Saber.” Mia jogged up to her, which made her blond hair float around her head when she bounced awkwardly, not used to running.
“Hey,” Saber said, waving at Elijah and Doug who ambled up behind Mia.
“How did you find this place?”
Saber motioned to the raven on the ground a few yards away, and Mia nodded like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Any sign of her?”
Saber shook her head.
“What do you think is going on?”
“I have no idea,” Saber said honestly. “Maybe Ysidra just took her and…”
She choked on her words.
“Maybe she’s not even here.”
“Maybe not,” said Saber. “But I think she is. And I think she’s still alive.”
“Should we just break in and look for her?” Doug asked. “It seems crazy to stand outside if we think she’s in there!”
“No,” Saber said. “There are alarms. The cops would be here in three minutes.”
“We could say that we have reason to suspect she’s been kidnapped and she’s inside,” Elijah said. “Or that she threatened herself.”
Saber nodded and thought about it.
“That seems risky,” she said, “but so does leaving her in there.”
Just then, Saber saw a figure coming toward them. She realized it was close to sunset and the hair on the back of her neck stood up, but as they drew closer, she could see that it was only Sophie, arms crossed, making her way across the green lawn of the abandoned nursing home. She wasn’t wearing pastels or carrying an expensive bag, and her limp hair was pulled into an unkempt topknot. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her skin looked pale and sallow.
Saber actually felt sorry for her.
