Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 222 Ava: The Fae Ward (IV)

Selene sneezes several times, drawing Magister Orion's attention. "Ah, it seems your companion is allergic to our wards," he remarks, his tone sympathetic.

I frown, glancing down at Selene. "But she hasn't sneezed once since entering the Fae Ward."

Behind us, Layla snorts, amusement coloring her voice. "Magical wards and the Fae Ward are two completely separate things, you know."

Magister Orion nods, his expression kind as he explains, "Magical wards are a form of protection, and some wolves are particularly sensitive to their existence."

Selene sneezes again, as if to punctuate his point, and I reach down to stroke her fur soothingly. The enormity of the situation sinks in—I'm standing in a magical tower, in a place that doesn't really seem to exist in my world, surrounded by Fae and a powerful (presumably?) wizard, about to embark on a journey to control powers I barely understand.

It's like a freaking movie.

This doesn't feel real at all.

Our world has always been bigger than what you've experienced, Selene says, with the faint hint of sneezing even in her mental voice. Full of magic and power and fantastic things you'd be shocked to see. Your world as you know it is quite desolate.

Even so, knowing that all this has been hidden away in a city not far from humanity…

Now that I'm here, Selene says, sneezing once again, I can sense it. I don't know about the others, but this city was created at a natural convergence of realms. It's a fascinating place. I'd love to explore it more.

But her explanation is lost on me as Magister Orion guides us to a circle of comfortable-looking armchairs. "Now, sit, Ava Grey, and let me look at you."

"Wait." Coming to a halt, I look at this man who's declared himself to be my teacher, and the short little Fae. Or is she a gnome, like Layla? "First, I want to know: Where is Lisa?"

currently in the Third Ward," Tinker reports immediately. "There's an extraction underway for

I can see her

heart racing. A part of me has been desperately avoiding thinking of her with too much frequency, worried that we're already too late. It's been paralyzing. To know that she's

cheerfully. "Because she has been compromised, Ms. Randall has been denied access to the

"Then—"

safe," Tinker continues, still upbeat and charging over my words with her giant, glittering

sets. "I want to

but that would be

really appreciate right at this moment, and Magister Orion clears his throat. "We have pulled in quite a few favors in order to interfere in the Mad Prince's business for you,

Tinker corrects

Tinker." Layla pops into the

says

of them turn to look

you can

phone," Tinker muses.

that Lisa might have a phone?" I interject, foreseeing a deep dive into worldly and

hard to come by these days, and I know your life span is much shorter than ours. Assuming you only have another thirty years to live, and considering the amount of knowledge I have to impart, we have conservatively estimated that we should aim for

the giant bear of a man, I can only splutter, "Thirty years? Sir,

sleeping time. Sixteen-hour days give

Orion," Vanessa interrupts, only to be skewered with a hard

animal. I'm speaking

only student. It's also clear that Vanessa and Marcus don't like him very much. Considering how he speaks to them, when he

my voice going feeble