Grounded

by Constance Sharper

  They were talking about the magical mark on Avery’s arm. The coloring, obviously important, probably proved the magic had mostly left her body. Mind spinning, she didn’t know how to react. It’d be good news if the Band didn’t think she had the magic anymore, seeing as they’d once tried to carve her open to get it back. On the other hand, the Band’s leader, Mikhail, was absolutely sharp and little escaped him. He might know that some of it lingered. Feeling nauseous, Avery pressed a firm hand over her mouth.

  “I know that wasn’t the point but I figured I’d tell you. She’s not really onto me so it’s easy to check on those things. More importantly, Mason skipped town. I’m almost sure of it.”

  Avery went cold. Unable to hear much more, she pressed her eyes shut and tried to keep her composure. Leela continued.

  “There’s someone else here. Another harpie I think. Mason is still expecting something or he wouldn’t have left her with a body guard.”

  Avery shifted, desperate to get a closer look. Unintentionally, her foot slipped and the heel end of her boot came down hard on a rock. The crack sounded loudly. Leela stood suddenly and looked out. Avery squirmed behind the tree and pressed her back against the rough wood hard. She couldn’t glance back without the movement giving her away. Shrouded in shadows, she stilled and held her breath.

  Leela stayed quiet.

  “Sorry.” She said finally. Avery only moved when she was sure the girl was speaking into the blue mist. “I’m not sure where the new guy is but I don’t think he’s near me. I know, I know. Make it quick. Okay, anyways, I mentioned the book to Avery. I asked her if she ever had dreams about it. She didn’t say so but I think she recognized it.”

  Avery drew her arms around herself. Mind finally crystal clear, she understood fully. Jericho’s journal detailed every step of the procedure he used to capture the powerful magic of Willow. Falling into information like that may have meant it was entirely possible to repeat. Avery absolutely knew they couldn’t let that happen. The Willow amulet had been bad enough and stronger magic would be absolutely lethal.

  A gap of silence indicated someone on the other line saying something. Leela whimpered.

  “They aren’t onto us. I’m sure of it.” Leela went on but having heard enough, Avery readied herself to sneak away when Leela said one last thing.

  “Oh, and Mikhail? Whatever you do, you have to promise not to hurt Avery. It’s Mason’s fault that she’s even involved.”

  The blue mist finally dispersed, leaving the line dead and Leela standing in the woods alone. Avery watched her gather up the glass shards and then bury them in the dirt. At last her friend turned and walked back toward the dormitories.

  Avery began to shake. Eyes burning, she hugged herself tightly. The new information struck her worse than a lightning bolt. Not only shaken by it, she was absolutely horrified. Leela had been Avery’s best friend forever—even when no one else gave Avery a second look. For years, they’d sat in the back of Chemistry class and transformed an experiment into a smoldering mess. They’d huddled together and shared scandalous secrets while watching some fuzzy chick flick on TV. They’d grown up together. They’d faced middle school, the sweet freedom. They’d faced high school with the nasty whispers, rumors, and heart wrenching emotions. They’d faced the vicious social hierarchy of high school trying to pull them apart. They’d even faced dark looming death on a burning rooftop during a harpie massacre.

  They’d done it all together. And now, for the first time, that together was gone.

  It made the idea of Leela as the enemy excruciating and unbelievable. Avery bit her lip to control her rapidly plunging emotions. Her options were limited, but she knew her next step. She had to find Patrick. She had to call Mason.

  Five

  Avery charged into the patch of dark woods where she’d seen Patrick fly. Adrenaline kept her moving and she searched for a hint of white amongst the canopy. The Northern Lights continued to flow in the sky making it difficult to spot movement.

  A crunch of twigs sounded out behind her and Avery turned to see Patrick land. His black eyes connected with hers and he offered his trademark cocky smile. She didn’t appreciate it.

  “Give me my phone!” She demanded, stressed for time. “It’s exactly what I thought it was. Mason needs to know. This is above our heads.”

  “I disagree.” He said simply.

