" Let's meet Caedmon first"
" No, we need to save Lila" Allistair said. If what Tyron said, it meant that she might be in danger or even being tortured right now.
Kieran paused, his gaze sharpening as if noticing something. Allistair paused too, looking around but there was nothing, just a buzzing England with busy people.
" Do you have any idea where to search? England is large, if we have no source, we won't find her even if we start"
" Surely you could help me, you are wealthy, aren't you?"
Kieran smirked, " ohh, now you need my help?"
Allistair exhaled and kept mute. He was proving difficult to deal with but Lila was his concern.
A woman stumbled among the crowd, running in a frenzy and then fell to her knees, grabbing onto Kieran's legs.
She looked like a mess, a kitchen headwear, dirty and stuffy like she spends most of her time in the kitchen, with those hot coal pots preparing meals.
Her fingers were humble and her hands bore lines and scars. Allistair frowned. He had never seen a woman so unkept.
" Please mister, I beg of you, I heard you can help me" she said, her body trembling.
Gazes flew to them as people wondered why the woman pulled such a stunt and who Kieran was.
Kieran bent down, grabbed the woman's chin. Her eyes fixed onto him. Kieran smirked, " why should I help you? I owe you nothing" he said, his words like venom.
But…surprisingly, the woman wasn't affected.
Allistair's eyes darkened, Kieran suddenly felt like a different person, " why don't you help her?"
" Why should I?"
" She came to you"
" If I helped everyone that came to me, I might be dead even before I met your uncle" he dropped, forced the woman's hand away from him.
" Move aside" he said to her. She lifted her gaze, her eyes wet with tears.
Allistair clenched his hands, his jaws tightening. She was certainly a mother given her garment. He walked up to her and bent down, " tell me, what do you need help with, I will do it"
The woman's eye widened, " you …will?" She asked and he nodded.
She stood up and ran towards an old alley. He ran after her but Kieran grabbed him with immense strength. " It's a trap"
" Don't be paranoid, she needs help" Allistair said and moved his hands.
Kieran's jaw worked, he pinched his nose slightly and followed after Allistair who seemed to be certain the woman needed help.
The woman ran until out of the buzzing city, she fell to the ground as if grabbing something. Kieran stopped and so did Alistair.
Allistair looked up at him, his gaze meeting Kieran's. He saw the concern in his eyes for a split second and the disappeared almost immediately.
Allistair sighed inwardly, if the woman was plotting, he would be the first to know, this was his homeland after all. Kieran was Scottish.
She turned around, carrying a boy in her arms, her steps were short and fast as she walked up to him, " my son .." she trembled, " he was poisoned, please help me"
Kieran rolled his eyes, " if you know he was poisoned, why don't you take him to the clinic? Why find me?"
The woman shook her head repeatedly, " I….I have gone, I don't have any money. I asked around but nobody could help. Kieran please, I raised you after all"
The words were like a bombshell, raised? Allistair turned to look at Kieran, he didn't bat an eyelid. It was as if he was didn't care.
Allistair scanned the woman up again. She actually looks haggard even when she raised someone as Kieran?
Kieran brought out some cash and handed it to her. " Don't come to me again, it should be enough"
Karina smiled and bowed multiple times and disappeared into thin air, still carrying the child. Allistair was fixed to the ground.
" When my parents died, my uncle kicked me away, amassing all of their fortune" Allistair said and Kieran rolled his eyes.
" What? Story of your life? Keep it" he dropped, waving his hands with disinterest.
" I grew alone, no one took me in, I grovelled in these streets and no one cared. But you, someone actually raised you and you let them beg before you help?" He added, staring at Kieran in disbelief.
" You think I asked to be taken in? Karina knew better but she took me in, trained me to be her servant boy, sold me off for a good money" he gritted out, his jaws clenched.
He looked like he was controlling his rage. " Now Allistair, shut up. We both know we trust no one here in England"
" she sold you?"
" Shut up"
The reached a manor, it was written in bold to belong to a Poe. The door was made with advanced ply with ox- blood paint. The exterior was a mixture of a garden-like flowers. Their scent was strong and filled the air, heavy.
Allistair's gaze fell on a single bangle. His gaze lingered until the door snapped open.
They walked in with the servant leading the way. Compared to Kieran's building, this was more extravagant. It screamed opulence and wealth with no tinge of elegance. Just pure pretentious luxury.
The entire floor was the sitting room with the kitchen tugged into a corner, a view to admire. The sittingroom bore divisions that could be seen even from the door.
A small table with plush chairs surrounding it, best for signing deals or a professional meetup.
The dinning table, featuring well cleaned plates and gold-rimmed chairs, plush and soft on sight. The chandelabra added a gothic charm to the table.
His gaze trailed to the massive television screen, the latest invention and the most expensive so far. He stared in awe, his tongue curled, a metallic taste Pooled at the tip, he wouldn't obtain such wealth even if he had two lives as a writer. His dressing felt like a stain to the marble. Even the servant dressed better.
Caedmon came into view, an edgy smile on
the corner of his lips.
" Tell me Caedmon, have you come across a maiden with the name Lila?"