The Air Singer (The Cantors) (16 page)

Roland and Tally spent most of the night pleasing each other leaving only an hour or two for sleep. Cradled in his arms, Tally awoke and opened her eyes relieved that it wasn’t all a dream. Her head rested on his chest, rising and falling with each breath. She didn’t move, hoping to freeze the moment. She knew that she should wake him. Oliver could show up at any time to take them back to the facility. The sun barely peeked through the window shutters and she hoped to have another hour to enjoy his embrace. A sudden banging at the door told her different.

Roland bolted out of bed and stood as if ready for a fight
. Tally leaned up on her arm and held the sheet up to her neck. The banging continued as Roland grabbed his underwear and hopped on one leg toward the door as he tried to pull his jeans back on. Peering through the peephole, he silently cursed. He turned back toward Tally to let her know that Oliver had arrived but was struck silent at the sight of her. Her blonde hair laid tousled around her fair-skinned shoulders. She grasped the white sheet to her chest covering the breasts that had filled his hands just hours before. Her blue eyes shone under heavy lids. 

“Who is it?
” she whispered. 

“Oliver
,” he answered. “You need to get dressed.”

Tally nodded and slid to the edge of the bed and reached to grab her underwear
and maneuvered it on. She stood to pick up her dress and a shot of pain in her ankle reminded her of the events that brought her and Roland to this little one room cabin. She sat back on the bed and massaged her bruised foot. Roland ran over and knelt in front of her, handing her the burgundy garment.

Tally
pulled her arms through and wrapped it around her body just before attempting to stand for second time. She leaned against Roland and fastened the skirt at her side. Roland’s hands lingered at her waist. Tally couldn’t stop the urge to lay her hands on his bare chest.

Her touch summoned flashes of last night to his mind. Roland looked into her eyes.

“Tally, last night meant a lot to me. I…” The banging at the door started again, much louder this time. He shut his eyes and sighed in frustration at the interruption. 

Tally stood
still, waiting for him to finish his thought. When he opened his eyes again, Roland took her face in his hands and lightly kissed her on the cheek. “I should get that before Oliver starts yelling and waking everyone in the resort.”

He left her standing at the bed and grabbed his shirt from the chair where he’d thrown it last night
. Pulling it over his head, he buttoned it as far as he could. He ran a hand through his hair and took one last look at Tally who nodded at him as she smoothed her own hair out. 

He opened the door to find a frustrated Oliver standing
in the doorway.

“Well it’s about time
! I was scared that the Spina had sent more agents to find you.” He pushed past Roland into the room and saw Tally standing in front of the bed with a half-smile on her face.

“Good morning, Oliver.
” Tally greeted him.

“How’s the ankle?” Oliver asked. 

Roland closed the door and gathered her heels from the floor before joining Oliver in the center of the room. “She still can’t stand on it, so I don’t think she will be running any of your trails for a few weeks.”

Oliver nodded. “I don’t think Anna will want us to be running around too far from the facility after last night
anyways.” He looked to Tally. “She wants to speak with you right away.”

Tally nodded and began limping
toward the door. Roland ran up to her and put her arm around his shoulders as he lifted her into his arms. 

“I think she may want to clean up and change clothes first.” He walked past Oliver with his precious cargo.

“Sure thing, we’ll stop by her house.” Oliver followed his friend and opened the door for him. He noticed Tally laid her head against Roland’s chest as he took her to the truck. Closing the door behind him, he followed them to the vehicle and drove back toward Pinetop.

Tally hobbled directly to the bathroom w
hen they arrived at her house. Roland collapsed on the sofa hoping for a catnap as Oliver searched the kitchen for anything resembling breakfast. As soon as he heard the water turn on in the bathroom, Oliver deserted the kitchen to confront Roland.

“You want to talk about it?”

Roland kept his eyes closed. “Do I want to talk about what?”

“Whatever it was that happened between you and Tally
. I’m assuming it might have something to do with the popped button on your shirt and the sudden change in her attitude toward you.”

Roland
opened his eyes and slowly pronounced each word, making eye contact with his friend, “Nothing happened.”

Oliver
shook his head and left Roland sitting on the sofa to return to the kitchen. “You never used to lie to me.”

Roland
put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes again. “Not that I’m admitting to anything, but I never want to put you in a position to lie
for
me.”

“Fair enough.
” Oliver opened the fridge again. “You think Anna will fix us breakfast?”

“
The Spina are active in the area, looking for the singer that she is responsible for, and you think she’s worried about making you pancakes?” Roland asked.

“Hey a guy’
s got to eat and I need the energy after my mini marathon last night.” Oliver closed the refrigerator door. “I’m surprised you don’t have more of an appetite after last night. I mean drinking, dancing, taking on the Spina,
comforting
Tally all night…”

“Let it go Oliver!” Roland interrupted. “I’m more tired than anything and trying to catch a few
z’s before we have to face Anna.”

“She wore you out
, huh?” Oliver muttered, just before a blue throw pillow flew across the room toward his head.

Anna paced frantically at the front of the store. Oliver woke her that morning to inform her of the Spina attack. She’d been in contact with the other facilities since before sunrise trying to see if it was a coordinated strike or just an attempt to take Tally. The news was bitter sweet. The other facilities reported no unusual activity. This meant the Spina had not found their locations; only her little haven was threatened. She would have to prepare to leave the area.

