“Stop this!” Samuel thundered, bringing attention to his existence at the very end of the hallway.
Avery froze and in seconds, the rest of the fighting died. Mason reeled, breaking free of Patrick’s hold, and hopped to his feet. His clothing had been disheveled and his brown hair tousled in front of his face. Faint red marks marred his cheek bones and his knuckles had discolored purple. The damage didn’t look remotely serious seeing as the boys had resisted going for more cheap and dangerous shots.
In the moment, Avery slipped to Mason’s side and slid behind his white wing that hung partway open. Samuel, the old harpie and former servant of Jericho’s, shot Avery and Mason a harrowing look.
“Of all the people in the world that should not have resurfaced, you are them.” He said sharply, no humor creeping into his hoarse voice.
Age had significantly worn his body since they’d last seen him. His posture was hunched making the once tall harpie seem short and frail. His wings had gone grey and began to bald along the column of the bone. Face etched with frown lines, his scowl seemed at home.
A few months ago, Avery had saved Samuel’s life and he allowed them to walk away from the harpie government in return. He did leave them with one strict warning not to resurface and they’d just done that. Avery hurried to explain.
“You don’t understand. We’re not here to cause trouble. We need help. We need Jericho’s journal.”
Samuel’s expression didn’t change but his eyes did sharpen.
“Perhaps you do not understand. I cannot risk my position here with allegations. I am not here to help you or associate with you. I will not.”
“Sir,” Mason cleared his throat and ran a hand to straighten out his hair. “We didn’t come on a social visit. We think someone, Mikhail specifically, may be out to steal my father’s journal.”
Careful calculations flashed over Samuel’s face and his frown grew.
“Those are dangerous assertions Mason. And I suspect unsubstantiated claims. That book is in my personal collection and I would know of its whereabouts.”
“He thinks we’re here just to take it again.” Mason whispered for Avery’s benefit. She reached out for the side of his wing and nervously curled her fingers into his soft feathers.
Adalyn took over the situation next.
“Dad, they’re with me and you can’t stop us.” Adalyn pointed out blatantly. She’d propped her chin up and held her stature with a threatening disobedience. Samuel’s gaze shot to his daughter. “They just want to see it. Show them the damn thing and they’ll be off. Well, at least the human girl will be.” Adalyn added.
Samuel’s mouth opened but he held his tongue. After a moment of thought, he turned in a slow motion and led the procession down the hall. One corner and two doors later, Samuel opened up the door to a quaint library. Smaller than the one at the harpie island, it still held several shelves worth of leather bound books and reeked of musty paper and coffee. The group bumbled into the room, which was a difficult task considering the wide berth between Mason and Patrick. The two harpies hadn’t attempted to finish the fight that they’d started but the tension of it remained thick in the atmosphere.
Samuel swept forward as quickly as his short legs and curved posture would let him. Digging straight into a cabinet built into one of the oak book shelves, he searched.
“It’s gone isn’t it?” Mason said after a minute had passed. Samuel never looked up but his face had paled. His wrinkled hands still scrambled to overturn the desk’s contents.
“It was here.” Samuel heaved.
Mason shot a steely look over the quiet audience. Adalyn and Avery’s faces dulled with realization.
“When was the last time you saw it?” Mason said, still managing to keep a calm head.
Samuel turned from his work and leaned back against the wood. Adalyn broke from the crowd and appeared at her father’s side. Supporting the shaking man’s weight, she helped him over to a group of lounge chairs. When Samuel dropped into a seat, Mason and Avery sat next to him.
“I’m not sure.” Samuel finally answered, hand pressed to his forehead. “It wasn’t long ago. Of that I can assure you. But whoever stole it did it inconspicuously.”
“They call them the Band of Thieves for a reason, right?” Avery offered. Her words earned an incredulous look from Samuel.
“So you came here knowing that it may be stolen by the Band. Obviously there is a reason for that.”
