The Girl From Above [Ground: Zero, Book 1]

14: Green

If she hadn't been in Liam's grasp, Ryan would've punched Zack right there and then. She knew it wasn't the nicest thing to do to her newfound friend, but after the previous consecutive chain of events, she didn't have energy for much else.

The group had their backs to the wall. Zack had teleported them to a cafeteria, or at least what Ryan assumed was a cafeteria.

The room looked large enough to hold several jets and still have space to breathe. The wall behind them was replaced by a window the size of a small country, the violet sky like a sea beyond the glass. Multi-colored tapestries with markings Ryan couldn't decipher floated lazily in the air, and round tables scattered the stone floor like polka dots.

At each table sat an average of five magics. They had the same youthful appearance as Devany and the others, so Ryan guessed they were teenagers. Their eyes hooked onto Ryan in laser-like focus. Hundreds of magics licking their chops hungrily, occasionally whispering and pointing at her.

Her shoulders tensed. "Zack, can you teleport us out of here?"

Zack's body flickered. He shook his head.

"Wonderful." Ryan muttered.

Liam placed them down. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and tightened the strap on his shoulder bag.

"Ryan, I need you to be completely still." Devany whispered. "Don't take your eyes off of them for a second."

Ryan didn't know what good that would do. The magics already spotted her, and it wasn't as if she could fight hundreds of magics off of her. She needed a miracle.

She sighed and fiddled with her bracelet, rubbing her thumb along the "A," her gaze still locked onto the ocean of magics facing her. A miracle would be nice right about now.

She reached into her pocket, fumbling around for her knuckles. The knuckles brushed against her hand, a cool comfort next to the lint in her capris. She clenched her fist around them, if she had to fight, she would, but for now she kept them in her pocket.

The pounding of her heart rung against her ears. She squinted. At the opposite end of the cafeteria stood two redwood doors that took up nearly the entire wall, their presence beckoning Ryan closer.

"Devany, look." She hissed, gesturing towards the doors.

"Ryan, I can see them, but what do you suggest? The only way there is through the magics."

"Can Liam get us out? Walk us through them with his hair?"

Before Liam or Devany could respond, Carson ran to the front of the crowd. His beanie slipped from his ears. His footsteps echoed against the stone, resonating through the room like bells. He caught his beanie against his head and pointed to Ryan, his teeth bared.

"See! I told you there was a round-ear hiding out!" He yelled.

Ryan groaned. She asked for a miracle, not a curse.

He transformed into his owl form and stalked over to Ryan. His talons making soft clicks on the stone floor. He towered over her, tilting his head. His talon hooked onto her hood and pulled her up to his beak.

Ryan gulped. She couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. Had Carson's eyes always been so strange? She didn't recall his eyes being green, yet they swirled with sickly green mist, as if his eyes had drowned in murky fog.

Devany screamed. "Carson, put her down! Or I swear I'll—"

"Relax, Dev! I'm just playing with your pet a little!"