Windswept (The Airborne Saga)

by Constance Sharper

  “It was an entire group of hunters this time. They were chasing prey, or what they thought was prey. Avery, they had guns and didn’t even stand a chance! What are you going to do if Mason doesn’t answer?”

  “What I always do. Survive,” Avery said with a whole lot more confidence than she felt.

  She clenched her left fist, but the Willow tattoo was still graying and uncomfortable. What power it had left, Avery knew she shouldn’t bank on. She needed time. The stairs had finally cleared and the two hurried up them with practiced accuracy. Avery had left her cell in the room. She had figured that if she held it at the party, she’d have been checking it too much and negate the point of going. Now it sat at the end of her bed, lit with a message. Avery didn’t look for the caller. She just smashed in redial. This time the familiar voice on the other line made her heart actually ache.

  “Thanks for taking so long!” Avery snapped against her better judgment.

  “I’m sorry. I just now got your message. And you beat me to calling you back.”

  “One call in how many weeks?” Yes, now was definitely the time for this argument Avery’s illogical brain ruled.

  “Avery, I didn’t know you had been trying to reach me. Stern was in charge of keeping tabs on you. I didn’t know and I’m sorry, but it’s been rough here. I’m not trying to ignore you, things are hectic and no one in the council has been making it any easier. I had to sneak off just to call you now.”

  She softened a bit.

  “Yeah okay,” she said. “I hope that doesn’t last forever because I’ve been getting visitors here.”

  “Visitors?” Mason parroted, his voice going quieter.

  “Adalyn to be exact. Mason, I think she nearly killed the harpie you sent me here with. The police never found his body, but Leela thinks she’s just covering her tracks.”

  She heard him take in a loud breath before a moment of silence. Avery couldn’t imagine what it was like to have an ex-fiancé that you never seemed to be able to get away from.

  “Damnit. I’m coming for you. Stay inside, stay away from her.”

  “That was the goal,” she said, but couldn’t resist. Something about the whole Adalyn incident had been plaguing her. She hadn’t beaten herself up. Mason’s solider had helped Adalyn reach her, and Adalyn had the chance to kill Avery. “Do you know what’s going on with her? There have been so many things happening…”

  “Like what?” he quizzed immediately.

  “Like the fact that there have been harpie attacks in Alaska, and all circling my school. The attacks are marking out Adalyn’s path. I don’t think she’s alone.” The ideas began spilling from her before she could stop them. Avery would have been lying if she’d said the obscure event hadn’t stayed in her head.

  “You mean she’s being followed?” Mason interrupted.

  “I don’t know. It would make sense. She was really beat up. She ran off and I know she wasn’t afraid of me. Plus, Leela’s been tracking the whole thing and the harpie attacks going on all over the Alaska coast are too big for one person. Tell me you know what’s going on?”

  “Avery, you’re wrong. You’d be dumb to listen to her and even dumber to allow Adalyn a shot at you again. People still think you can fight with the magic. Don’t correct them. I wish I could be there sooner but I am going to be there as quickly as I can.”

  She pressed her lips together. That definitely wasn’t the response she’d expected nor wanted. The tattling curiosity wasn’t going to leave her that easily. It apparently left Mason though.

  “I’m going to come get you myself. Sit tight. Please stay out of trouble. I have to go.”

  The line went dead, and he was gone.

  Six

  “Calm down.” Avery hissed even though she didn’t do much to hide the stress in her voice either. She slid the phone into the billows of her black gown and away from Leela’s prying eyes. The girl hummed unhappily but gave up.

  “I have nothing to panic about. I’ve waited twelve years for this moment.” Leela set her eyes on the world in front of them. One of the longest green plains at the school had been turned into a graduation platform draped with the silver and gold school colors. Their auditorium may have been big enough to fill the students and their families but the outdoors made it less crowded. Plus, the beautiful weather, and the back drop of the mountains and brick spires of Mayweather, added to the ambiance.

  But as they shuffled to find their designated seats in the rows before the platform, Avery knew they had quite a bit to worry about. Mason had told her he was on his way, texting her with updates, and she’d informed him not to bust in on the event. Graduation day had enough stress. She wobbled in her heels and her black hat refused to fit. She fiddled with the gold tassel and stole a glance backwards. Somewhere in the audience were her mother and brother. Their reunion earlier had been wonderful but short lived, for the ceremony was soon to start.

  “It’s Chase texting me,” Avery informed Leela why her phone had been buzzing earlier. “He’s waiting for me to trip.”

  Leela cracked a half grin at that.

  “You won’t trip. You’ll do fine. I just wish Mason would tell you what he is thinking. What happens if Adalyn shows up again?” she asked.

  The crowd shifted forward and Avery took another step.

  “She won’t attack. She didn’t last time.”

  “You don’t know anything, remember, Avery! Don’t be stupid. Be safe. And we’ll celebrate later.”

  Leela was right. She didn’t know. That thought hadn’t sat too lightly in Avery’s mind. Adalyn wouldn’t show up to warn her twice, right? And warn her about what?

