Grounded (16 page)

“Human? Sappy? I think not. I’m too awesome to be lowered to the level of a human.” He said.

She swatted at him playfully and he squeezed her more tightly.

“You are absolutely acting more like me. I’m so rubbing off on you.” She said and something in her words made his face take on a more serious tone.

“Maybe. Maybe I got some of your personality mixed in when I took the magic from you.” He suddenly made a gesture to the magical mark on both of their arms. "I didn’t know how to find you earlier. At the island. I just kind of… did and I can’t explain it. The magic was giving off an aura but it shouldn’t have been strong enough to summon me across the pacific.”

She didn’t know how to answer, but her heart chose to skip a beat in response. A sound caught their attention and Mason’s jade green eyes escaped for a second, trailing back toward the building.

“Eva’s reminding us that we should hurry.” He said after his eyes fixated on the origin of the noise. The subject had rapidly changed, and feeling her throat open up again, Avery asked, “Are you okay with Eva being here?”

She knew the moment it left her lips that she wouldn’t get a clear answer. Eva and Mason had a complex relationship at best. His disconcerted expression confirmed her theory.

“Eva’s only in it for Eva. We can’t forget that. But for now we’ll have to tolerate her.”

He propped his chin on top of Avery’s head. Avery didn’t want to move on from the moment but knowing time was pressing, she didn’t stall.

“I guess Portland, Oregon it is…”

Fifteen

“He couldn’t get a place with roof cover?” They’d barely been at Samuel’s compound for less than a minute and Eva was already sizing up the place. Her sharp green eyes crawled over the muddy ground, grey walls, and cloudy sky.

“We’ll be at a disadvantage if they can come from the sky. To stand a chance, every harpie needs to be grounded.” She said.

Mason’s eyes swept over the same key points but he didn’t stare as intensely.

“Then go map the place and find any strategic points.” He said to Eva.

The harpie girl gave a half frown but obediently took to the sky, leaving Avery and Mason alone in the courtyard dirt. Avery’s eyes went to the door. The place hadn’t changed much in the past few days but Avery was certainly dreading it more this time. Adalyn and Patrick were probably waiting inside and the disconcerting feeling left her stomach in knots.

“You think Samuel’s going to believe us?” Avery asked, taking only one step forward when Mason stopped her with an arm.

“He’ll believe me. But sorry, you should wait outside.”

“Whoa, why am I waiting outside like a dog?” She immediately complained.

The temperature was chilly in Portland and she wasn’t wearing the proper size jacket to deal with it. Tugging her hoodie tighter around herself, she scowled.

“It’s not exactly like we left on good terms. And this sort of situation will take some careful treading. Having you there won’t help.”

Rolling her eyes, Avery agreed. Having Adalyn stare her down the entire time wouldn’t help the conversation. Nor would it help Avery’s health.

“Go ahead. I’ll be here.” Avery gestured to the two walls she’d be pacing between. Mason gave her shoulder a squeeze and offered her a parting smile.

He entered through the set of steel doors and disappeared when they swung shut. Alone, Avery curled her arms around herself. She focused absently on the cloudy sky and smelling the hint of coming rain. Just as she paced to the end of the building, she heard a murmur of sound. Poking her head around the side of the building she stole a glance.

Hunched over the blue mist of a harpie telephonic amulet was Samuel. Face white and thin hands running through his balding hair, he trembled.

“I’m well aware.” He spoke into the mist.

Avery fidgeted, caught hesitating between giving Samuel his privacy and spying a little bit. Before she could even decide, Samuel’s head shot up and his hazel eyes spotted her standing there. Avery froze in place and curled her fingers around the building’s edge.

“I will.” He said into the blue mist just before it fully dissipated. He then stood and dusted the brown dirt off of his white pants.

“My, the human girl again. You just can’t seem to stay away.” He spoke, breaking the minor silence that developed.

Remembering her manners, Avery quickly amended herself.

“Sorry, I just heard talking and didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

Samuel didn’t even look like he’d heard her speak. His eyes dropped and trailed to Avery’s right arm. Though hidden by the jacket, on it was the silver curling mark. It showed more predominantly now since she’d begun using the magic, but the lines were still not thick and black. Seeing his interest change as if he could sense it, Avery subconsciously tugged her jacket tighter.

“You’re not good at staying out of trouble either.” He said. They both knew he wasn’t referring to the eavesdropping or even the current day’s visit, but rather to the magic’s aura. Avery wouldn’t bring it up. Instead, she changed the subject while she could still remember how to form words.

“We’re not trying to bring trouble your way. Things have just…changed.”

His eyebrows rose, quizzically and daringly.

“I imagine. Are you here to tell me about it?”

Avery opened her mouth but hesitated. Stealing a quick glance backwards, she searched the outside area for Mason. The sky and ground remained empty. The entrance door remained shut.

“Well…” Avery turned back to face him. “It’s about Mikhail. He’s making an amulet like the one that Prince Jericho had and is going to use it to-”

She stopped, lacking a delicate way to put it. She didn’t need to because during her hesitation, Samuel finished the thought for her.

“I know.” His voice was tired but his tone was light and he didn’t seem nearly as concerned as expected. Confused, Avery searched for a visual clue. Her eyes went up and down the walls looking for any type of security, sharp blue suits of police, or hints of magical wards. Samuel sighed and slumped his shoulders a bit. Wings shifting to fold behind him, he leaned against the nearest concrete wall to support himself. “Mikhail has always wanted to create magic to absorb into his body. He will and then he’s going to come after us all. This was not unforeseen child.” He said.