The rumble of Roland’s truck into the parking lot announced the arrival of her charges
. She wouldn’t break the news to them quite yet. No reason to frighten Tally any more than she already was. 

Tally hobbled in
to the antique store wearing jeans and a green sweatshirt. A soak in her tub and replacing those damn heels with tennis shoes had helped the throbbing in her foot. While not perfect yet, she was able to walk on her own. Roland was right beside her with a reassuring hand on her back. It was the most contact he’d made with her since last night. The fact that he hadn’t spoken of the time they’d spent together weighed heavily on her mind. She tried to convince herself that it was only because they had not been alone since Oliver picked them up, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something else was going on.

“Tally!
How is your foot?” Anna walked over and put her arm around Tally’s shoulders like a mother. “I have an herbal soak cooking in the kitchen. We will make a compress for you as soon as we get down stairs.”

“Thanks. Where’s Mike?
” Anna greeting her at the front door to the shop surprised Tally. In the months she’d been in Pinetop, she’d never seen Anna leave the lower floor.

“
I told the boy that we had an electrical problem and the store would be closed for the day. With everything that’s happened in the last twenty four hours, I think it is prudent to keep everyone away today.” She offered Tally a tight-lipped smile. “Let’s get you to the kitchen and start breakfast. It will be better to discuss recent events over a full stomach.”

Oliver smiled widely and nudged Roland at the mention of food. Roland just shook his head, secretly relieved that Anna would be cooking. He was famished.

“Well, that is quite an adventure you had Tally!
” Anna paused to take another sip of breakfast tea. “I’m quite happy that you were able to control your power enough to defend yourself.”

“It wasn’t really control
. It turned on by itself.” Tally admitted. “I’m just glad I was able to turn it off when Roland and Oliver appeared.”

“I still ended up eating a few pine needles.
” Oliver joked.

Anna didn’t seem amused. “Yes, well we need to go find th
e bodies of those agents. They could have clues on them that explain how they located you. You might want to bury them, as well. It won’t help matters to have local authorities investigating the death of four John Does. Both of you boys will return to the scene of the attack with some shovels.”

“What about my car?” Oliver asked.

“I’ll have it towed back to your apartment.” Roland replied.

“No, you will have it taken to a junk yard.” A
nna corrected. “Those agents could have reported your plate number to their colleagues. They could have your address and already be waiting there.”

“That’s
next door to my house!” Tally yelled.

Roland stood up. “She’s right Anna
. That is definitely too close for comfort.”

“
We will move you to another location for the time being.”

“Why can’t I stay here?
” Tally asked. “I would think it would be the safest place.”

“Tally, I have
two main responsibilities. The first is to protect the Cadence. This facility contains the locations of every Cadence strong hold in the world. The second is to protect you and any other singer in the protection of the Cadence. I can’t let either fall into the hands of the Spina.” Anna set her china teacup back on the table. “To keep both in the same location is not wise strategy.”

“So where
am I staying?” Tally asked.

“Fool Hollow Lake” Anna answered
. “Oliver, you will be staying at the facility with me. Roland, pack a bag as you will be staying with Tally full time now. We cannot take any risks.”

Tally’s heart jumped at the thought of being alone with her paladin again
. She looked to Roland for some sign of interest, but as always his expression was serious and his attention was on Anna. He walked behind Oliver and grabbed his shoulder, “C’mon, we have work to do.”

Oliver wiped his mouth and threw the napkin on his plate. “Yeah, I know.
” He stood up from the table and started for the stairs. “Great breakfast Anna.”

“Thank you, Oliver.”

Roland followed, but stopped by Tally and placed a hand on her back. “Are you okay?”

Tally looked up and smiled
. His gaze was concerned, but there was something else. “I’m fine. Are you okay?”

Roland just gave a gentle squeeze to her shoulder and a quick smile before turning to follow his friend.
Tally watched him disappear up the stairs.

“I suppose you didn’t get much sleep last night.
” Anna interrupted her gaze.

“Yeah, it was a pretty rough night.” 

“Well, let me offer you a bed and some peace and quiet. Roland and Oliver won’t be back until this evening and I need to relay your story to the other facilities.” Tally limped as she followed her down the hall to a simple room with a twin bed and folding chair. She carefully removed her shoes and lay back on the bed. 

“I’ll return with another herbal compress for your ankle.
” Anna closed the door behind her.

Tally stared at the
ceiling and let memories from the previous night flash through her mind. Her stomach tightened as she remembered Roland’s kiss, his touch, his body inside hers. The edge of her mouth curved in a slight smile as she drifted into dreams.

Roland and Oliver drove for an hour before they arrived at the overturned car. Oliver called a tow truck to meet them at the side of the road and instructed the driver to take it to the nearest junk yard. After the car was removed, they hiked back into the trees. They found the Spina agents lying where they fell the night before and buried the bodies after a thorough search of their pockets and phones. Nothing turned up other than a text from an unknown number with three little words: 
Lager House NOW.

“Can you trace the call for a number?” Roland asked.

“I’m sure it is just another burn phone. No point.” Oliver answered. “How did they know we were at the Lager House? Do they have someone in the area watching us?”

“They must
. How else could they find us?” Roland rationalized that even with Tally calling Kate, Spina agents were already in the area or they never would have arrived in time to follow them from the bar. “We should return to the facility. We can stop by your place on the way back and pick up our stuff.”