Airborne Saga: Grounded Part 11

A glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye sent her running. She needed Mason to show up now.

The Band members started appearing. Hands out, she got ready to fight.

The first harpie came at her. Ready to fight, Avery met him while he was still in the air. She grabbed one of his arms and yanked. Gravity and weight on her side, the harpie went plummeting into the sand. Now on the floor, Avery went for him. Magic bundled in her chest, she readied to give him the shock of his lifetime. That's when the other harpies came in. One caught her from behind, tearing her backwards. The movement was harsh but not lethal. Using the surge of magic, she shocked the harpie that had yanked her. The electrical magic made contact. The harpie screeched and fell away.

The other rushed her and she kicked up at him. Her foot made contact and he let out a grunt. Harpies' bone density was light so brute strength was a good way to go, and Avery did just that. She kicked again, her heel knocking the harpie hard. Then she threw the last harpie off of her.

Running across the beach line, she kept moving. Any place the harpies couldn't fly was just where she'd go. The island lacked forests but it did have a thicket of palms dense enough to do the same. She slipped through them.

A harpie landed nearby and she whirled to face him. Her eyes lit up upon contact.

"Mason." She gasped. Eva had been absolutely right. He'd followed the magic right to her. Cheeks red and brown hair tousled, he'd probably flown straight over. He didn't smile when she greeted him but he grabbed her open hands. Swinging her behind him, he ordered, "Stay there."

Avery understood why in the next second. Mikhail had resurfaced and stood before them. Avery had cut him badly and the wounds bled steadily, but he stood at his full stature. His face had twisted with anger and his body radiated with a thick aura of danger. The sight nearly made Avery's blood freeze over.

"Mason, let's just go." She hissed, desperately tugging him.

The great escape sounded perfect but Mason didn't budge. Mikhail approached a few more steps and the berth between them grew smaller. Apparently concerned that Mikhail could make a grab for them upon takeoff, Mason stayed on the ground and kept his defenses up.

"Back up, Avery." He hissed.

Reluctantly she obeyed, casting her eyes toward the sky. It was then she noticed Eva lingering nearby.

The harpie woman had taken to one of the palms. Her green eyes stared downward but she kept still. Avery's muscles tightened and she turned back towards Mikhail.

"You know what I see every time I look into the faces of Jericho's children? I see the throne that was stolen from me. I see the life and the knowledge that was taken from me. And I remember why I have to take everything by force."

Mason cautiously watched him.

"My father stole nothing from you." Mason answered.

"Mason, look out!" Avery screamed but her companion didn't turn in time. A harpie dropped from the sky and hit them from behind. Mason and Avery went sprawling into the dirt. That's when Mikhail came at them. He went for Mason first but Avery never got to see it. The other harpie yanked her sideways. His grip was agonizingly sharp and the radical sideways movement left Avery defenseless. She thrashed but couldn't get a good grip. Sand was kicked up everywhere, blinding her.

She lashed out at the harpie but he held her firm. She was trapped. Her eyes drew up suddenly when she heard Mason gasp. Mikhail had him in a bone breaking grip.

"Now," Mikhail growled, "You will understand exactly why the government should fear me."

Fourteen.

"Mason!" Avery screamed but her voice did nothing to pierce the tension of a stalemate. The harpie that had her around the neck tightened his grip until Avery stayed reluctantly immobile. Avery watched on horrified.

Mikhail still had Mason pinned in the dirt and his grip around Mason's throat grew tighter until it was nearly fatal. Mason couldn't even fight in this position-any sudden movements would drive Mikhail's talons deeper.

"I'm done with you both." Mikhail seethed. "Remember Jericho's descendants. Remember this is what you made me do."

Avery screamed as he tightened his grip. It happened in slow motion. Avery only saw a blur of black dive from the sky. Mikhail was thrown backwards in an explosion of sand. It took half a second for the chaos to clear. Only then did she realize that Mason rolled free.

It was Eva who had knocked Mikhail back. Attacking with jerky, chaotic jabs, Eva landed on Mikhail. The flurry of battle ended swiftly. Eva jerked backwards, taking to flight, and separating herself from the downed Mikhail.

An arm abruptly snaked around Avery and pulled her to the side. Recognizing Mason as the one grabbing her, she latched onto him so they could take off into flight. Mason's wings pounded, putting as much distance possible between them and the island. The island and Mikhail disappeared fairly quickly.

Mason's flight pattern was shoddy. By the time they approached land, they spiraled and slowed.

