Grounded

by Constance Sharper

  “Come on, please come on.” She begged him and herself.

  She could feel the large shift of magic as Mikhail moved behind them.

  “You can’t escape me!” He boomed in their wake but Avery kept moving.

  She took a left, the maze of the building always giving her one more turn. Mason staggered more with each shift in direction. The magic in their bodies helped them move but it wouldn’t make them invincible.

  “We have to hurry Mason, please don’t give up.” She said again but her voice didn’t come out right.

  The wound on her collar bone had opened again and bled more profusely. She felt the wetness coat her shirt and though the wound wasn’t large, it still planned on draining her slowly. Mason’s weight suddenly seemed heavier and the next steps suddenly seemed harder.

  She spotted a door on the right and went for it. The door gave way and she stumbled inside. They’d reached the main factory room of the warehouse. Much of it had been destroyed and the rest covered in dirt, dust, and splintered wood. The massive metal crates that lined the room had survived the fire, sitting rusted and abandoned. The only light that slipped in was from segments of the ceiling which had collapsed.

  Avery stumbled forward, behind the first row of metal crates. Mason’s weight finally too heavy, she let go and the harpie crumbled into a sitting position. His wings were crooked behind him and his face looked shallow and gaunt.

  His eyes were open though and Mason struggled to move.

  “Avery!” He reached out for her but she ignored it.

  Spotting the nearest burnt piece of wood, she grabbed it and jammed it under the door. Though Mikhail could blow the entire things to splinters, it would buy them that one extra second.

  “Avery!” Mason called again and this time she dropped to his side.

  “Are you okay?” She asked him but Mason didn’t answer. His eyes stayed on her blood soaked shirt.

  “You need to run, Avery. You need to escape because I can’t.”

  He sounded too weak and Avery’s heart skipped a beat. Shaking, she reached out and clasped his face, forcing him to look up at her.

  “I’m not leaving.”

  “Avery--”

  “I’m not! Mason, he’ll just find me again. You know that. I’d rather stay with you and give it a last fight.”

  He hissed, pushing himself up against the wall. His hands caught hers.

  “I’m sorry, Avery. You wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me. You wouldn’t die if it wasn’t for me.” His voice broke.

  “Shut up.” Her eyes burned and she squeezed his fingers. “Mason, we’ll live. We have to. We’re moving into together, remember? You’ll be Prince and I’ll actually be some princess.” She laughed though it wasn’t funny. “You can’t give up. We have to have that future. Don’t you want to?”

  Mason’s green eyes flickered with some light.

  “I’ll fight for it. I won’t give it up.”

  He gave a weak smile and Avery drew some confidence from his agreement. But they still needed a miracle. And Avery needed to think of something.

  Twenty-Six

  “What do we know about the amulet? The magic?” Avery asked in a hurry.

  Mason had stood, bracing the majority of his weight against the rusted crate. His shoulders didn’t open all the way and the bones in his wings sat at an odd angle. Still his legs worked and he was using them. He maneuvered them around another crate, searching for a better spot. Some of the stacked crates had shifted from excess weight and heat forcing them to bend dangerously towards the ground. A few had already fallen, sitting sideways on the floor. These were big enough to hide behind and still small enough to see over them.

  “What you see is what you get.” Mason answered her question but remained too busy to even look at her.

  Mikhail’s pulsating aura was coming closer. Mikhail wasn’t stupid enough to run in blind and that bought them a precious second.

  “Look, we have all of Jericho’s memories. There has to be something we’re missing. There was some reason that Jericho turned in Mikhail all of those years ago to get him away from the magic.”

  “Avery,” Mason finally turned toward her. “My father betrayed Mikhail plain and easy. You of all people know that a friend could do that to another friend.”

  His words were honest and short. Avery’s mouth snapped shut with a click. He was referring to Leela. She turned away. Her head was spinning and she put a hand to it.