  Before her thoughts could race away, Leela pinched her through the graduation gown. The line finally split and Avery shuffled off towards the back. Having a ‘Z’ last name, she wouldn’t be striking up conversation with anyone for most of the ceremony. And the ceremony proceeded slowly. The chorus of younger students sang, the band played a few notes, and the principal chatted up for nearly an hour. The world was theirs, he said. They had their entire future in front of them. And they should live for the day. He exhausted the classic speeches so much that by the time the valedictorian spoke, she had little left to say.

  Chase buzzed her phone a few more times before the walk started.

  “Boring” said the first one. “*drool*” the next. “Trip” was the last one before she swore she could hear a slap resonate from the back of the audience. The last time her phone went off, it must have been her mother. “Your brother and mother are very proud of you.”

  Avery’s cheeks heated when two of her classmates and a faculty member shot her a silencing look. The weather was cool and a gentle breeze tugged at their gowns, but Avery found herself burning up anyways. Certain her face had long since turned red, she fanned it hopelessly. The name calling began, booming over surround sound speakers that threatened to shake the ground. The faculty held out cream colored scrolls tied with silver-and-gold ribbons to the students. Leela stepped onto the stage. Absolutely beaming and with grace that no one else could manage, she accepted her diploma.

  Nate received his diploma shortly after. He wouldn’t even acknowledge it with a smile. Ever the cool guy, he shrugged and tucked the diploma away. He probably hated the fact that the gown didn’t allow him to make more of an individual impression.

  Avery’s section was directed to stand by the faculty members and begin the line towards the stage. She didn’t want to admit it but she was actually nervous. Her skin tingled and when her phone buzzed, she flinched. Cursing the person’s texting, she only carefully glanced at the phone. Mason.

  “Soon. Be safe. I’ll find you when you are alone and I won’t make the mistake of leaving you unprotected again.”

  Her eyes had glued to the screen. She didn’t hear when one of the teachers hissed at her to go but she did feel the firm poke in the back. Springing from her seat, she tucked her phone away and clutched her dress until her fingers turned white
. The student line set up was awkward. The students climbed onto the stage from the east and then loped around the woods behind the stadium to return to their seats. The line still moved quickly and efficiently. The people in front of Avery were being plucked off to take photos and wait on the stadium stairs. They all clutched white index cards with their names and the pronunciation prominently written besides it. Avery followed the person in front of her. The photographer snagged a picture of her in front of the flag. She was still blinking the white floaters from her eyes when another staff member nudged her on the step.

  “Hand him your card, walk across, take the diploma, shake the principal’s hand, and then follow the line to return to your seat.” The staff was giving her a pep talk in hushed whispers as if Avery, last in line, hadn’t seen all of her classmates go before her.

  She took another step up the stairs. The speaker boomed the name of the guy in front of her. She slid the index card to the associate waiting for it. And then she hurried to clear her face of emotion. But when her time to step up came, it was impossible not to smile nervously. The crowd looked much bigger from where she stood and the speakers made her legs shake. She wobbled in her heels and nearly crushed her paper diploma.

  Avery had cleared the stage before she even realized and the audience roared with the ending of the ceremony. She could still hear Chase above all but focused on following the student in front of her. The line moved disturbingly quickly, and she struggled not to misstep with the heels. The guy in front of her got too far ahead. And that’s when she saw the flash of white.

  Avery stopped in her tracks, and last in line, the group shuffled forward without her. Her heart began to pound against her ribcage before her mind even caught up. She gazed out into the woods. Darkness blurred the surroundings, but everything in her gut told her she hadn’t been mistaken.

  Adalyn was here.

  She twitched, heart slowing and speeding with no pattern. Adalyn had come again, perhaps with her nonsensical words and mysterious warnings. Avery bit her lip as the situation clicked through her mind. Then she finally reacted. Without a thought, she made a dash for the trees.

  Avery kicked off the shoes. Feet touching the cold dirt, she only ran faster.

  She hadn’t seen where the flash had gone. Her breath burst out of her and eyes went to the sky. The inevitable wave of adrenaline flooded her veins but didn’t snake through her blood kindly. Every ache returning with an agonizing vengeance, she desperately worked to stay upright.

  She couldn’t hear movement, but then again she couldn’t really hear anything. Only bitter silence guided her. Avery let out a deep breath, trying to pace her breathing. It hadn’t been the smartest idea to run out here and Avery knew it. Adrenaline wore down and nerves wound up. She took another breath and tried to clear her head before the panic could set in.

  She was dealing with harpies. And she knew where they could be found.

  “Adayn!” she shouted, reaching the clearing by the river. “Adalyn, I’m here. Come talk to me.”

  A crack of branches summoned her and she whirled to find the female harpie behind her again.

  “You’re in trouble,” Adalyn said.

  She looked worse for the wear than ever before. Blonde hair matted with blood and dirt, the harpie woman was almost unrecognizable. Avery nearly forgot how to talk.

  “You said that,” Avery finally stuttered. “But you never told me how.”

  “Mason—where is he?” Adalyn asked.

