Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 231 Ava: Water

The rune for water swims before my eyes, its curves and lines blurring as I try to focus. My mind, however, has other plans. It drifts to Vanessa, her soft smile as she spoke of Vester. The ache in her voice. The longing.

I know that feeling all too well now.

Lucas. Where is he? Is he safe? Is the pack safe? Do we have more funeral rites coming? Are people hurting?

Are our hospitals inundated?

Your brain is so loud I can't sleep, Selene's voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts.

Oh, I'm so sorry. Rolling my eyes at her nonexistent self, knowing she can feel it, I drawl mentally, Let me just turn down the volume on my anxiety for you. Wouldn't want to disturb your beauty rest.

Selene huffs, a sound somewhere between amusement and exasperation. Worrying about things you can't control is a waste of time. You'd be better off focusing on what's in front of you. The sooner you master this, the sooner we can leave.

She's right, of course. Doesn't make it any easier, but she's right. I take a deep breath, trying to center myself. "Okay, okay. You're right. Let's do this."

"Is it Selene?" Vanessa asks in amusement. "Whenever you talk to her, your entire face scrunches up."

Damn. Really? I've watched them all go a little vacant-eyed when they're talking to their wolves or pack members, but no one's ever screwed up their whole face to do it.

That's embarrassing.

Still, I nod. "Yeah. She's giving me a pep talk."

"You can do this, Ava. Look what you accomplished earlier today." Giving me two thumbs-up that couldn't be more cheesy if she tried, Vanessa grins. "I have faith in you."

Heat flushes in my cheeks. No matter how much care and attention I've been given in my time at Westwood, it still feels awkward and wrong to have someone so enthusiastic in their praise of me.

Good, too.

Really good.

words and encouragement is a little scary. It reminds me a little of how I'd begun to feel a

a little more now—still not very much, but enough to recognize that he didn't exactly have any sinister designs to throw me back to my pack or anything—I can see how he was just an alpha struggling

Selene murmurs. But he is not

No, he isn't.

same ones I feel toward Vanessa, who's been in my corner

aside from Lisa, who—despite being my best

I was. And it's different from Selene, who's another half of

anything in return. I'm weak to that. I see that now,

in appreciating those who

it worries me. I'm going to need to be smarter in the future. Make sure I'm not trusting the wrong people, all because they treat me

the thought that maybe Sister Miriam isn't the best person to trust. Or maybe that Magister Orion isn't the best choice of teacher. Maybe being here in the Fae Ward itself is nothing more than

her coming through our bond to soothe my ragged mind. You're

Right.

The magic.

as I can, turning my attention back

when I reach for it, it's like hitting a wall. I push against it, trying to find a crack, a

need to open doesn't feel

Nothing.

My shoulders slump.

My arms and legs shake with exhaustion, just like they did after I accessed the

no flickering flame. Just the trembling of overexerted

The water rune sits there, mocking me with its stillness. I want to crumple it up and throw it across the room, but

than to Selene. "Maybe I'm just

Selene chides. Magic isn't something you can force. It's about

you to say," I grumble. "You're not the one sitting here feeling like an

act like one, she retorts, but there's no real bite to her

easing from my shoulders

take another deep breath, trying to shake off the frustration. Vanessa is still and silent in her corner, and I can't even feel her gaze on me. She's probably looking anywhere except at me, knowing the stress her regard would put me

I'm convinced she's an

came to me in a moment of intense emotion, a vivid memory. What do I associate