  “That’s not true. Leela only tried to do what was best for me.” Then everything lit up in her brain. How had she not seen it before? Dumbfounded, Avery whirled.

  “Mason, this place. I’ve had dreams about this place from Jericho’s memories. Listen to me!” She maneuvered into his way and made him stop. Grabbing his hands, she broke it down in a quick flurry of words. “That was the difference between them after all. Jericho wanted an amulet. Mikhail wanted to absorb the magic. Jericho was telling Mikhail that he only did what was best for him because Mikhail’s plan was insane.”

  Mason stole a quick glance at the door before returning his gaze to hers. “So what?”

  “Jericho stopped him because he feared for Mikhail’s life. He said that absorbing magic like that would kill. Jericho saved Mikhail’s life because the Willow magic in your body could kill you.” That finally earned his belief. Mason’s attention glued now, he quizzed in a firmer voice.

  “If the Willow magic could kill its occupant then how did you live with it for so long?”

  “Because I couldn’t use it like that.” She gestured toward the energy coming from the hallway. “And when I finally began to grasp the potential it split between us.”

  “I understand. He’ll kill himself if he uses the magic long enough. We just have to draw fire.” Mason smirked.

  They didn’t have another second. The door burst into an explosion of splinters. Mikhail was here.

  “Don’t hide from me. I know you’re here. Gather your petty bravery and face me!” Mikhail boomed, his voice echoing even in the massive warehouse. The harpie suddenly threw up a hand. Before Avery or Mason could budge, he let out a blast of magic. It slammed into the metal crates they hid behind and sent them sliding. They barely moved in time to avoid the collision.

  “Avery, run!” Mason suddenly shoved her, springing in the opposite direction. Avery’s feet obeyed and she dashed behind the next crate in the row. Mason didn’t follow though but dashed in the opposite direction. Before she could protest, Mikhail sent another harrowing blow of magic her way. It smashed into the crate with crippling force but the more sturdy metal just budged. Mikhail whirled and sent another blow in Mason’s direction. It smashed into the crate with a deafening thud. A few of the crates stacked on the top row shook disturbingly.

  It clicked in Avery’s head. Mason kept moving in the opposite direction so she did the same. Separated they made for a harder target.

  Mikhail stood in the center of the room so every time she ran for another crate she put herself in the opening. She also drew his attention as a target. Avery dashed but Mikhail spotted her before she could disappear. He moved for her but never got the chance to attack.

  It happened suddenly. One of the tilted crates stacked on the top of the pile had given and went crashing for Mikhail. The harpie turned and knocked the metal object out of the air with an explosion of energy. The crate gave and went bouncing backwards in a pile of twisted metal. Avery stole a glance to catch on with what was happening. Mason had thrown the crate, no doubt knocking it free with the magic of his own.

  “Genius.” She whispered. He found the one way for Mikhail to burn himself out without being the target practice themselves. She didn’t hesitate. Her eyes instead went toward the last row of crates. Another crate sat tilted on top of the stack. She instantly knew it was her turn.

  Quick on her feet, she ran for the stack. Heart pounding in her ears, she slid through the maze. Mikhail’s powers may blow him out but at that very moment, he
was stronger than ever. And he was throwing that energy Mason’s way.

  Avery reached the end of the stack of crates and looked up. Things always looked smaller in the distance. This had to be at least twelve feet to the first ledge and fourteen more to properly reach the crate she desired.

  “Why don’t I have wings?” She groaned. There were tiny ridges in the metal, dangerous but doable. She griped one, dug her nails into the edge and tried to find a proper fit for her sneakers.

  Mikhail’s attention must have stayed on Mason. Though she couldn’t see it, she heard the battle rage on. Mikhail’s magic hit the walls, shaking the entire room. The crate she clung to trembled and she nearly lost her grip. Her nails bled but she forced herself up another step and then another. Soon the ground threatened to disappear beneath her feet. She stole a glance downward. The floor appeared to spin.

  Avery’s heart dropped into her stomach.

