Part 14 (2/2)

”Looks like I won.” Patrick finally yelled, triumphant. His hands still lingered above Mason's neck, an unspoken gesture that he could kill Mason with one blow. Patrick had stopped but in the real world, Mason would be dead.

The realization was stunning and Avery's blood ran cold. Only after a full minute when Mason had stood and dusted himself off did the other implications ever sink in. Her hazel eyes flickered up to Patrick only to find the harpie staring back her way. His eyes glinted with clear amus.e.m.e.nt. Avery's stomach did a flip and suddenly feeling ill, Avery backed towards the door. Mason had lost. That meant Avery was the prize end of the divvy.

”No way.” She shook her head immediately. ”Not happening.”

”Sorry girlie. That was the deal. Next time don't underestimate my determination.”

”Not fair! Mason was distracted. That's the only reason you had the drop on him!” Avery's voice spiked and her panic rose-mostly because she knew Patrick was probably right.

The harpie boy continued on.

”Not my fault. That's the way the real world works. And look, I might have saved him. He won't do that when he's in a real fight now.” Patrick had lurched up a few steps until he stood close to Avery.

”You tried to kill me once! This is an excuse to try it again.”

”Oh boo hoo. I told you once I liked you.” Patrick said but even Avery knew that meant he only l.u.s.ted over her. ”And I didn't want to hurt you either but I was doing a favor for Adalyn. Things changed. So not doing it anymore.”

The mention of the harpie woman's name sent Avery's attention back to the balcony where Adalyn had been perched. She was gone.

Avery let out a pent up breath. She could keep arguing but she didn't see it going anywhere. She certainly wasn't accompanying Patrick on the date tonight. He was covered in dirt and caked in blood.

Reluctantly holding in anymore protests, she nodded vaguely. ”Fine, go.” She said and shooed him off with a flick of her wrist. Patrick blew a kiss into the air and shot her one last smirk.

That left only Mason and Avery in the courtyard. Mason had since stood and straightened out his feathers. But his green eyes wouldn't immediately meet hers. Avery wasn't sure she wanted him to either. Looking at him now, all Avery could do was remember what he'd said about Adalyn. The hint of fuming anger rising in her stomach, she clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white.

She couldn't bring herself to say a word to him. So she didn't. Avery turned and walked inside, leaving the courtyard in stiff silence.

Eighteen.

Avery walked forward blindly. She only wanted to put as much distance between herself and Mason as possible. She'd pa.s.sed their room and weaved though the floral decorated hall. She stopped at the last room and rattled the doork.n.o.b to open the door. Inside the overhead lights were off and the majority of the room was cast into shadows, but Avery recognized it.

She'd arrived at the library in which they'd been before, back when they'd found Jericho's journal missing. Her eyes slid over the cushy red chairs, and she'd decided to stay in the silent room just when her phone ring jingled.

Wrenching her phone out of her pocket, she checked the number on the front blue screen. Avery recognized the blocky digits instantly, but unsure of what to expect, she took a moment to answer.

”Yea- yes? Nate?” She cleared her throat and wiped at her burning eyes when she pressed the warm metal device to her ear.

”Avery?” Nate's voice answered but the tone was indiscernible.

”What's up?” She quizzed immediately. ”Is everything okay?”

She had left the boy with a seemingly impossible task, but she didn't expect it to go wrong so quickly. Pulse quickening, she anxiously waited for Nate's reply.

”So I got Leela out of the house. Out of the school. And I definitely got her on the plane.” He said but his voice still wasn't rea.s.suring.

Avery twisted the phone in her hands and urged him on.

”So is everything good?”

”She's heading to Portland.” Nate said shortly and Avery hissed.

”Portland? As in Portland Oregon? As in the one Portland I told you not to go to?” She asked but didn't want to believe it.

Nate confirmed the fears in the same frustrated, hopeless voice.

”Hey, this isn't my fault. She found out where you were and jumped on a plane to go there! How was I supposed to even see that coming?” He blurted. ”She left overnight and she could be anywhere by now. It was you, Avery, who told me Leela wouldn't get hurt in all this!”

The seething panic on his side was clear but Avery certainly couldn't rea.s.sure him. Pacing over the tan carpet, she shook her head.

”Portland's a big city. I don't think she could show up on my doorstep.” Avery rationalized aloud but that train of thought didn't help either. At least if Leela was here, they could protect her. Out there, she could run across Mikhail and be killed.

Avery cursed her luck and blurted a shaky goodbye to Nate. Talking would do no good now, Avery decided. She needed help. Her eyes shot up to find the nearest exit. There was a door on the opposite side of the room, next to the only lamp that illuminated with a yellow glow. Avery stuffed the phone into her pocket and hurried for the exit. Just as she pa.s.sed the lamp, something caught her attention. In the reclining chair rested Samuel. His knuckle propped up his chin but his eyes were closed and his chest rose with slow, rhythmic breaths.

”Samuel,” She called him, suddenly desperate for the wise old harpie's help.

He didn't stir at first so Avery crossed the room, up to his side, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Samuel suddenly snapped to life. Launching forward, he wielded a rusty blade. Avery dodged backwards, slamming into the coffee table and sprawling toward the ground in an explosion of movement. Samuel stopped after Avery fell. The knife in his hand lingered and his hazel eyes stared downward. Abruptly, he dropped the blade and fell back into his seat. Raking his trembling hands through his hair, he shook his head in an erratic motion.

”I'm sorry child.” He cried, ”I'm sorry.”

Avery, struggling to regain her composure and get her heart out of her stomach, propped herself up.

”Are you okay?” She asked.

Avery had known she startled him but the violent outburst wasn't warranted. The old harpie seemed disturbed by it too. He took a few long minutes to regain control of himself. Hazel eyes drilled into the floor, the lines on his face suddenly seemed all too apparent. Cheeks hollow and shadows under his eyes heavy, he let out a gasping whine.

”I suppose I'm a little too jittery.” He finally spoke clearly. ”I do fear that Mikhail will be coming for me any day now.”

”Yea, but that's why we're here to fight.” She said but the reminder did nothing to calm the old harpie.

He shook his head radically.

”I'm sorry child but we won't win. You don't know him. You don't know how persistent Mikhail is. He won't stop. He won't ever stop until you're dead or he is.” Samuel blurted. ”He took over fifty years to hunt Jericho. He waited until Jericho made the amulet, stole it, and had him killed. Mikhail never forgets and those who encourage his wrath will never be safe.”

The grave words were unsettling and Avery swallowed thickly. She didn't know how to answer. Samuel took a moment to regain his regular composure.

”So you came to talk to me?” He prompted, simply looking tired again.

Remembering the original purpose of it all, Avery stood and explained.

”Yea, so I kind of have a problem.” She started. ”One of my friends is coming to Portland to find me. Except I have no way of contacting her. I need to find her or she'll be in danger.”

Samuel absorbed the words quickly and shook his head just as fast.

”You cannot leave these walls. You will be a target and it would be extremely foolish to give the Band that kind of opening.”

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