Grounded (25 page)

“Yea, you said that.” She didn’t know where he was going with this but she did touch his hand that lingered in his hair.

“You know I was intending to go to home. But I was also intending to take you with me when I went.”

Avery’s breath left her. Forcing herself to speak, she answered. “Mason, what about the not being able to take a human thing? What about marrying a proper bride for the throne?”

He made a disbelieving face.

“Since when did you ever care about being proper? You hid a harpie in your backyard for half a year.” Mason reasoned.

Avery cracked a smile. A new wave of exhilaration washing through her veins, she squeezed his hand.

“You’re dead serious. Then why didn’t you say anything until now?”

He took a painfully long time to answer. And when he did he slowly explained, “Do you remember when we were in Samuel’s library, preparing to fight. You called Adalyn a few nasty names and I told you to get off her case. I had told you that Adalyn was like that because of what she’d been exposed to her entire life.”

“So what?” She failed to see any connection between her and Adalyn.

“She was corrupted by her life. She had to become nasty and ruthless because of how unforgiving society is. Don’t you see it, Avery? Patrick trying to get into your head was only the start. All of the harpies will go after you if you come with me.” His hand trailed over her hair and tugged absently at the strands. “I don’t want them to corrupt you. I don’t want them to scare you, hurt you, or make you change.”

“I’m not afraid of harpies.” She snapped back but Mason still shook his head.

“I know you’re not. I know you have the personality of a harpie sometimes. But I don’t want the constant pressure to corrupt you. I’m afraid you’re already letting it. You apologized for not killing Mikhail. You actually apologized for not killing another person.”

She opened her mouth to protest but his expression stopped her. Mason looked sad, not like he was mocking her. His hand kept brushing over her hair and she leaned into his touch. An ugly feeling set in her stomach when she knew he was right.

A year ago the idea of hurting another person would have horrified her. Now it horrified her a little less. A tiny change but everything started with only one step.

“You see what I mean. I didn’t tell you earlier because I’m not sure I want to bring you into that world.”

“You’re telling me now though…” She prompted quietly. The conversation was beginning to hurt and the uncomfortably dangerous topic made the air thick. She held onto him.

“I’d have to protect you. I’d have to keep you sheltered from that. But then I’m not exactly a knight on a white horse.”

He dropped his hands and looked toward the floor. Her skin crawled with anxiousness and she sat on absolute edge.

“No. But then I can protect myself too, Mason. I’m not weak. And together, we’d be fine. We’ve survived worse.”

She willed him to believe her. Mason caught her eyes again.

“I’m not sure you would want to get into it.” He said.

“Well, isn’t that my choice?” She asked him.

“Do you know what It. Bd be asking, Avery? I’d be asking you to move in with me to the harpie court...” He trailed off, his face taking on a pinkish hue. The air seemed hard to breath and Avery stared at the ground, certain her face was burning too.

She knew the implications before he said them. It’d gotten very serious very fast. But rightfully so. They’d been to hell and back together and still stood side by side. She didn’t doubt her feelings for him either though she had yet to put them out on a silver platter. Mason inviting her didn’t leave much room for confusion on his opinions either.

She considered laying out every bit of the pro and con list but it didn’t matter because Avery already knew her answer.

“I don’t intend to let other harpies tear us apart. I want a shot at a real future...” She managed to speak up. “...so maybe if you ask me nicely.”

Her fingers were shaking but she reached out for his hands. Mason took her hands and pulled her closer. Suddenly inches apart, he used a single index finger to lift her chin up. Eyes meeting, he asked.

“So Avery Zane. Would you like to come with me?”

She licked her lips wet.

“Yea.” Her voice was light but he still heard it. Leaning forward, he sealed their lips together, only the kiss was fleeting. Mason’s head went up and his eyes went to the door.

“Eva’s here.” He suddenly whispered. The moment lost, Avery snapped back to reality and the ugly memory of the battle at hand.