  “Please don’t fall. Please don’t fall.” She begged herself taking one more step.

  “I expected better of you! Cowards!” Mikhail yelled out. “Come out and fight!”

  The aggravation in his voice was reflected in the angry pulsating aura. The magic he was using was spiking. Mason must have thrown another crate because it blasted to pieces with a shattering boom. The room shook just as Avery reached the ledge. Her grip threatened to give. Quickly she pressed a palm to the tilted crate.

  She pushed the hot simmering feeling out through her blood, to her finger tips, and to the open air with a flash of blue. The crate shifted but didn’t fly. It wasn’t working. Avery’s breath hitched in her chest. The power that she had known for so long had been cut in half. She’d need use everything she had to even move the crate.

  Avery was starting to sweat. The warehouse must have been over a hundred degrees and blood thumping hotly through her veins, she grew more uncomfortable by the second. The wound on her chest continued zapping her strength and crippling exhaustion threatened to set in. Closing her eyes she took a breath. The deafening sound around her finally faded away. She focused on her chest, on her blood, and on the magic.

  It finally sparked and she pushed the magic out. The crate gave and flew. Avery leaned up just enough to see it clear the top. Mikhail still stood in the center of the room and he turned to intercept the crate. He threw a hand up. The flash of magic lit up but just as the falling crate began to budge from its collision course, the light flickered. The magic dwindled. Mikhail dove sideways to avoid the crashing metal. The crate hit the floor and slid.

  The harpie suddenly doubled. The aura of magic was spiking and falling. Unsteady, Mikhail gripped his chest. Avery gasped. They’d done it. His body was starting to give.

  “Mason!” She yelled. They needed to move on him now.

  Mikhail suddenly reanimated. Jerking to a stand, his black eyes landed on Avery. Throwing his hand up one last time, he let out a weak flash of blue magic. The crate Avery clung to trembled violently, but this time she couldn’t hold on. Her sweaty grip gave and Avery fell backwards. Her hands grabbed for something to hold but she only slowed her fall. She let out a scream ten feet before she hit the floor. With nothing to brace her fall, the impact jolted through her body with an agonizing spark of pain. The wind knocked out of her, she struggled to catch a clean breath.

  “You brat. You bloody human brat.” She could hear Mikhail’s voice coming closer.

  Panic surging through her veins, she struggled to move. Her body ached down to the bone and her muscles refused to budge. She rolled and pushed herself up. Black crept up at the edge of her vision. She didn’t have time to stand before Mikhail trotted around the crate to where Avery laid.

  His black eyes flashed with cruel fury.

  “How dare you even interfere? This is above you. This is beyond you. And I will not let you—a human—stand in my way.” He hissed.

  His chest was heaving and his eyes were bloodshot. He lumbered forward instead of picking up his feet and his posture was bent at an odd angle. Though seemingly unable to catch his breath, he still moved forward. She struggled to stand but every inch of her body ached and her muscles didn’t help.

  “Wait!” She put her hand out. The magic in her chest refused to react, like Mikhail, burnt out. But Mikhail didn’t need that much magic to kill her.

  “Wait for what? I’m done waiting.” Mikhail lifted his talons. Avery squirmed backwards, desperate to catch her grip.

  “Mason!” She screamed. Mikhail caught her with one hand. She tried to knock his arms away but his grip was painful and tight. He dug his talons in until they drew blood. Her vision threatened to go black, air supply cut off. The world spun. For half a second Avery saw the end.

  Abruptly Mikhail’s grip broke away. Mikhail froze, twitched, and crumbled to the floor. Only when his body hit the ground did it become visible what had happened.

  Mason had returned but not alone. Mason had torn him away and Eva had come up behind Mikhail, impaling the harpie through the torso with some unseen knife. Blood had splattered over her leather suit and hands.

  “What did you do?” Avery gasped.