  Flushed and furious, she held her hands out persistently.

  “What’s wrong with you? It’s my phone, now give it to me!” Her eyes caught the outline of the small device pressed against his chest pocket. Without another thought, she reached for it. Mid-motion, he suddenly caught her wrist and twisted. Another one of his hands grabbed her shoulder but it wasn’t a friendly touch. He dug his talon worthy fingernails into her skin sending a surge of pain through Avery’s shoulder blade.

  She flinched and tugged, adrenaline flooding her veins, but trying to break the grip only made the talons do more damage.

  “Stop it!” She squealed. The grip on her shoulder began to shoot sparks of pain down her back.

  His black eyes turned to slits and he didn’t let up the pressure.

  “I said no.” He said sharply.

  “Okay, fine. Just let me go.” She kept her tone carefully neutral. She could call Mason from another phone, Avery just needed to get away from Patrick but he seemed to read her mind.

  “Sorry. I guess I can’t do that now. I know you won’t stop until you hear from him.” He frowned but the expression didn’t carry real sadness. Rather, he mostly looked annoyed. He kept talking, despite her whimpers. “I wanted to have a vacation. A pretty human girl, a few days away from Adalyn and maybe have some fun. But I can’t have Mason come back.”

  She tore backwards. His grip broke but electric pain surged through her body. Driven by it, she backpedaled. His hand slipped into his shirt pocket and he jimmied the phone free. He chucked it toward her hard enough that the metal made contact with her knee and shattered. She stumbled and fell.

  “I don’t understand.” She said.

  “What don’t you understand? Stupid girl, I wasn’t sent here by Mason to protect you. I was sent here by Adalyn to kill you. She wants you out of the picture.” He kept walking toward her. Her shoulder bled and she felt the sticky liquid snake down her arm. The wound didn’t appear too severe but she felt some energy escape and her muscles weaken.

  Her mind spun. She considered springing up but that would leave her more vulnerable to attack.

  When she stood, she had to be ready to fight. Avery struggled to feel the magic that resided in her body. Though weak, she felt a flare of energy. If she could summon a little more then she could use it as a weapon.

  “I was told to do it inconspicuously. So when I saw some signs that the Band was sneaking around, I figured hey, they’ll do my job for me. I got you to chase Leela out, hang out in the open. But nothing. So now I have to kill you myself.”

  He advanced another step. Anxious, Avery struggled to concentrate and make the magic work. She had backed herself up until she sat just beside the dramatic incline where the hill began. Hazel eyes quickly glimpsing, she looked toward her side. She’d unwittingly trapped herself between the harpie and the treacherous hill.

  “Mason will know it was you.” She pointed out and pled. He seemed to consider it for less than a second. Shrugging, he said, “Not something you’ll ever have to worry about.”

  He abruptly lunged and Avery rolled to her right. She hit the tip of the incline as expected but didn’t realize how quickly she’d fall. The hill making her reel, she slid about five feet. She grabbed at the grass, digging her fingers in until she got a sturdy grip. Slowing her fall, she stood. He had gotten to his feet as well. Not waiting for him to chase, Avery whirled and dashed for the campus using gravity as propulsion. Her boot hit the pavement and she caught some speed. She didn’t think. Seeing the emergency exit for Crepuscule Hall, she hit the stairs and darted up the steps.

  Patric
k took to the air. The ability to skip steps allowed him to catch up in seconds. Spinning, she used her weight and shoved his chest. It worked just for a moment. She turned, wrenched the knob, and cracked the door open. The lights hit her, momentarily blinding, but she sprinted in anyways. Avery collided with something hard. Staggering, that something bounced off. Avery blinked to clear her vision. Before her stood Nate.

  His usual composure was lacking. His typically smooth hair was rumpled and his jaw was slack. His green eyes widened and he opened his mouth to conjure an ugly set of words but then Nate froze. Eyes trailing over Avery’s form, he paled significantly.

  “You’re bleeding.”

