Read Online Windswept (The Airborne Saga) by Constance Sharper - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Constance Sharper
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she could spot alone. The figures approached, cutting off the area and enclosing their space until the atmosphere had been drained of all air.
Avery’s mind spun. She needed options and needed them now. She felt for the Willow magic again only to come up empty. She wouldn’t be summoning anything successful and that knowledge left her blood cold. Her eyes went to Adalyn’s back and that’s when the harpie woman moved.
Adalyn shifted, just glancing backwards. Her eyes past over the area where Avery laid and hesitated, just for a second.
Avery squeezed her arm but didn’t feel the Willow magic. The delivery harpie’s words came to mind. Sometimes he could see the magic. Sometimes he couldn’t. Avery knew at that moment she couldn’t act. If she moved, her hiding place would be revealed. And since she couldn’t fight with the magic, the hiding spot was all she had. She dug her fingers into the dirt and stayed silent.
“Someone will stop you,” Adalyn’s whisper signaled the end of the calm.
Adalyn launched forward, talons out. She slipped from Avery’s view but Avery could still hear the deafening crack of contact. The harpies crashed down in an explosion of feathers. Avery could hear Adalyn tear and thrash, but her muffled grunts weren’t encouraging. In another moment, Adalyn fell dead silent.
Avery tried to hush her breathing. She couldn’t hear anything now and that didn’t comfort her. She suddenly debated moving. After all , being ready for a fight still beat being snuck up on. Just as her muscles burned with adrenaline, more sound made her pause. Shuffling and dragging made noise. Something thumped to the ground.
“Take her ,” Patrick’s voice rang out. “We’ve already brought enough attention to our plan. We shouldn’t bring more. If the human catches on, she’ll be nearly impossible to deal with.”
Blood cold, Avery knew they were speaking about her. The fact that they believed she still could defend herself disconcerted her. Adalyn had been here to help her , and Avery never helped Adalyn. That made Avery choose her plan.
A murmur of agreement raced through the group of harpies and they moved in unison, heading north. They’d reach a clearing and take off into the skies where Avery couldn’t follow. Just spying the back of the last harpies, she stood. Her flowing gown managed to make her blend into the darkness but did little to protect her. White knuckling the fabric again, she shifted carefully. Her feet itched, willing her to run in the opposite direction, but she stayed grounded.
“Stupid, stupid girl,” she whispered to herself, face flushing darkly. Taking a breath, she stepped over the roots and urged herself forward.
The harpies moved swiftly, dodging through the darkness and the trees as if they’d been trained for it. The scent of moss and water struck her just as the group came to a sudden stop.
“Take her to Turnasile Island!” Patrick ordered.
Before the backs of harpies turned, Avery dove for a tree. Slamming up against the bark, she held her breath until the last of the harpies flew away.
Seven
Avery’s head snapped up when she heard it. Her eyes first went to the window and the dark woods beyond the glass. She’d insisted on keeping the blinds open so she could see an enemy if they came. Some notice or some chance to fight back was still better than being snuffed out in the middle of the night, Avery reasoned.
Her eyes glanced towards the door and th e source of the noise next. She recognized the sound as a simple knock, but it was long past visiting hours. She’d sent Leela to stay with Nate for a while—against school policy but with prodding, Avery was able to have both of them
Avery’s mind spun. She needed options and needed them now. She felt for the Willow magic again only to come up empty. She wouldn’t be summoning anything successful and that knowledge left her blood cold. Her eyes went to Adalyn’s back and that’s when the harpie woman moved.
Adalyn shifted, just glancing backwards. Her eyes past over the area where Avery laid and hesitated, just for a second.
Avery squeezed her arm but didn’t feel the Willow magic. The delivery harpie’s words came to mind. Sometimes he could see the magic. Sometimes he couldn’t. Avery knew at that moment she couldn’t act. If she moved, her hiding place would be revealed. And since she couldn’t fight with the magic, the hiding spot was all she had. She dug her fingers into the dirt and stayed silent.
“Someone will stop you,” Adalyn’s whisper signaled the end of the calm.
Adalyn launched forward, talons out. She slipped from Avery’s view but Avery could still hear the deafening crack of contact. The harpies crashed down in an explosion of feathers. Avery could hear Adalyn tear and thrash, but her muffled grunts weren’t encouraging. In another moment, Adalyn fell dead silent.
Avery tried to hush her breathing. She couldn’t hear anything now and that didn’t comfort her. She suddenly debated moving. After all , being ready for a fight still beat being snuck up on. Just as her muscles burned with adrenaline, more sound made her pause. Shuffling and dragging made noise. Something thumped to the ground.
“Take her ,” Patrick’s voice rang out. “We’ve already brought enough attention to our plan. We shouldn’t bring more. If the human catches on, she’ll be nearly impossible to deal with.”
Blood cold, Avery knew they were speaking about her. The fact that they believed she still could defend herself disconcerted her. Adalyn had been here to help her , and Avery never helped Adalyn. That made Avery choose her plan.
A murmur of agreement raced through the group of harpies and they moved in unison, heading north. They’d reach a clearing and take off into the skies where Avery couldn’t follow. Just spying the back of the last harpies, she stood. Her flowing gown managed to make her blend into the darkness but did little to protect her. White knuckling the fabric again, she shifted carefully. Her feet itched, willing her to run in the opposite direction, but she stayed grounded.
“Stupid, stupid girl,” she whispered to herself, face flushing darkly. Taking a breath, she stepped over the roots and urged herself forward.
The harpies moved swiftly, dodging through the darkness and the trees as if they’d been trained for it. The scent of moss and water struck her just as the group came to a sudden stop.
“Take her to Turnasile Island!” Patrick ordered.
Before the backs of harpies turned, Avery dove for a tree. Slamming up against the bark, she held her breath until the last of the harpies flew away.
Seven
Avery’s head snapped up when she heard it. Her eyes first went to the window and the dark woods beyond the glass. She’d insisted on keeping the blinds open so she could see an enemy if they came. Some notice or some chance to fight back was still better than being snuffed out in the middle of the night, Avery reasoned.
Her eyes glanced towards the door and th e source of the noise next. She recognized the sound as a simple knock, but it was long past visiting hours. She’d sent Leela to stay with Nate for a while—against school policy but with prodding, Avery was able to have both of them
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