“We have a plan, we can fight.” She declared.

“Perhaps.” His eyes crawled over her again but this time the softness on his face was startling. “Walk with me child.”

He turned and began moving down the side of the building. Avery followed and in only a few feet they passed through another wooden door. Inside the fluorescent lights and warm cinnamon smell strikingly contrasted the overcast sky and smell of rain. Soft jazz music played overhead and the heating hissed through the vents.

Samuel led her into the first room on the left-- a living room bearing a few sofas and tables. Samuel whirled to face her just as the door shut and sealed them in.

“You should know something in case I don’t make it, Ms. Avery.” He said.

She didn’t get the chance to chide him on the negative thought before he continued.

“As you know Mikhail’s family were once rulers. When he was cast out and his father the king died, their family lost the throne. Jericho and his family would take the crown.”

Avery nodded. She’d heard that once before.

“Jericho died and he is no longer heir to the throne. That means that only one person is. A male child and an heir to his bloodline.”

“What are you talking about?” Avery asked, suddenly suspicious of where the conversation was heading.

“It’s Mason. Mason has as much, if not more, claim to the throne than anyone else. He will need to one day step up into his father’s place.”

Avery’s heart picked up pace but she forced herself to take it in stride. Licking her lips wet, she replied while moving onto the next logical idea.

“But what about the allegations with Adalyn’s fiancé and all that?”

Samuel gave her a long look.

“Because of his important position in society and in light of Jericho’s death and the anarchy that has followed… Well those issues are no longer important to the authorities. Not even the Willow magic inside of his body will dissuade them now.” He surmised finally.

Avery thought about the implications. Mason would have found out about this when he’d visited Adalyn. He hadn’t told Avery and she quite frankly didn’t know what to make of it. She didn’t know about this development but she did know that Mason didn’t plan to take the throne. He didn’t ever seem to be the dutiful civil servant.

“I know what you must be thinking, child. There are no places for human mates for the harpie on the throne. But--”

A click at the door summoned their attention elsewhere and she saw the other harpies come in. Patrick filed into the room first, keeping his wings open to take up an obnoxious amount of space. He shot her a crooked, cocky smile instantly. Behind him came Adalyn, the girl Avery was too afraid to face straight on. Finally Mason walked in the door and Avery immediately maneuvered the room to be closer to his side.

“So pops, I hear we’re all going to war.” Patrick was the first to speak.

Samuel’s face suddenly showed more age lines and he shot Patrick a dull expression.

“Not war, Patrick. Not yet.”

“I don’t care, I’m not afraid of Mikhail.” Patrick snapped back but Adalyn held out a hand to interrupt him.

She moved forward, her stiletto heels clacking loudly on the tile.

“How do we prepare for this?” She demanded primarily of her father. Adalyn had one thing going for her—she wasn’t a coward. And Avery was sure that she’d support her father and probably even Mason until the last fight.

“How much time do we have?” Samuel quizzed. Oldest and likely wisest it fell to him to draw up the battle plan.

“Awhile. It would take at least three days.” Mason said.

Samuel nodded, eyes glazing over with thought. Avery couldn’t attest to knowing anything about battle plans or about harpie battle plans. The old history text books from Mayweather wouldn’t help her here. Feeling out of the loop, Avery edged toward Mason, curling her fingers over the edge of his wing. The familiar softness didn’t comfort her.

“We need to control the skies, use amulet magic detectors to see him coming, and prep ourselves. One of us should be on look out.”

“Eva’s already on it.”

Samuel’s face blanked instantly. It took a full, tense minute before his face reanimated.

“Your sister Eva?” Samuel clarified in a stale, quiet voice.

“Mikhail’s out to kill her. She is, at the end of the day, one of Jericho’s children. So temporarily, her allegiance is to us.” Mason’s cool voice worded it convincingly but Samuel’s face stubbornly didn’t change.

“Mason, as much respect as I’ve had for your father, I do not think you’re right in doing this. Eva is not like you. She’s never been like you and that’s why Jericho could never favor her.”

“Daddy, we need her. We need him. And then when this is over, we can deal with it.” Adalyn pointed out brazenly. The enemy of my enemy is my friend idea. And only her whiny voice managed to break Samuel’s concentration.

The old harpie shook his head and then refocused.

“I should have a word with the police about Mikhail-- staying connected will give us the number advantage.” His eyes swept over the four people in front of him. “So we’ll all have to get along.”

He said the last one for everyone’s benefit. It made Avery look up. Adalyn had been staring at her. The sensation of eyes making Avery’s skin crawl, she shifted uncomfortably. Avery had a hard time meeting the gaze. She wouldn’t feel guilty over going steady with Mason but breaking up an engagement was still breaking up an engagement. The whole concept already disconcerting, Adalyn’s glower only made it worse.

She shifted her attention to find Mason and Patrick matching similar ugly glares. The situation wasn’t one to promote friendship but Avery did agree with Samuel.

“Of course.” She agreed when no one else said a thing.

“We should rest then.” Mason changed the subject.

“I’m sure I have two guest rooms in the back.” Samuel said. Avery hadn’t seen a bedroom yet but the compound was certainly big enough to have a few. In fact, the mere mention about sleep made Avery’s body begin complaining with fatigue. Muscles exhausted and brain shutting down, she was ready to fall into the sheets and pass out cold.