“Mason, we need to go to the harpie court now. It’s our only chance to outrun Mikhail.”

Mason’s attention redirected at her, he nodded firmly. If they wanted to be together, they’d have to live out the rest of the day first.

Twenty Four

“Are you okay?” Leela called out, suddenly reminding Avery that the girl was standing there.

Avery drew her eyes away from the balcony and settled her attention back on the inside of the hotel room. Leela had cleaned up significantly from the day before. Her brown hair had been brushed fluffy and she tucked it underneath her favorite ski cap. She’d adorned her black jacket again, cinched at the waist, and the fabric hid the purple mars on her skin. She’d taken a real hit the day before but it wasn’t visible except for one thing: Leela was still pale and antsy and she bounced from foot to foot.

“I’m fine. And you?” Avery used the question to open her own interrogation. She couldn’t pin what could possibly be going through Leela’s head but tried to imagine.

Leela scrunched up her face.

“I’m not sure.” The girl admitted quietly and her voice only dropped more as she went on. “I feel like most of this is my fault. With helping Mikhail. I don’t think I should just dip now. I should stay.”

Leela bit her lip clearly trying to control her emotions. Two of them still rose to the surface: guilt and fear. Avery nodded, able to relate.

“Thanks for the offer but you can’t help us from here. It’s easier for Mason to only carry one person and we need to make good time.” Avery said, doing her best to reassure her friend.

She wasn’t quite upset at Leela, all things considered. Mikhail was smart, cunning, and most of all charismatic. He got people to follow him all the time and he knew how to work someone over. The fact that Leela had sided with him wasn’t surprising and Leela never intended to hurt anyone.

“I guess so…” Leela frowned. “You know I never meant to hurt you Avery. You’re my best friend. It wasn’t me stabbing you in the back…I just thought you were wrong.”

“I know…” Even Avery’s eyes began to water. She reached out and gave her friend a tight hug. Then pulling away, Avery quickly took another approach. “Look, Nate is waiting for you and you don’t want to keep him up all night. Go take a mini-vacation with him and fix the relationship thing up. Nate’s probably jealous about you running off anyways.”

Leela’s brows shot up so fast, they disappeared under her hair line.

“Is this?” Leela suddenly smacked both of her ears a few times. After a few sufficient pops, she kept talking. “Is this Avery taking up for Nate I hear? I thought you hated him!” She exclaimed.

Avery made a sour face, and rotating on her heels she began to pace the red carpet.

“Hey, hey. Don’t take it out of proportion. I just hate him slightly less lately.” Avery stumbled over her words, desperate to defend herself.

She didn’t have to after all. A loud clack came from the window and earned their immediate attention. Just visible outside the glass doors stood Mason. His wings were out and even though the area was woodsy and rural, it was a brazen move. He leaned over the ledge and his green eyes studied something off in the distance. Nearby, perched on the white railing, was Eva.

The harpie woman wore her typical dark scowl and clenched her fists until the talons drew blood. Her

outfit though had been stripped from the usual bronze plates to tight fitting leather straps.

Eva’s focus remained on Mason and the girl swung her fist in protest to the inaudible conversation. Eva’s fist made contact with the railing, repeating the sharp summoning clack. Watching the moment settle down again, Avery forced her eyes back in the room before she could be caught staring.

“You know she’s only helping us until Mikhail’s out of the picture.” Leela suddenly said.

“I know.” Avery answered quietly.

“Maybe it’s good when this is over and we get out of their world.”

“I’m not completely sure I’ll ever be out at this rate.” Avery barely paid attention to what she’d said but Leela did. The girl suddenly perked up and stared straight through Avery.

“What’s going on with you and Mason?” Leela asked the million dollar question.

They were moving in together of course. But Avery couldn’t repeat that. Mason had mentioned the problems that harpies would give them about their relationship but he didn’t count on Leela’s reaction. Avery didn’t have time to ease the girl into it so she didn’t. A distraction came readily.