“We got word.” Mason explained carefully. “But we thought we’d have more time. Mikhail sought the amulet of Willow once before, it’d be no surprise that he’d like an instruction manual on how to recreate it.”
“We’ll have to get the authorities involved. You’ll have to tell them everything. You knew to come here. You knew to look for the book. Those details are deathly important now.” Samuel said.
Avery couldn’t help but panic. She knew that details about it would lead to Leela. And after dealing with the harpie government once, she knew they would treat Leela as an enemy that needed to be killed. Refusing to even drop the name, Avery took a different approach.
“We don’t know much. Hearsay. But we’d have more luck following it than the police. Besides, if the police get involved then Mason and I will be in danger as well.” Avery said so smoothly, she was proud of herself.
“It’s a risk we have to be willing to take. This is out of your hands already.” Samuel replied, shooting her down just as quickly. Rubbing his temple hard, he shook his head. “If Mikhail is truly in possession of the book, then he could use it to make a weapon so strong that the entire monarchy is in danger.”
“Avery, you don’t understand the extent of it.” Mason took up where Samuel left off. Though he spoke softly, directed toward Avery, everyone listened. “He’s not just a petty theft. Mikhail never was. He’s different from the rest and he used to be the Prince before my father’s family came to power.”
“Whoa. So how’d he end up in the Band?” Avery asked.
“Yea, you should ask Jericho. It’s his fault, right?” Patrick piped up, apparently desperate to get one last jab in at Mason.
Mason’s fists clenched but he didn’t let the other harpie bait him. It proved to be a testament about how much Mason had checked his harpie anger.
“Reasoning aside, he broke from the society and became an outlaw. He’s not just a thief but an entire anarchist. We cannot allow this to go unchecked.” Samuel ended the conversation for both of them.
Mason’s lips thinned but he didn’t up and panic. He continued to formulate his words with admirable thought.
“Would they have any idea where to find Mikhail?” Mason asked politely.
“If they did, he’d be in custody now although I dare say they’ll find this as reason to intensify the search.” Samuel answered.
“Fine.” Mason stood up abruptly and waved at Avery to follow. Avery immediately grabbed for Mason’s hand to slow the harpie down from storming out. “Its fine Avery, let them do it.” He said.
Her eyes caught his, trying to grasp his reasoning. Mason saw this as an opportunity to walk away. Though she would have lingered and protested more, she grudgingly trusted her companion.
“I strongly advise you to keep that initiative.” Samuel warned before they left.
Mason gave one more firm nod, squeezed Avery’s hand, and led her out the door. Mason walked quickly leaving Avery to jog to keep up. They burned down the hallway, heading straight for the door from which they’d come. They made it halfway down the hallway before Adalyn followed.
“You’re going Mason?” Adalyn’s voice stopped them in their tracks.
Mason’s grip tightened on Avery’s hand until it hurt. Wings twitching with seeping anxiety, Mason twisted to see Adalyn.
“You know I can’t be here.” He said convincingly, but his voice still waivered. Avery couldn’t see his expression from where she stood but she knew it wouldn’t be a good one. In the history of Adalyn and Mason
’s tumultuous relationship, this had to be the darkest point. Avery squeezed his hand, willing some strength with it. She couldn’t relate-- not even close, but she knew that despite what Adalyn had done Mason’s emotions still weren’t in the clear. Watching the frown on the girl’s face didn’t make it any easier.
Adalyn took a long, deep breath.
“You said we needed to talk. So let’s talk.”
Adalyn commanded.
Avery already knew what Mason was thinking. Not here and not now. This wasn’t right for them, not to do “The Talk” in front of everyone. But Adalyn wasn’t wavering.
“Adalyn, it’s over.” Mason started. “We can’t do this anymore. So let’s cut our losses and move on.”
“You’re serious about this? All this over a stupid human girl?” Adalyn kept her composure but not by much.
“It’s not over Avery. It’s because we haven’t been working for a long time now and you know it. It just took me too long to say it.” Mason’s voice actually grew with strength. But then so did Adalyn’s.
