Read Online Windswept (The Airborne Saga) by Constance Sharper - Free Book Online
Authors: Constance Sharper
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talk.
“You said that,” Avery finally stuttered. “But you never told me how.”
“Mason—where is he?” Adalyn asked.
A number of answers popped into Avery’s mind, but her mouth couldn’t manage to conjure one of them. Adalyn could have been sizing her up to simply find if Avery had any back up. Swallowing her own hesitation, Avery managed to speak. “What do you want? Just tell me what you want, why you’re here,” Avery said, taking a brave step forward. “And who is with you? That mayhem all over Alaska, all circling my school—I know you’re related. I just don’t know how.”
Adalyn’s face blanked , but not because of Avery. The harpie’s attention seemed to drift up to the woods behind Avery—just as it had last time.
“I can’t lose them. I’ve been trying , but I can’t. They’re here to get me, to stop me from helping,” Adalyn hissed. “Listen now. He’s coming for you first, going to get you alone. You’ll need to stay with Mason no matter how hard it is. The main attack is going to be coming from the Kemp tunnels on the commencement day. I don’t know who’s letting them in or who could be on the inside but you can’t trust anyone. You must live. You must beware. They will try to kill you first.”
“Adalyn stop!” Avery virtually screamed. “Who is coming? Who is coming for me?”
Adalyn suddenly lashed out. Avery couldn’t backpedal fast enough and the harpie made contact.
“I need you to run.” Adalyn snatched her shoulder in a crippling hold. Talons digging in made Avery yelp in surprise , but before she could even fight, Adalyn spun her. The world swirled when Adalyn released her grip, and Avery went face first into the dirt and slush. The impact still managed to rattle her bones, and Avery’s muscles seized in protest. Her baggy graduation grown billowed out over her body.
“Stop it!” Adalyn roared. “I will not let you do this!”
Avery sputtered with dirt in her mouth, but the sound of what came next made her freeze. She didn’t move, letting the gown cover her in the mud.
“Then stop running , Adalyn.” rang a male’s voice. A very familiar one.
Careful to barely budge, Avery stole an upward glance. Roots and bushes obscured her view and dirt burned her eyes. Through blurred vision, she could just see the side of Adalyn’s beige wing. Adalyn had her back towards Avery, and she stared outward toward the clearing. Avery couldn’t see the other person, the male, but he spoke again and Avery didn’t need to see him.
“I’m tired of this game. I came here because I didn’t want to hurt you ,” he said. The voice belonged to Patrick—the harpie who had escaped from prison just last year.
Squeezing her own left arm, Avery took a deep breath. She waited for him to scream for Avery too. He never did. Adalyn kept talking.
“Bullshit. I don’t want or need your sympathy.” Adalyn edged backward carefully.
Avery struggled to understand. This only added more questions and Avery didn’t have any answers.
“But you want to stop me. I can’t have that. I need you out of the way. I don’t want you to get hurt,” he purred. It sounded unreal, like he was concerned, but Adalyn’s reaction didn’t fit the atmosphere. She curled back defensively.
“Then don’t do this. Not for them.” Adalyn said. “You know I can’t support you. You know I’ll fight.” Adalyn’s voice shifted too. It took Avery almost a minute to recognize the emotion that clung to the words—desperation. Adalyn was begging.
“I know you’ll fight,” Patrick answered back more seriously. Suddenly, he let out a shrill harping sound like a mutated chirp. It barely lasted a second but summoned abrupt change.
Twigs snapped, trees cried out, and harpies gathered in the area.
Avery’s blood ran cold. She’d known Patrick hadn’t been alone. But he had an army—half a dozen that
“You said that,” Avery finally stuttered. “But you never told me how.”
“Mason—where is he?” Adalyn asked.
A number of answers popped into Avery’s mind, but her mouth couldn’t manage to conjure one of them. Adalyn could have been sizing her up to simply find if Avery had any back up. Swallowing her own hesitation, Avery managed to speak. “What do you want? Just tell me what you want, why you’re here,” Avery said, taking a brave step forward. “And who is with you? That mayhem all over Alaska, all circling my school—I know you’re related. I just don’t know how.”
Adalyn’s face blanked , but not because of Avery. The harpie’s attention seemed to drift up to the woods behind Avery—just as it had last time.
“I can’t lose them. I’ve been trying , but I can’t. They’re here to get me, to stop me from helping,” Adalyn hissed. “Listen now. He’s coming for you first, going to get you alone. You’ll need to stay with Mason no matter how hard it is. The main attack is going to be coming from the Kemp tunnels on the commencement day. I don’t know who’s letting them in or who could be on the inside but you can’t trust anyone. You must live. You must beware. They will try to kill you first.”
“Adalyn stop!” Avery virtually screamed. “Who is coming? Who is coming for me?”
Adalyn suddenly lashed out. Avery couldn’t backpedal fast enough and the harpie made contact.
“I need you to run.” Adalyn snatched her shoulder in a crippling hold. Talons digging in made Avery yelp in surprise , but before she could even fight, Adalyn spun her. The world swirled when Adalyn released her grip, and Avery went face first into the dirt and slush. The impact still managed to rattle her bones, and Avery’s muscles seized in protest. Her baggy graduation grown billowed out over her body.
“Stop it!” Adalyn roared. “I will not let you do this!”
Avery sputtered with dirt in her mouth, but the sound of what came next made her freeze. She didn’t move, letting the gown cover her in the mud.
“Then stop running , Adalyn.” rang a male’s voice. A very familiar one.
Careful to barely budge, Avery stole an upward glance. Roots and bushes obscured her view and dirt burned her eyes. Through blurred vision, she could just see the side of Adalyn’s beige wing. Adalyn had her back towards Avery, and she stared outward toward the clearing. Avery couldn’t see the other person, the male, but he spoke again and Avery didn’t need to see him.
“I’m tired of this game. I came here because I didn’t want to hurt you ,” he said. The voice belonged to Patrick—the harpie who had escaped from prison just last year.
Squeezing her own left arm, Avery took a deep breath. She waited for him to scream for Avery too. He never did. Adalyn kept talking.
“Bullshit. I don’t want or need your sympathy.” Adalyn edged backward carefully.
Avery struggled to understand. This only added more questions and Avery didn’t have any answers.
“But you want to stop me. I can’t have that. I need you out of the way. I don’t want you to get hurt,” he purred. It sounded unreal, like he was concerned, but Adalyn’s reaction didn’t fit the atmosphere. She curled back defensively.
“Then don’t do this. Not for them.” Adalyn said. “You know I can’t support you. You know I’ll fight.” Adalyn’s voice shifted too. It took Avery almost a minute to recognize the emotion that clung to the words—desperation. Adalyn was begging.
“I know you’ll fight,” Patrick answered back more seriously. Suddenly, he let out a shrill harping sound like a mutated chirp. It barely lasted a second but summoned abrupt change.
Twigs snapped, trees cried out, and harpies gathered in the area.
Avery’s blood ran cold. She’d known Patrick hadn’t been alone. But he had an army—half a dozen that
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