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.

how I'd begun to feel a little like I should stay with Clayton, all because he was kind to me and gave me a place

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 to do the right thing, and maybe a little

him, Selene murmurs. But he is not the one who stirs your

No, he isn't.

him and rely on him? They're the same ones I feel toward Vanessa, who's been in my corner from the first moment we met. Someone who's willing to help me, to talk to me, to listen. To get to know my

from Lucas, who's bonded to me. And aside from Lisa,

was. And it's different from Selene, who's

gives without expecting anything in return. I'm weak to that. I see that now,

nothing wrong in appreciating those who

going to need to be smarter in the future. Make sure I'm not trusting the wrong people,

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

from her coming through our bond to soothe my ragged mind. You're going through everything you

Right.

The magic.

head as best as I can, turning my attention back to

I reach for it, it's like hitting a wall. I push against

need to open doesn't feel right. I tug at an imaginary handle, knock on its surface, even try to kick it

Nothing.

My shoulders slump.

against this invisible barrier now, too exhausted to keep fighting. My arms and legs shake with exhaustion, just like they did after I accessed the fire magic. But this time, I have nothing to show for

power, no flickering flame. Just the trembling of

the spots dancing in my vision. The water rune sits there, mocking me with its stillness. I want to crumple it up and throw it across the room, but I resist the urge.

to myself than to Selene. "Maybe I'm just a one-trick pony. Fire and

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

say," I grumble. "You're not

the one watching you act like one, she retorts, but there's no real

from my

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

ever, I'm convinced she's an

maybe I'm approaching this all wrong. Fire came to me in a moment of intense emotion, a vivid memory. What do I associate