𝕺𝖕𝖕𝖔𝖘𝖎𝖙𝖊𝖘 𝕬𝖙𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖙 - 𝕱𝖊𝖒𝕺𝕮 𝖃 𝕷𝖊𝖔 𝖁𝖆𝖑𝖉𝖊𝖟

Kiera

The storm churned into a miniature hurricane. Funnel clouds snaked toward the skywalk like the tendrils of a monster jellyfish.

Leo lost his balance and almost toppled over the railing, but I grabbed his jacket and pulled him back.

"Thanks, Kie!" Leo yelled.

"Go, go, go!" Said Hedge.

Piper and Dylan were holding the doors open, herding the other kids inside. Piper's hood flailed up and down, her braid fighting to get loose. My hair was not being so cooperative. I thought she must've been freezing, but she looked calm and confident—telling the others it would be okay, encouraging them to keep going.

Jason, Leo, Hedge, and I ran toward them, but it was like running through quicksand. The wind seemed to fight us, pushing us back.

Dylan and Piper pushed one more kid inside, then lost their grip on the doors. They slammed shut, closing off the skywalk.

Piper tugged at the handles. Inside, the kids pounded on the glass, but the doors seemed to be stuck.

"Dylan, help!" Piper shouted.

Dylan just stood there with an idiotic grin, his Cowboys jersey rippling in the wind, like he was enjoying the storm.

"Sorry, Piper," he said. "I'm done helping."

He flicked his wrist, and Piper flew backward, slamming into the doors and sliding to the skywalk deck.

"Piper!" Jason tried to charge forward, but Coach Hedge pulled him back.

"Coach," Jason said, "let me go!"

"Jason, Leo, stay behind Kiera and I," the coach ordered. "This is our fight. I should've known that was our monster."

"What?" Leo demanded. A rogue worksheet seeped him in the face, but he swatted it away. "Wait, is it time?"

Coach's cap blew off, and sticking up above his curly hair were two bumps—satyr horns. Hedge lifted his baseball bat—but it wasn't a regular bat anymore. It changed into a crudely shaped tree-branch club, with twigs and leaves still attached.

Dylan gave him that psycho happy smile. "Oh, come on, coach. Let the boy attack me! After all, you're getting too old for this. Isn't that why they retired you to this stupid school? Sent you a helper? I've been on your team the entire season, and you didn't even know. You're losing your nose, grandpa."

The coach made an angry bleat. "That's it, cupcake. You're going down."

"You think you can protect four half-bloods at once, old man?" Dylan laughed. "Good luck."

Four?? Bitch I can take care of myself.

Dylan pointed at Leo, and a funnel cloud materialized around him. Leo flew off the skywalk like he'd been tossed. Somehow he managed to twist in midair, and slammed sideways into the canyon wall. He skidded, clawing furiously for a handhold. Finally he grabbed a thin ledge about  fifty feet below the skywalk and hung there by his fingertips.

"Leo!" I screamed, the river rising above the skywalk, then crashing over and spilling all over the floor

"Help!" He yelled up at us. "Rope, please? Bungee cord? Something?"

Coach Hedge cursed and tossed Jason his club. "I don't know who you are, kid, but I hope you're good. Kiera and you, keep that thing  buys,"—he jabbed a thumb at Dylan—"while I get Leo."

I tore off my charm, and Nightfall formed in my hand, the polished finish gleaming when the water hit it. The rain energized me even more.

Jason stared at my sword before saying something to Coach Hedge.