“Mason, you’re not thinking about the consequences. You and I were supposed to be married for a reason! You’ll lose everything.” The harpie woman nearly screamed.
“That’s fine.” Mason agreed blankly. Suddenly animating again, he squeezed for Avery’s hand. Though momentarily stunned, Avery allowed the harpie to lead her outside. A stiff silence lingered in their wake. His wings opened and he pulled her against his chest. The rush meant little though. Adalyn never followed and they took off into empty blue skies. Only after they’d cleared the compound and Portland did Avery have the nerve to stir Mason from his thoughts.
“Are you okay?” She asked, regretting how bland that sounded. Shifting her cheek against his shoulder, she didn’t look at his face afraid of what she might see.
“Yea, I’m better than I’ve been for a long time.” Mason said quietly.
“Good.” She blurted.
“Of course, except now the government is involved in the Mikhail conspiracy, your friend and you are in danger all over again, now we have no place to start fixing things. That I’m not so okay with.”
“Actually,” She maneuvered her head and gave him a half smile. “I have an idea on where to start. Thing is...you might not like it.”
Ten
“No way in hell.”
“Come on Mason, you can’t stop me.” She pointed out and reached for his shoulder. Mason danced away before she could and pressed himself up against the opposite side of the grey brick wall. Despite the cold and snow coming down overhead, he stubbornly stayed put and glared downward at her. Avery regretted giving him so much time to think about it but here and now there wasn’t much he could do to stop her.
Avery glanced backwards, looking over Mayweather Academy towards her dorm in the distance. They’d flown straight from Portland and arrived overnight. The temperature had plunged and the wind weaved through the trees and beat on the campus. Avery wrapped her arms around her body and turned back to Mason.
“You thought it was a good idea a few hours ago.” She said.
He shot her another harrowing look, the shadows underneath his eyes growing and his hands curling into fists. He hadn’t even bothered to wear the heavy trench coat and hide his massive wings. There wasn’t really anyone out during this time at night but he was still playing with fire.
“I never said the word ‘good’. I said stupid.” He corrected.
“Yea but you also said possible.” She stepped closer.
Mason kicked the ground but didn’t budge when she slid next to him. Truth be told, her nerves were screaming in protest and her muscles burned with
anxiety. She hopped boot to boot, trying unsuccessfully to keep the jitters at edge.
“Look, no one else knows where the Band is besides Leela. And she doesn’t know I’m on to her. If I could just meet up with her and act it out, she might have me taken to the Band’s headquarters to help them decipher Jericho’s journal.” She reiterated the plan she decided earlier, step by step. “Then we can not only find the journal but get it back.”
“I don’t think you understand. You’ll be walking straight into Mikhail’s hands and this time, he isn’t too interested in keeping you alive.”
She pouted but he did raise a point. She’d run into Mikhail once before on Hatcher Pass last year. He’d kept her alive specifically because he didn’t know how to harness the magic that was in her body. If he believed, like everyone else, that all the magic was gone then she meant nothing to him now. Rubbing her frozen hands together, she shrugged off the possibility.
“I’d rather do it before he creates another amulet than after. Besides, you’ll be there to back me up.”
“Thanks for the confidence but I’m not a miracle worker, Avery. We can’t take on the entire Band at once. There is a good chance that we could both die.” His voice dropped and she didn’t disagree.
Acting without much thinking, she reached out and caught his warm hands until he grudgingly opened up his fists. Unfazed by the attitude, she clasped his hand and used it to draw him closer. His green eyes dropped to meet hers. The expression on his face hurt to see. Lips tilted downward with a helpless frown, the light had gone from his face and had been replaced by darkness.
Despite the situation at hand, the close proximity
to him made her mind wander. Adalyn was officially out of the picture. That meant there was finally a “them” as a couple. And though Avery had been thinking about it for months, seeing it happen still left her mind spinning.
