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?

reels, leaving me dizzy. "Does this happen

been struggles of power, but they never involve the city. Assassinations, maybe. Financial destruction. Things of

now," Marcus says, surprising me. I didn't

sigh. "Too many people are missing. The body count keeps

these powerful families, then?" Vanessa asks. "Why

spreads his

continues, "There's no sign of Alpha Renard, or any other shifters in the city, including the rogues who have lived here for years. It's

murmur, wondering how all this ties into our

no way this isn't

What aren't we seeing?

in a different world; this feeling is getting too familiar. How many more times will the rug get

who might have answers," Magister Orion adds.

stern woman who resembled my mother. Her cold demeanor is hard to forget.

Magister Orion says, a hint of grudging respect in his tone. "But she's also a wealth of information. She goes

curiosity piques. "What information

seems agitated by the situation. That alone is cause for concern. Florice never involves herself in politics. She lives and

you?" Marcus asks suspiciously. "Do you think this could be

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

she trusts you because you don't

any faction. My

"But how can we be sure she's not using that

the territory; he's here to keep me safe, not fight

Orion's lips quirk into a wry smile. "Florice is many things, but not duplicitous. She's rigid, inflexible, and often infuriating, but she's also honest to a fault. If she's coming to me, it's because she believes

would be dire enough for someone like Florice to seek help

* * *

doesn't mean I'm healed; I fall