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.Even Leela seemed impossibly far away now.So did Chase.So did her school and her normal life.Every step she made to be closer to her old life only took her one step farther away from it.She reluctantly let herself wonder if she’d ever see her ivy covered stone walls of Crepuscule hall again or even graduate in the flowing black gown like she’d planned.If they were on the run, she wouldn’t be able to go back there.But then, as Mason said, they wouldn’t be able to run for long.“Why do you keep helping me?” She asked as it occurred to her.“I knew you did it before to save the magic and the amulet.Now you’re just putting yourself in danger.If you didn’t have me, the others could never find you.”His face didn’t change expressions and he only shrugged.His brown bangs hung rowdy in front of his eyes and his thin pink lips curled up into half a smile.“Honestly, I have no idea.I guess the little human girl is all I have left now.And we’re probably going down together.”Avery snapped her mouth shut before she could stutter.Flushing quickly, her heart threatened to jump up through her throat.A million thoughts raced through her head but she couldn’t settle for a single one.“Anyways, get some rest.When we take off, the trip will be a hard one.” He said and Avery forced a smile.The lapping waves of high tide finally reached them.Avery didn’t move when the warm water sloshed between them and beneath them.It finally pulled away, back into the ocean, and smoothed the sand in its wake.The tiny stick figure of Avery had smudged and washed away.Twenty-fourShe came too slowly with the blissful ignorance of first waking.Cool, she snuggled into the covers that smelt of baking bread.The air conditioning hissed in her ears and the sun peeked in through the windows lighting the entire room.Keeping her eyelids tight shut, she stretched and yawned.A male voice caught her off guard.Sitting up in a flash, she blinked at her surroundings.Lying on the moist sand, she’d had Mason’s heavy trench coat drawn over her shoulders.The hissing she’d heard came from the breeze snaking through nearby palms.The light had come from sun reaching down through the tree shade instead of her dorm room window.She’d almost been convinced she’d been sleeping in her bed.Coming too completely, she searched out Mason.They hadn’t left the beach where they’d landed.Mason said something about resting for a few hours.She knew why now.While she’d napped, he crouched over a familiar blue mist and broken glass.Putting two and two together, Avery stayed silent.Mason spoke into the mist, using a harpie communication amulet to commune with someone who wasn’t on the beach with them.“We’re off of the north coast of California right now.I can’t give you a city name.”“Mason, don’t do this to me.” Adalyn’s clear voice returned to them through the harpie telephonic device.Her tone gave away that she was desperately upset.The air grew thick with palpable tension.Avery couldn’t see Mason’s face but his muscles had tightened considerably.“You’re actually thinking about running off for the human’s sake? You can defend yourself at trial but you can’t if you run away.” Adalyn whined again.Feeling like too much of a voyeur now, Avery glanced for a new place to go.She would happily die before getting involved in a harpies lovers’ quarrel.This side of the beach was calm, too close to rock lines for swimmers to enjoy and too small a beach for sun bathers.She could probably walk through the thicket of trees behind them and stumble upon civilization.Unsure, she stayed still before gaining any undesirable attention.“You know I can’t go back there either way!” Mason shouted into the fog.“I don’t care.The murder trial doesn’t mean you’re guilty! It’s a trial.But if you run off now, then there will be no hope.” Adalyn’s voice hissed with heavy agitation.“You’re just feeling guilty about your father.I get it.But she isn’t him and this won’t bring him back.”He growled, deep and furious.“It’s not that.” He said.“Mason, at least.at least tell me where you are.I’m worried okay.”His attention finally shifted and he noticed Avery for the first time.Eyes catching with hers, he gave her a long, blank look.Then, after a moment, he rattled off a few coordinates into the fading mist.“Ten minutes.Give me ten minutes.” Adalyn said before the line went dead.“Come on,” Mason abruptly whirled on Avery while stomping the broken glass into the dirt.“Where are we going?” She pushed the trench coat off her lap and stood up in a hurry.“Inland.Somewhere with a bunch of people.It’s harder to track down a single person, especially if they have to get into the city on foot.Come on.”She’d swung the coat over her shoulders.If Mason was really considering going to the heart of some human city in mainland America, they’d need to hold on to his only disguise.Mason opened his wings to full mass.“Aren’t we waiting for Adalyn?”“Yea.Apparently we’re all gonna run away together.” He laughed though the statement was far from funny.Twitching his wings, he performed the familiar procedure of readying himself for a long flight.She lingered off to the side with a rush of mixed thoughts.Though she didn’t savor the idea of having Adalyn anywhere around, it would help prevent the other harpies from getting a drop on them again.The plan was already formulating in her mind.They’d take to a city where harpies couldn’t outright fly and they’d be harder to pick out of the crowd.She had half a college fund in her name but she didn’t have the account numbers.That was only the beginning of the complications.She was still a minor and if she never showed up, a missing person’s report would be filed.Humans would be looking for her too.They definitely couldn’t stay in California.Getting a headache, she pushed the details to the back of her mind.One thing at a time.“Are we flying or are we walking?” She asked Mason.“We could get a car but I’m technically not old enough.Stealing one would be too dangerous.”The harpie seemed to have thought of that.He paced back up to her and shook out his wings.“We fly inland and then take to the streets.What are the big cities within four hundred miles?”Avery struggled to remember.“Um, I know there is Las Vegas.”He cocked his head, not recognizing the city.She shrugged innocently.He’d be in for a surprise.“One state over, south east” She amended.He reached out and touched her forehead without warning.Fingers molding over the bandage on her head, he felt the white cloth.His hands dropped down through her curls and down to her shoulders
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