Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 249 Ava: Unrest

Magister Orion's booming voice wakes me from the unsettling dream, though it's too much work to open my eyes. I'm exhausted. My body feels like it weighs a thousand pounds.

My ears tune in before I'm fully awake.

"—in an uproar. Every portal is guarded, and the death tolls keep rising. The militia's working on the riots, but they might not be enough. It makes no sense at all. There's no rhyme or reason to it."

"How safe are we here?"

"It's impossible to tell. The High Fae have already taken one family into custody for insurrection, but it's possible there are more. It's as though everyone's lost their minds."

That doesn't sound good.

My eyes snap open and I struggle to sit up, pleasantly surprised my body's aches are gone, even if I still feel heavy.

"What's going on?"

Magister Orion's face swims into view, his contorted features smoothing over. The sight jolts me fully awake, my heart rate picking up.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, his voice gruff.

I wave off his concern. My health isn't as important as this conversation. "I'm fine. What's going on?"

Magister Orion exchanges a loaded glance with Vanessa. My stomach tightens.

"The city is in an uproar," Magister Orion says, his words heavy. "In the First, Second, and Third Wards, there are riots and uprisings. There's no rhyme or reason. Vampire against vampire, Fae against Fae; it's unclear who is ally or foe."

The timing is suspect. We can't contact anyone outside this place, and now there's civil unrest?

leaving me dizzy. "Does

a hand over his face in frustration. "There have always been struggles of power, but they never involve the city. Assassinations, maybe. Financial destruction. Things of that nature. Too many powerful families have allied to keep peace in this sanctuary; no one can stand up to

Marcus says, surprising me.

now," Magister Orion echoes with a sigh. "Too many people are missing. The body count

these powerful families, then?" Vanessa asks. "Why aren't they keeping the

spreads his hands.

of Alpha Renard, or any other shifters in the city, including the

wondering how all this ties into our inability

no way this isn't

What aren't we seeing?

in a different world; this feeling

who might have answers," Magister Orion adds. "Do you remember the strange

recalling the stern woman who resembled my mother. Her cold

a hint of grudging respect in his tone. "But she's also a wealth of information. She goes through almost every document a Fae ever puts their

piques. "What information might she have

she seems agitated by the situation. That alone is

"Do you think this could be a ploy

head, his salt-and-pepper hair catching the light. "Florice may dislike me because I refuse to play by the rules, but she

trusts you because you don't

any faction.

beside me, his posture tense. "But how can we be sure

guess it comes with the territory; he's

wry smile. "Florice is many things, but not duplicitous. She's rigid, inflexible, and often infuriating, but she's also honest to a fault.

what would be dire enough for someone like Florice to seek

* * *

fall asleep not long