  The harpie woman never answered. Her eyes stayed glued on her arms. She flexed her fingers. Though invisible, the magic still pulsed as it sunk into to Eva’s body and then finally disappeared. Only after a moment did the harpie woman twitch to life.

  “Will you look at that?” Eva whispered with the tone of her voice indiscernible and quiet. She flexed her fingers before she looked up, eyes connecting with Avery’s. “You know what I was always told? If you can’t beat them, join them. Until you can beat them of course.”

  Mason came up from behind and hauled Avery up and back into his chest. He still staggered himself but managed to stand.

  “Eva, stop this.”He reached out to his sister while still holding onto Avery’s waist. “Whatever you’re planning, stop now while you’re ahead. If you come back with us now, we can fix your banishment. We can get out that magic before it kills you too.”

  Eva’s eyes narrowed.

  “I don’t want my banishment to be fixed. I don’t want the magic to be removed.”

  “It doesn’t have to be like it used to. Our father is dead and gone now. I can fix what he didn’t. Please give me a chance.” Mason was begging but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Eva shook her head. Dropping the knife, she backed up and disappeared from the room in a hurry.

  Neither Mason nor Avery gave chase. The adrenaline finally quit their systems and left them both ragged. Avery cast him a sideways look, swaying on her feet.

  “Are you okay? Should we go after her?” She found her resolve. Mason didn’t though. Keeping his arm around her waist, he squeezed her and buried his lips into her hair.

  “No. Trouble may be coming with Eva but it won’t be today.” He said. “Let’s go home.”

  Twenty-Seven

  Avery had been to the harpie island once before, but seeing it with fresh eyes, it all looked new again. It was an island of flowers, waterfalls, and sand. Stranger than that, it was the island Avery had agreed to live on. Her stomach floated either from the surge of emotions or the drop in Mason’s flight pattern, but when they touched down on the beach her stomach was doing back flips.

  Somewhere down the shore line, the sharp blue suits of patrol guards perked up and headed their way. Mason ignored them. Grabbing her chin, he guided her eyes towards his.

  “You still with me?” Mason asked.

  “Only if you’re still with me.” She earned a smile from him. He leaned in for a fleeting kiss. They had witnesses but Mason didn’t seem to care.

  “It’s not going to be easy. They may be startled by the magic in your body but they won’t act on it when you’re with me. Just follow my lead.” He warned, squeezing her hand. She had the strong urge to kiss him again but the harpie patrol guards were upon them. Mason turned and the guard’s faces’ lit up with recognition.

  “Mikhail’s not coming.” Mason said. “He’s been killed. The rest of the B
and members escaped.”

  The guards stiffened and stuttered. One finally took charge and stepped forward.

  “You need to come with us. And the human-“

  Mason squeezed Avery’s hand again even though she didn’t need the reassurance.

  “She’s with me and she goes where I go.” He left no room to bicker. The guard obliged with the demand and led them forward.

  In the center of the harpie island was a three story building made out of marble and granite, and it was adorned with insignias. The towering structure was the Grand Central Station of harpie affairs and was just as dazzling on the inside as the outside. It was exactly like Avery remembered it.

  The majestic wooden doors were opened for them and inside, the guard made a ‘stop’ motion.

  “We’ll need her to wait outside if you wish to speak to the council.” The guard ordered.

  Before Mason opened his mouth to protest that one, Avery spoke up.

  “That’s fine. I’ll be over here.” She gave a half smile and maneuvered off to the side. She had no desire to see the Council which had essentially condemned her the year before. Things had changed, time and the people in charge were on her side but she still wasn’t comfortable. Mason gave her a backwards look before being shuffled into another room. She went for a bench pressed against the nearest wall. It was marble, stiff and uncomfortable but still somewhere to rest. She sat and wiggled her phone free.

  The plastic had cracked on both sides and the buttons didn’t line up with the proper places. The ink under the screen had become blurry or unclear from abuse. Still, a signal bar stayed lit up and Avery fought with the phone until it dialed out.