Read Online Windswept (The Airborne Saga) by Constance Sharper - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Constance Sharper
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break the rules. Leela, a girl barely cracking a hundred pounds, wouldn’t have been much good anyways.
Avery slid out of her bed, bare feet touching cold tile, and crept forward. She couldn’t picture Patrick and his minions showing up at her doorstep, but she’d been wrong about judging Patrick before. The door hadn’t turned into a hurricane of splintered wood yet so she proceeded with caution.
“Avery, it’s me.” She heard Mason’s voice.
Heart fluttering and whole body jumping, she didn’t hesitate. She twisted the deadbolt and threw the door open. By the time Avery’s eyes landed on the figure, she didn’t have time to jump back. Harpies flooded into the room. She whirled but they were quicker. Five lined the space in her dorm before she could even blink. Avery yelped and stumbled backwards. The door seemed like the best option then, but she didn’t even make it there. A harpie stood in her way.
“Avery ,” the stranger said her name. Brunette, lanky, and sharply postured, Avery didn’t recognize him.
“Who are you?” she demanded of the bunch but her voice came out more frightful than strong. She didn’t see Patrick among them but her head still spun.
“Avery,” someone called her again. Mason slipped into the room for the first time. Relief made her knees weak, but she didn’t compensate by reaching out for him either.
“What is this?” she asked with an absent wave towards the other harpies. All stood but none acted. If they seemed cool by Mason, she’d quit panicking.
“They’re called the Guard. They are the most elite and dangerous soldiers in the world and they’re assigned to protect me,” Mason explained.
His arms came out to beckon her closer. This time Avery couldn’t resist, audience or not. She pressed to his chest and inhaled his scent. His arms went around her torso and his hand slipped into her hair. She could feel his heart speed up so much that she didn’t have to ask if he’d missed her.
Avery leaned back, eyes going straight to his lips, and held them. He leaned down until his breath tickled her face. But instead of kissing her, he grazed his lips over her forehead. The motion was gentle but still left a chill in its wake. Audience, Avery remembered. She reluctantly drew away.
“Bodyguards, huh? Sounds fun.”
The harpies didn’t seem too dangerous. The Band of Thieves—the criminal gang once led by Mikhail—was not only dangerous but had an aura of such. The harpies in The Guard didn’t wear weapons or scowl with impatience. Their eyes focused on the air in front of them and the sharp blue suits they wore revealed no battle scars. But Avery had learned better than to judge by appearances.
“So how long are you r friends sticking around?” she asked him.
“They don’t exactly leave. I mean definitely not while I’m here.”
For the first time, one of the Guard stepped forward and demanded attention.
“This isn ’t designated a safe location, Your Majesty. I beg you we continue on the proper course of our mission and depart immediately.”
Mason made a face , but didn’t reprimand the Guard or even disagree. The Guard never backed off either, and the room seemed that much more crowded now. Boxes had already been piled up around their beds. Leela may have had neat stacks, but Avery’s terrible packing already had spews of cardboard and clothing awkwardly stacked against the floor. It made it difficult for Avery to step back and away from them. She kept scanning the room. Her desk had been packed and swept clean of dust by recent cleaning that still left its alcoholic, lemony musk in the air. Only her book-bag, filled until the seams stretched, sat out on the edge of her bed. She’d already stripped the sheets until the bed was bare white. She’d packed well, finding it the only thing to keep her mind still. Avery reached for her bag and Mason spoke up.
“This is
Avery slid out of her bed, bare feet touching cold tile, and crept forward. She couldn’t picture Patrick and his minions showing up at her doorstep, but she’d been wrong about judging Patrick before. The door hadn’t turned into a hurricane of splintered wood yet so she proceeded with caution.
“Avery, it’s me.” She heard Mason’s voice.
Heart fluttering and whole body jumping, she didn’t hesitate. She twisted the deadbolt and threw the door open. By the time Avery’s eyes landed on the figure, she didn’t have time to jump back. Harpies flooded into the room. She whirled but they were quicker. Five lined the space in her dorm before she could even blink. Avery yelped and stumbled backwards. The door seemed like the best option then, but she didn’t even make it there. A harpie stood in her way.
“Avery ,” the stranger said her name. Brunette, lanky, and sharply postured, Avery didn’t recognize him.
“Who are you?” she demanded of the bunch but her voice came out more frightful than strong. She didn’t see Patrick among them but her head still spun.
“Avery,” someone called her again. Mason slipped into the room for the first time. Relief made her knees weak, but she didn’t compensate by reaching out for him either.
“What is this?” she asked with an absent wave towards the other harpies. All stood but none acted. If they seemed cool by Mason, she’d quit panicking.
“They’re called the Guard. They are the most elite and dangerous soldiers in the world and they’re assigned to protect me,” Mason explained.
His arms came out to beckon her closer. This time Avery couldn’t resist, audience or not. She pressed to his chest and inhaled his scent. His arms went around her torso and his hand slipped into her hair. She could feel his heart speed up so much that she didn’t have to ask if he’d missed her.
Avery leaned back, eyes going straight to his lips, and held them. He leaned down until his breath tickled her face. But instead of kissing her, he grazed his lips over her forehead. The motion was gentle but still left a chill in its wake. Audience, Avery remembered. She reluctantly drew away.
“Bodyguards, huh? Sounds fun.”
The harpies didn’t seem too dangerous. The Band of Thieves—the criminal gang once led by Mikhail—was not only dangerous but had an aura of such. The harpies in The Guard didn’t wear weapons or scowl with impatience. Their eyes focused on the air in front of them and the sharp blue suits they wore revealed no battle scars. But Avery had learned better than to judge by appearances.
“So how long are you r friends sticking around?” she asked him.
“They don’t exactly leave. I mean definitely not while I’m here.”
For the first time, one of the Guard stepped forward and demanded attention.
“This isn ’t designated a safe location, Your Majesty. I beg you we continue on the proper course of our mission and depart immediately.”
Mason made a face , but didn’t reprimand the Guard or even disagree. The Guard never backed off either, and the room seemed that much more crowded now. Boxes had already been piled up around their beds. Leela may have had neat stacks, but Avery’s terrible packing already had spews of cardboard and clothing awkwardly stacked against the floor. It made it difficult for Avery to step back and away from them. She kept scanning the room. Her desk had been packed and swept clean of dust by recent cleaning that still left its alcoholic, lemony musk in the air. Only her book-bag, filled until the seams stretched, sat out on the edge of her bed. She’d already stripped the sheets until the bed was bare white. She’d packed well, finding it the only thing to keep her mind still. Avery reached for her bag and Mason spoke up.
“This is
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