  A number of answers popped into Avery’s mind, but her mouth couldn’t manage to conjure one of them. Adalyn could have been sizing her up to simply find if Avery had any back up. Swallowing her own hesitation, Avery managed to speak. “What do you want? Just tell me what you want, why you’re here,” Avery said, taking a brave step forward. “And who is with you? That mayhem all over Alaska, all circling my school—I know you’re related. I just don’t know how.”

  Adalyn’s face blanked, but not because of Avery. The harpie’s attention seemed to drift up to the woods behind Avery—just as it had last time.

  “I can’t lose them. I’ve been trying, but I can’t. They’re here to get me, to stop me from helping,” Adalyn hissed. “Listen now. He’s coming for you first, going to get you alone. You’ll need to stay with Mason no matter how hard it is. The main attack is going to be coming from the Kemp tunnels on the commencement day. I don’t know who’s letting them in or who could be on the inside but you can’t trust anyone. You must live. You must beware. They will try to kill you first.”

  “Adalyn stop!” Avery virtually screamed. “Who is coming? Who is coming for me?”

  Adalyn suddenly lashed out. Avery couldn’t backpedal fast enough and the harpie made contact.

  “I need you to run.” Adalyn snatched her shoulder in a crippling hold. Talons digging in made Avery yelp in surprise, but before she could even fight, Adalyn spun her. The world swirled when Adalyn released her grip, and Avery went face first into the dirt and slush. The impact still managed to rattle her bones, and Avery’s muscles seized in protest. Her baggy graduation grown billowed out over her body.

  “Stop it!” Adalyn roared. “I will not let you do this!”

  Avery sputtered with dirt in her mouth, but the sound of what came next made her freeze. She didn’t move, letting the gown cover her in the mud.

  “Then stop running, Adalyn.” rang a male’s voice. A very familiar one.

  Careful to barely budge, Avery stole an upward glance. Roots and bushes obscured her view and dirt burned her eyes. Through blurred vision, she could just see the side of Adalyn’s beige wing. Adalyn had her back towards Avery, and she stared outward toward the clearing. Avery couldn’t see the other person, the male, but he spoke again and Avery didn’t need to see him.

  “I’m tired of this game. I came here because I didn’t want to hurt you,” he said. The voice belonged to Patrick—the harpie who had escaped from prison just last year.

  Squeezing her own left arm, Avery took a deep breath. She waited for him to scream for Avery too. He never did. Adalyn kept talking.

  “Bullshit. I don’t want or need your sympathy.” Adalyn edged backward carefully.

  Avery struggled to understand. This only added more questions and Avery didn’t have any answers.

  “But you want to stop me. I can’t have that. I need you out of the way. I don’t want you to get hurt,” he purred. It sounded unreal, like he was concerned, but Adalyn’s reaction didn’t fit the atmosphere. She curled back defensively.

  “Then don’t do this. Not for them.” Adalyn said. “You know I can’t support you. You know I’ll fight.” Adalyn’s voice shifted too. It took Avery almost a minute to recognize the emotion that clung to the words—desperation. Adalyn was begging.

  “I know you’ll fight,” Patrick answered back more seriously. Suddenly, he let out a shrill harping sound like a mutated chirp. It barely lasted a second but summoned abrupt change.

  Twigs snapped, trees cried out, and harpies gathered in the area.

  Avery’s blood ran cold. She’d known Patrick hadn’t been alone. But he had an army—half a dozen that she could spot alone. The figures approached, cutting off the area and enclosing their space until the atmosphere had been drained of all air.

  Avery’s mind spun. She needed options and needed them now. She felt for the Willow magic again only to come up empty. She wouldn’t be summoning anything successful and that knowledge left her blood cold. Her eyes went to Adalyn’s back and that’s when the harpie woman moved.

  Adalyn shifted, just glancing backwards. Her eyes past over the area where Avery laid and hesitated, just for a second.

  Avery squeezed her arm but didn’t feel the Willow magic. The delivery harpie’s words came to mind. Sometimes he could see the magic. Sometimes he couldn’t. Avery knew at that moment she couldn’t act. If she moved, her hiding place would be revealed. And since she couldn’t fight with the magic, the hiding spot was all she had. She dug her fing
ers into the dirt and stayed silent.

  “Someone will stop you,” Adalyn’s whisper signaled the end of the calm.

  Adalyn launched forward, talons out. She slipped from Avery’s view but Avery could still hear the deafening crack of contact. The harpies crashed down in an explosion of feathers. Avery could hear Adalyn tear and thrash, but her muffled grunts weren’t encouraging. In another moment, Adalyn fell dead silent.

  Avery tried to hush her breathing. She couldn’t hear anything now and that didn’t comfort her. She suddenly debated moving. After all, being ready for a fight still beat being snuck up on. Just as her muscles burned with adrenaline, more sound made her pause. Shuffling and dragging made noise. Something thumped to the ground.

  “Take her,” Patrick’s voice rang out. “We’ve already brought enough attention to our plan. We shouldn’t bring more. If the human catches on, she’ll be nearly impossible to deal with.”