Mo,
I don抰 know what to say. I just have to tell you that I love you. So much. More than anything, but I have to go help get Mom back. I can help Circe and together, we抣l bring her back. We抣l come back and we抣l make this place a for-real home. I never want to hurt you or lie to you, but I know you, and I know you抎 rather put your life on the line than let me risk mine. You抮e such a good mom. The best mom. I love you. Please don抰 be mad at me. I抣l see you soon.
Love always,
Bri
I couldn抰 see through the tears. I kept the text open as I slipped out of bed and went across the hall, where I put on my shoes and threw my backpack on. I went down and opened the front door, glanced back up the stairs one last time, then gently closed it behind me.
I looked for a car, thinking Nyx might have been waiting in Marie抯 black sedan. The sky was cloudless, the color of purple-black velvet. The moon hung above me, its bright face slowly revealing itself, pushing us toward the full moon.
A sudden gust of wind knocked me back against the railing. As I scrambled to right myself, the griffin swooped down and landed in the drive almost silently. In the dark he was a hulking shadow, a ghost. He folded his wings against his body and lowered himself as close to the ground as possible.
揧ou gotta be kidding me,?I said.
The creature squawked so loud, a high-pitched ringing lingered in my ears when he was done. There was a sudden pounding of footsteps from inside. Mo was up, and from the sound of it, barreling down the steps. The front door bounced open.
揃riseis!?she yelled, her eyes wild.
Suddenly, a tangle of ivy cloaked the doorway. Mo clawed at the vines, ripping them down, but they grew back immediately, trapping her inside.
揇on抰 do this!?she cried as I tripped down the front steps and sprinted toward the griffin. I grabbed a handful of feathers and tried to pull myself up. With a quick flip of his wing, he boosted me onto his back, where a makeshift harness had been looped around his neck. I wound my shaking hands through the rope.
Tears once again blurred my vision. 揑 love you, Mo,?I called through choked sobs.
Mo抯 cries carried through the dark. I pressed my body to the griffin抯 back and shut my eyes. He took three lumbering steps, and suddenly a sinking feeling, falling. No.
Ascending.
Flying.
CHAPTER 14
I didn抰 dare open my eyes. The wind whipped my face and my glasses flew off. I grabbed at them as they dangled from the chain Nyx had given me. I counted the beating of the griffin抯 wings in my head to try and calm myself. I didn抰 know how long we抎 been airborne before we took a sharp downward turn. My stomach did a barrel roll and I had to grit my teeth to keep from throwing up. There was a sudden drop, the rustling of leaves, and then a large thump.
揃riseis,?a voice called to me. 揃ri. I抦 right here. Give me your hand.?
I opened my eyes and lifted my head. We抎 landed and Marie was there, reaching for me, but I couldn抰 let go of the rope. My hands were locked in position.
揕ie down, Roscoe. Damn!?Marie grumbled.
The griffin snorted and pressed himself to the ground, bringing me a little closer to Marie. She climbed up and disentangled my hands from the harness, then pulled me down in one quick move. She set me on the ground, and I promptly puked my guts up.
揧ikes,?Marie said. 揅ouldn抰 we have just picked her up with the car??
揑t抯 a thirty-five-minute drive there and back,?Nyx called from somewhere. 揜oscoe got her here in ten.?
揥hat if she fell off??Marie shouted back. 揇id you think of that??
揜oscoe would have caught her,?Nyx said. 揟he only person he lets fall all the way to the ground is you.?
Marie shot a dagger of a glance at the griffin.
Circe jogged over and put a cold bottle of water in my hand. 揙h, Briseis, I抦 so sorry. Are you gonna be okay??
I doubled over, hand on my knee, as I rinsed my mouth out. 揧eah. Just give me a minute.?
Circe patted me on the back and returned to Marie抯 car, where they抎 begun unloading their bags. The two metal cages sat on the ground surrounded by a cocoon of thorned vines. I glanced around as I swished water through my teeth, trying to wash out the sour taste. We were at a small, seemingly abandoned, airport. A sleek black jet sat on the runway. The whole place looked familiar.
揥here are we??I asked. I put my glasses back on and tried to place where I抎 seen this airport before.
揥e抮e outside Red Hook. The same place Karter caught his flight, only I made sure there won抰 be any witnesses.?Marie gestured to the shattered remains of several security cameras. 揧ou ready??
揑 think so. Mo caught me on the way out.?
Marie shook her head. 揘yx is staying behind, and Circe talked to Dr. Grant. They抣l keep an eye on her.?