Mason's feet touched the ground, and Avery broke free and turned on him.

"Are you okay?" She gasped. The weight of used adrenaline suddenly hit her shoulders and her body trembled. Exhaustion made her knees weak but fear kept her upright. Her eyes immediately went to his wounds. The skin on his neck and chin had been smeared with blood. Before she could examine it, he waved his hand.

"Get inside." He ordered while closing his wings. Desperately trying to regain her composure, Avery nodded.

Avery glanced to where he pointed, taking in her surroundings. They'd flown from Mikhail's island and landed somewhere on the West coast. The grey beach was cold and breezy with rocks and twisted stumps blocking most of the land from view. Perched just at the edge of the beach, beaten by waves, was an old concrete building. Maybe an abandoned Coast Guard or oceanography building, it was built st.u.r.dy but small.

Doubling back to take Mason's hand, she led him inside. The door gave way easily and Avery trudged through an explosion of dust. Light flooded in to illuminate the room. Ancient furniture cluttered the place and tarp covered tables lined the walls. Swatting cobwebs aside, she led him inside. He lumbered to the first seat and collapsed into the cus.h.i.+ons. His long limbs splayed out awkwardly and his chest heaved. Avery was too afraid to approach.

"It's too late to stop him now." Mason admitted slowly.

Avery pressed her lips together before they could quiver.

"I'm sorry." She gasped. "This is my fault."

If Mason heard her, he didn't let on verbally. His head rolled back onto the top of the chair and he folded his arms.

"I could have killed him. I had the chance. I just didn't. I froze." Avery raked her hands through her curly, tangled black hair. "It's my fault."

She turned and paced from one side of the small place to the other. Through a dirty window, she could see outside. Her eyes focused on the sky above the thras.h.i.+ng blue ocean. She didn't see any oncoming flickers. Still shaken, she turned and focused on him. Mason's dull green eyes finally settled and he shook his head.

"It's not your fault. You're not a murderer, Avery." He sighed.

Avery rubbed the wetness off her cheeks.

"What's gonna happen now? He's gonna absorb the magic and come after us." She stuttered.

Mason pinched the bridge of his nose and shrugged. A sudden sharp popping noise at the door grabbed their attention. Just outside stood Eva. Her raven black bangs covered her face, making the green eyes and expression indiscernible. Unsure of how to react, Avery stood still.

"Yes, Mason. What's your brilliant plan now?" Eva asked pointedly. Her tone was calm, controlled, and absolutely curious.

Mason perked up and leaned forward in his chair.

"Why are you here, Eva?" He asked darkly.

Eva's face scrunched up and she glared his way.

"That's not a lot of enthusiasm for someone who isn't a pile of b.l.o.o.d.y ribbons right about now." She snapped.

"And you've just decided to help, why?" Mason didn't ever get up from his seat but his talons came out to tap his knees. Muscles tightening, Avery knew he would be ready for anything.

"Don't get all sweet on me with thank yous. This isn't really related to saving your a.s.s." She leaned against the frame and her expression changed. "If you must know, I misjudged Mikhail's intentions."

"What, you didn't think he'd be a vicious murderer?" Avery posed bravely-something that earned her a harrowing glare from Eva.

"Simply that his intentions now run counter-course to mine." Eva hissed.

Leela had once said that they were "moving Eva out". Eva might have been picking up on it too. It somewhat justified Eva's actions. Avery did consider the possibility of Eva's actions being a trap. It wouldn't have been the first time the Band was absolutely underhanded. But considering she'd just saved Mason from untimely death, Avery trusted her. Backing up a step, she let the girl into the building. The metal door swung shut behind her and the room got substantially darker. Being so close to Eva felt awkward. Trekking across the room, Avery perched on the side of Mason's chair.

"You mean Mikhail suddenly remembered that you still are and always will be Jericho's child?" Mason suddenly harped at his sister.

"Shove it or I might finish where Mikhail left off." Eva stood, apparently ready to go through on her threat but Avery intervened.

"Hey wait up!" Avery held two pacifying hands out. "We can't fight each other! Or did you guys just miss the part where Mikhail swore to kill us all and is going to fill his body up with Willow magic? The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Whether or not the two siblings wanted to agree, she had a point there. Eva leaned back, her att.i.tude sliding from anger to apparent calm.

"So start thinking dear brother. What's the next step?" Eva quizzed with the rational approach.

"We tell the police about Mikhail's location." Mason said first off.

Eva broke down that option quickly.

"He likely won't be there, but if they can track him they might find him."