His mind must have followed the same track.
“You look like you want to kiss me.” He said lazily.
“Stop being so full of yourself.” She rolled her eyes for drama’s sake but didn’t move away when he leaned down.
“It’s hard to when you follow me around with those puppy dog eyes.”
She opened her mouth to protest but he leaned down and caught her lips before she even got a word out. His lips were soft but he pressed into her mouth hard. The kiss was wet but passionate and she could taste spiciness on his tongue. She let herself slip back into the wall and he pinned her against it. She tilted her head up and arched her back forward giving him easier access and Mason took full advantage of it. Arms looping around her back, he pressed his body against hers until she could feel every inch of his rippled chest. Nerves hypersensitive, she shuddered when his hand slipped beneath her shirt and she felt the gentle touch of his calloused fingertips.
Mason moved his mouth away and shifted his attention to her cheek. He trailed kisses down the side of her face, underneath her chin, and to the hollow of her neck while leaving a burning sensation in the wake of each kiss. He stopped just before her collar bone and suddenly looked up to catch her eyes.
“What?” She asked, breathless. Her cheeks burned red hot and she licked her swollen lips.
He quirked an eyebrow.
“Puppy dog eyes.” He said with a devilish smile.
Pushing him off, she groaned.
“Shut up, Mason.”
His smile only grew wider and refusing to look at him any longer, Avery turned away and composed herself.
“I should be going.” She said when the sight of the Mayweather campus reminded her of the real situation at hand. “It’s better if I get to it while no one else is awake.”
Combined with the fact that she’d lose her nerve waiting any longer, Avery was ready to jump right into her plan. Mason cut off her path though. Green eyes finally serious, he gave her a last lecture.
“You can’t be stupid about this, Avery. You have to be very careful and if anything at all seems wrong, just leave. We can find some other way to deal with it.”
Avery tried not to let the comment get her down.
“Come on, you don’t trust my acting skills?y an She asked rhetorically. The joking tone didn’t quite lighten the moment as much as she’ intended.
“You’re more of a magnet for trouble than anyo
ne I’ve met in my life. At least tell me you’ll be smart about it or I won’t let you do this at all.” When she nodded he added in a hushed tone, “Avery, do not die. If we’re going to be together, then I don’t want a dead girlfriend one day into the relationship.”
Avery offered him the most reassuring smile she could muster. The confidence in his face never bolstered but he did step aside and allow her access to the sidewalk. Before she could back out, Avery hurried down the open pathway towards the entrance of Crepuscule Hall. She heard the sweeping sound as Mason took off in a gust of wind and flew somewhere into the woods. He’d probably create a perimeter and scan the dark skies. Feeling much more alone, Avery rushed down the stairs and through the entranceway.
Inside the hallways were dim and only the flickering emergency lights illuminated the building. The usually boisterous hall stayed quiet this late at night and Avery could hear every single one of her footsteps loudly. Her hazel eyes trailed around fanatically at every nook and cranny, though she recognized her own behavior as overkill.
She reached the last door on the end, 1128, and hesitated outside. She paced her breathing and shook her limbs loose. Leela would most likely be asleep and not even stir when Avery went inside. But grabbing the cold knob, Avery knew she couldn’t be sure of that either.
Finally unlocking the room, she pushed the door open. The lights from the hallway spilled into the room and bathed it in a yellow glow. Leela’s bed, closest to the door, sat empty. Avery took a cautious step in and that’s when she heard the voice pierce through the darkness.
“Avery?”
Avery stopped, searching blindly until her pupils became accustomed to the darkness. Sitting on her desk was the petite form of Leela. The girl looked up, her face white and startled.
“Hey, I didn’t know you were awake. I just- I just got back.” Avery tried to sound realistic and took another slow step in to let the door slide shut behind her. The light outside disappeared and with it, Avery’s courage dwindled. Leela shifted a bit and reached out for a desk lamp.
Grounded Page 8