  His words making her remember the injury, she immediately reached out and clasped her hand over the open wound. Due to her activity, the blood came steadily but the puncture wounds weren’t as deep as she’d originally thought.

  The emergency exit door crashed open and smacked the wall with a loud pop. Avery twisted to face it. Every inch of her body demanded to keep running but Nate still hovered in the hall.

  “Nate go!” She screamed at him but he remained dead still. His eyes glued on the open door and the six foot harpie just outside it.

  Patrick’s wide white wings weren’t immediately visible, unable to fit through the doorway, but Avery didn’t wait. Catching Nate’s immobile hand, she yanked. His feet finally gave and she pulled him down the hallway. Feet thundering over the carpet floor, she dragged him through the building.

  She whirled toward the door at the opposite side of the building and the door that faced campus. Hand tight around Nate’s, she yanked the boy forward out of the exit. Standing outside, they faced the initial entrance—a long paved pathway that wound up

  another hillside and sat behind a wrought iron gate. The path was scenic but long and out in the open.

  Without many other options, Avery ran. Nate managed to keep pace but his head kept twirling to look behind him. If he’d intended to say anything, she never took the time to ask. They skidded to a stop just outside the gates.

  The school had been designed as a square with few exceptions. Around the square were a few separate brick buildings for classes, dorms, and faculty lodges. In the middle sat a shimmering fountain and the main office. None of those looked like good options. Avery’s eyes trailed to the left where a few steps led into the parking lot.

  “You have a car.” She whispered the realization and then turned on him. “Let me have your car. Give me your keys.”

  Few cars were allowed on campus with the limited parking, but Nate had one of them. In particular, he owned a shiny black Lexus with a massive engine. Nate’s eyes widened.

  “Are you nuts?” He sputtered out.

  The door of Mayweather hall slammed open and Avery glanced in time to see a flicker of white take to the sky. For a brief moment she considered leaving Nate, but if she knew anything about harpies, she knew they played dirty. Leaving Nate in the open might give Patrick the idea to use him as bait. Unwilling to take that chance, she urged Nate to move.

  “Come on.” She hauled him again. Halfway running, he scrambled through his pockets digging for his keys.

  They scurried through the grass and down a gentle slope. At the bottom of the slope waited a slick black top parking lot filled with a few dozen cars. Even among the designer brands, Nate’s compact stood out with its own designated spot at the front of the lot. Nate finally produced the shining silver key. The car lights blinked and the doors unlocked with a click. Nate took the driver’s side and Avery slipped inside the passenger’s door.

  The interior didn’t disappoint. With leather lined seats, wooden dash and console, and digital instrument panel, it spoke money. A spicy musk that was a mix of masculine cologne and hot leather also clung to the interior. Avery didn’t admire the car too much, focused on staring outside. Patrick had taken to the skies but he wouldn’t leave it at that. She hurried Nate to start the car and the engine sparked to life with a boisterous hum.

  Suddenly a flicker of white plummeted from the sky and crashed into the hood. The entire car lurched and popped. Patrick landed on the hood, wings opens, and talons out. Tearing forward, he swung at the glass. A scream ripped out of Avery.

  “Go!” She shouted. Her eyes flickered to Nate. He’d frozen stiff, green eyes wide and glued on the windshield. The windshield cracked, threatening to break. Avery dove for the wheel. Pushing by Nate, she yanked the gear. The car groaned, slamming into reverse.

  “Back up!” She kept screaming. The windshield splintered with a thunderous pop. Knowing they precious seconds left, Avery dove over Nate’s lap. Her hands scrambled to reach the pedal. Catching the gas with her palm, she drove her arm down. The car shot backwards. The abrupt momentum knocked Patrick clear off the hood. His body hit the pavement and rolled.

  Nate finally snapped out of the daze. His foot nailed the brake sending them to a screeching halt. Avery propped herself back upward and shifted the gear for him. He grabbed the wheel and turned it free. The headlights landed on Patrick. The harpie staggered to a stand. His wings had gone askew but his posture fixed itself instantaneously.

  He crouched, ready to leap again.

