Page 39 of The Searching Songbird

Wait – what?

The toe of his boot caught on the top step, sending him stumbling forward through the open doorway. With a surprised yelp, Lily came tumbling after him, slamming into his back and knocking them both onto the entry floor.

“Shit, I am so sorry.” He attempted to sit up, but Lily was still sprawled across his chest, keeping him pinned to the ground. He ran frantic hands over her arms before sliding a hand through her golden hair and checking her head for any lumps. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

Her shoulders shook, and his stomach dropped to his feet. Is she crying? He carefully pushed himself up into a seated position. Keeping one hand beneath her neck for support, he rolled her over onto her back. His shoulders sagged with relief as he took in the barely constrained laughter that was threatening to break free from those pink, bow-shaped lips.

Just like that, his worry was exchanged for desire, as he recalled the fleeting feel of those lips as they'd pressed themselves against his own. Much too fleeting, really.

“First day walking, Draven?” she teased, making no move to remove herself from his arms. He stared down at her with hooded eyes, and the laughter died on her lips as she stared back at him, her breath catching with a slight hitch in her throat.

“Apparently,” he murmured, his hand closing around the back of her neck as he dipped his head down, covering her mouth with his in a kiss that was anything but fleeting. She let out a soft moan, pressing herself against his chest and sliding her hands up and around his shoulders.

“Ahem.”

Lily's palm smacked into his face with considerable force as she broke off their kiss. She scrambled to her feet, smoothing her skirts as she did so. A heavy-set woman with bright pink hair and spectacles stood before them, hands folded in front of her.

“As much as I enjoy a good performance, I wonder if perhaps you could refrain from enacting it the entryway?” She looked pointedly down at Draven, who still sat in stunned silence on the floor. “Sir? Would you mind?”

“Oh! Me – yes, of course.” He hurried to stand, throwing a quick glance at Lily, who stared straight ahead, face as red as a cherry. “Please, excuse us, that was” amazing “highly inappropriate.”

“On the contrary,” the woman said with a wink. “Passion is never inappropriate. Just a bit inconvenient, in this case. Now, tell me. Are you here for auditions? Because, if you are, you're cutting it awfully close. The last few numbers will be wrapping up soon. You'll need to hurry if you wish to secure a place in line.”

“Actually, we were just –”

“Yes!” Lily interrupted. “I'm here to audition. It's not too late?”

“Oh, no, of course not. We try to accommodate as many applicants as possible here at The Grand Flores Music Hall. Although, I have to warn you, the judges only select the very best to actually perform.” She gave Lily an assessing once-over. “Do you have any experience onstage, dear?”

“A bit.”

The woman's eyes lit up with a knowing gleam. “I bet you do. You have the look of a singer. Almost as if I can see the hint of a melody sitting right there.” She tapped the corner of her mouth. “But enough of that, we really must get you in place. If you'll follow me.” She turned and bustled through the large entrance hall, passing between two curved, grand staircases and heading for a small door tucked away in the corner. Lily looked over at him and shrugged. Picking up her skirts, she hurried across the marble floor to catch up with the fast-paced woman. They disappeared through the door, leaving Draven standing alone.

“So, I guess I'll just find my way to the seats, then?” His voice echoed through the empty room. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he looked around. There were several doors leading off the main floor, as well as the second-floor balcony.

Upstairs will have a better view of things.

He started for the large staircase on the left, taking in the ornately carved banister. He let out a low whistle. “Fancy place.”

The faint sounds of piano drew him forward, and he slipped through one of the doors on the second-floor, finding himself at the back of the theater's mezzanine. Red velvet seats filled the space, empty aside from a solitary gentleman at the front. With a head full of white hair and a monocle perched on his wrinkled face, he was decidedly not the man Lily was searching for.

He walked down the aisle furthest from the man, checking out the private boxes that lined the sides of the massive theater as he did. From what he could see, they were empty, but he couldn't see far enough in to know if anyone lingered in the depths. He made his way down to the railing, giving the gentleman a small nod when he glanced his way.

Training his gaze on the stage below, he watched as a portly woman stepped to the front. She was dressed all in violet, from the feathered turban on her head to the pointed shoes that peeked out from beneath yards upon yards of satin. He cringed. Hopefully, her singing was better than her fashion sense.

Almost as if she could read his thoughts, the woman opened her mouth and let out an ear-splitting bellow as she led into what he believed was a famous opera solo. To be honest, it was a little hard to tell given her warbling.

Bloody hell, she's going to bring this entire mezzanine crashing down if she keeps that up. Please, tell me Lily is next.

He spared a glance at the other gentleman, but where he expected to see a pained expression similar to his own, he only found glowing approval. There's no accounting for taste...

Attempting to block out the increasingly loud operatic – how was it possible she could get any louder – he squinted down at the table that was set-up in front of the stage. Three people sat behind it, two men and a woman. His eyes passed over the woman, who was shuffling through a stack of papers, and settled on the two men. He could only see the back of their heads, and it was difficult to note anything in particular at this distance and with the lighting so dim. Hopefully, Lily would get a better view from the stage.

Much to his relief, the woman currently on stage finally finished. After curtsying to the judges, she turned her face his way and blew a kiss. Jerking his head back, he stared at the woman in confusion until he heard the tap of a cane off to the side. The gentleman who'd been watching from the seats stood beside him, beaming with pride.

“She's something else, isn't she?”

Draven glanced back at the woman as she shuffled off the stage. He cleared his throat as he searched for something nice to say that wasn't an outright lie.