The glass doors suddenly clicked and slid open. The cold air rushed into the warm room and the two harpies came in.

Mason came lumbering in, wings wide and twitching. His face had been cleaned of blood and bruising but the bad memory of it remained.

“So?” Avery prompted, her eyes subtlety darting to spy Eva in the back room. The girl had found a perch for herself and stood stiff and cold.

“The sun’s almost down. We go now.” Mason commanded the group. He didn’t ask but snatched up

Avery’s hand in a fluid motion. Giving her a yank, he gestured for the door.

“Now?” Avery squeaked, stomach dropping.

“Yes, we can’t hide because of the Willow magic giving off an aura but we can make better time. And you” Mason suddenly called Leela out, “You should learn to disappear. I’m not sure Mikhail won’t come back for you but all I do know is that you won’t be his first target.”

Leela’s paling face was the only answer and Mason took it. Halfway dragging Avery, he went for the door. Avery barely had time to bid her friend good luck before they were out on the balcony.

The temperature dropped significantly once outside and the wind bit at them harshly. The sky, just darkening, only had scraps of fading orange in the distance and few stars to guide the way. The crescent moon remained half hidden behind clouds and offered little condolence.

They were supposed to be grounded to have a chance of against Mikhail. But here they were, already taking off into the sky again.

“Come on.” Mason squeezed her hand and beckoned her closer. Curling her arms around his neck, she leaned into his chest.

In moments, the three were in the air and Portland shrunk in the distance to resemble nothing more than weeds.

“Keep your eyes open.” Mason warned, squeezing her tightly.

Avery swallowed thickly and let silence be her answer. The raid on Samuel’s place hadn’t been very far away so if the Band was going to catch up to them anywhere, it’d be here. She turned her eyes to the grey clouds, watched and waited. The minutes ticked by, slow and agonizingly.

The air, moist from threatening rain, was heavy and uncomfortable. Spots of rain pelted them but Mason only spun through it all the faster. His wings pounded harshly keeping them high and quick but the movements were likely tiring. Avery kept her mouth shut. Then in her peripheral, she spotted another figure spiraling in the air. It approached in a flash.

Eva’s face was clear.

“Ground!” She screamed, just piercing the deafening wind. Then she dropped in a spiral.

Mason’s grip suddenly tightened around Avery’s back, his talons pinching when they dug in.

“Avery, hold on.”He hissed in her ear. “And whatever you do, don’t scream.”

It didn’t matter what Mason had said because Avery didn’t even get the chance to scream. In half a second, her stomach was in her throat. The abrupt drop in elevation came like a mass of confusing blurs. Mason stopped his wings completely and let them plunge.

Avery flailed, unable to stay still. The wind pelted them, tearing at them from every direction. Mason held her tightly but the plummet dropped them to the ground at a breakneck speed. The ground approached in a spiral of green and only when the tops of trees were clearly visible did Mason readjust his wings. Opening them wide, he tilted until the wings slowed their fall like a parachute had opened. Avery couldn’t grasp which way was up. Still coming in fast, they ripped through the canopy of trees.

Twigs slapped them and branches tore at their skin. Avery barely felt the burning of impact with her eyes glued on the rapidly approaching ground.

Mason’s wings beat and they slowed, but the landing was still crippling. Mason’s knees bent to take the brunt of impact but they hit the dirt hard anyways. Avery went sprawling away from him. Hitting the ground, she rolled. For half a second, the world was a blur of brown and green of forestry and she blinked to clear up her vision.

“What was that?” She demanded of him as soon as she was able to speak. Mason could have killed them.

“Sorry.” He made a genuinely remorseful face, and added. “But we need to be on the ground to fight. You can’t compete in the sky.”

His voice came with the ill reminder and Avery finally turned her eyes back on the surroundings.

By the looks of the rural area, they’d made it out of the city but not by much. Certainly not far enough to be close to harpie island. This wasn’t good. They couldn’t be expected to fight every step of the way.