  “Just drive! Drive!”

  Nate hit the gas. The car exploded forward. Patrick charged straight. His talons were out. One more impact into the window and it’d break. One more impact and it’d be over. The car sped and Patrick didn’t move. The two collided hard. His limbs flailed like he’d been prepped to jump but his wings didn’t open right. He bounced off the hood. The ear splitting impact lasted only for a second. His wings went up and he fell off.

  Nate slammed the breaks. The car grinded to a halt. Avery leaned against the window. Patrick wasn’t moving but he couldn’t have been dead. His body twitched a bit. Avery didn’t wait to see more.

  “Keep going.” Avery told him.

  Nate depressed the gas pedal and the engine roared. The Lexus rumbled through the parking lot. Nate cut a left and reached the exit road. He slowed but didn’t stop. On the road, the car gained some speed. Within a minute the school disappeared in the distance.

  The fog out here thickened until the black stretch of road disappeared. The Lexus’ high beams did nothing to pierce the fog and Nate eased off the pedal. The car gave a guttural moan, trembled, and finally slowed as it slid into the correct gear. The car continued chugging calmly and there was no sight of Patrick anywhere.

  “Are you okay?” She spared a glance toward

  Nate. His pale face didn’t betray his emotions but it had frozen in an indiscernible expression.

  He’d lapsed into a prolonged silence, which was expected, but Avery felt the need to interrupt it. She may have hated Nate, but now she was worried about him. How do most people take a life changing experience like that? She had more time to cope with the idea that

  harpies existed before they ever tried to kill her. He took awhile but jerking to life, he pushed one hand through his black hair and let out a hissing breath.

  “My car is destroyed.”

  Avery blinked, thrown at first, before she put it together. The hood of Nate’s pride and joy had been torn up. The shiny black was now tattered and scraped with distinct claw marks. The window had been cracked in several places so severely that chilly wind penetrated the inside of the car. Most likely, further inspection of the outside of the car would only reveal more damage.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat.

  “Yea, sorry. Listen, I can help pay for that when we get back.”

  He shook his head in immediate disagreement.

  “Okay, for one minute pretending your boyfriend didn’t just try to kill us, where exactly do you think we’re going?” He asked sharply.

  Avery’s mind whirled with possibilities while her eyes continued to scan through the fog outside.

  “I’m not sure.” She admitted after a painful moment. She wasn’t even sure where they were, much less where they were going. “I think he’s only aft
er me. We should probably split up.”

  “You think? Probably? Don’t be dumb, girl. Don’t you ever watch the horror movies?”

  “What?” She snuck another glance at him. He’d animated quite a bit and leaned into the wheel.

  “We can’t split up until we get rid of whatever that bird was is gone or dead. If we split up he can pick us off one by one. Or worse, catch one of us and have the other come running!”

  Whether or not she believed Nate would come running for her, he made a good point and Avery had to

  give him credit for it.

  “Okay. Well, I think we should hit up the next city. It’ll be harder to find us there than at school. And I have a friend that can help us. I just need to call him.”

  “A friend?” Nate questioned immediately.

  Avery worded herself carefully.

  “A harpie too. But he’ll help. You’ll just have to believe me.”

  “You are insane. Stop making friends with monsters. We should go to the cops.”

  “And tell them what? They’ll think we’re insane!”

  He grumbled.

  “Well at least scoot.” He said. “I don’t like you sitting on my lap.”

  Avery flushed, finally realizing that she’d still been pressed close to him. Squirming towards the opposite door, she separated from him. Her back still stung, prompting her to finger the wound. Sticky blood met her fingertips when she did. The blood had slowed but a sinking feeling in her stomach made her wonder if she needed stitches. Clasping her hand to put pressure on the injury, she looked back toward Nate.

  “Where are you driving? We’ll need to get to a hotel or something.” She needed to get some clean towels and a few make shift bandages. Actually, she just needed a phone and she needed Mason here ASAP.

  Nate drummed his fingers on the wheel, a contemplative look stealing over his angular facial features.