"Will the police be able to hold him this time?" Avery asked next. A few months ago, Mikhail had broken out of prison and escaped. He'd taken out dozens of harpies just to do it. And now with the magic of Willow, he'd be harder to contain.

"It might slow him down." Mason answered. "But they wouldn't be sending enough police to stop him. They're going to be holding down the fort. They know where Mikhail will go."

"What do you mean?" Avery interrupted, feeling out of the loop. During the conversation, Mason and Eva sent silent glances to each other sharing some unspoken understanding.

"Mikhail's going to take back his throne after he kills everyone standing in his way." Eva snapped out. Avery knew without asking that the harpie woman was wondering if she'd allied herself on the losing side.

"I guess we should just pick a place, hunker down, and get ready for the attack." Mason said.

Avery looked between them, only finding matching scowls. They weren't waiting for an attack, Avery realized. They were waiting for an execution.

"You guys aren't talking about giving up that easily, are you?" Pacing through the small room, she wrung her hands and thought. "Even if he makes an amulet following that book's directions, then it'll be no stronger than the Willow magic, right?"

"What are you getting at, girl?" Eva turned the full weight of her stare on Avery. For the first time, Avery had earned their attention and she went on.

"That means we can fight him on an even playing ground. We can win." Avery's voice spiked with a fresh wave of energy.

Eva didn't share the enthusiasm.

"Are you insane? You can't fight Mikhail." The female harpie said blatantly. "Believe me on this one, human. He never loses." She put particular emphasis on the "never".

More defensive, Avery wrapped her arms around her chest and debated.

"There's a first for everything. He's not invincible. And there are more of us." Avery then gestured to all of them.

Mason s.h.i.+fted in his chair and his hand snaked behind Avery's back.

"Avery, you're not compensating your theory for the rest of Mikhail's a.s.sociates. We don't know what we're up against." He pointed out, tracing his fingers lightly beneath the bottom of her s.h.i.+rt.

Determined to stay focused, Avery shook her head.

"Yea, we do." Avery then pointed at Eva. "And with the police, we can win. It's that or prepare to die. I'm not willing to die."

Avery s.h.i.+fted her attention to Eva, waiting for the woman's reaction. The plan would be pivotal on her agreement. After a minute, Eva nodded stiffly.

"You think you know how to fight little brother? Because I'm in now whether I want to be or not." She threw the ball back to Mason's court.

Mason's eyes clouded with debate. Hand continuing to trace over Avery's bare skin, he clearly thought about it.

"Maybe. No, it's a yes. I guess it's a must." He clearly struggled with the answers.

"So what would be Mikhail's first stop on his revenge on society thing?" Avery quizzed Eva this time.

The woman thought about it for a second but answered fairly quickly.

"A year before Mikhail was cast out, his fate was uncertain. The counsel was divided. But then one harpie-the harpie who was later Jericho's a.s.sistant-came on board and swayed the vote. Considering that he doesn't live within the secure borders of the Court anymore, I imagine he'll be the first target. His name is Samuel."

Avery's let out a breath of disbelief.

"Small world." She whispered after it fully sunk in. She didn't relish the thought of Adalyn and Patrick again but pushed those worries aside for later complication.

"What about Leela? I know they took her back to Alaska, will she be okay?" Avery asked the next.

"The popsicle stick?" Eva frowned but obediently answered. "I imagine. They wouldn't have any contact with Mikhail until they returned to the island."

"Good, I can call her later and have her go somewhere safe." In fact, Avery rapidly realized, she could use Nate to do that. She hadn't talked to the boy since the encounter at Moose Pa.s.s, but she knew he'd be in on keeping Leela safe.

"Fine, but you," Mason pointed toward Avery, "Should disappear into a human city too. You can still slip away. Mikhail will be distracted by searching for us."

Avery's jaw dropped before she could properly construe a set of vicious protests. Eva beat her to it.

"The white horse thing, Mason? Really?" Eva rolled her eyes like a teenager.

Finding it just as unfunny, Avery spoke up.

"Are you serious? I'm not leaving. So don't try to protect me either." Avery started and then felt more strength return as she kept on. "That aside, you can't do it without me. I have some of the Willow magic so if we're using the magic to fight, then we need to be together. Mikhail wants me dead so this is my fight too."

Avery smirked, having found her own argument convincing. Eva even piped in.

"She's so much like a harpie isn't she?"

"Avery is a human. Avery is not a harpie." Mason shot up from his seat the second his voice began to rise. "Avery is not a killer. And Avery shouldn't be involved."