Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 269 Lisa: The Farmhouse

LISA

The entire world shakes and shudders, and I wake with a jolt. "Earthquake!"

"We landed, you idiot." Elverly scowls at me. "Next time, don't use me as a pillow."

"Don't take her vitriol seriously, Lisa. She's the one who covered you with a blanket." The Grand Sage nods toward me, and I glance down, surprised to see a flannel fabric about as large as a baby's blanket.

She yanks it off me with a huff, folding it and tucking it under her arm, where it disappears.

I blink.

"Where did it go?"

"Dimensional storage," The Grand Sage tells me, pushing different buttons. The vibration of the room ceases. "Stay here. I'm going to check on matters, and the cloaking device isn't enough to cover everyone outside."

A hatch above us creaks open, letting in a sliver of light that makes me squint. I hold my breath, not daring to move as the Grand Sage maneuvers his way between Elverly and me. His robes brush against my arm, and I catch a whiff of something herbal—sage, maybe?

Funny. Sage for sages.

As he climbs, I can't help but stare at the rungs he's using. Were those there before? I wrack my brain, trying to remember if I'd noticed them during our journey, but come up blank. It's possible they were there all along, hidden in the shadows of this cramped space.

But it's more probable that they popped out of the wall when he was pressing one of those many buttons.

The silence remains unbroken, broken only by my own shallow breathing and the faint rustle of Elverly's clothes

but Elverly cuts me off with a sharp

quiet. Got

The waiting is excruciating. How long has it been since the Grand Sage left?

above snaps me

and I blink against the sudden influx of light. The Grand Sage's face appears

his words are grim. "You can

more hesitantly, my muscles protesting after being cramped for so long. As I near the top, I can't help but

weren't there before. I'm sure of it now. They seem to melt seamlessly into the wall, as if they've always been a part of it. Another bit of magic?

old barn, dusty sunlight filtering through cracks in the wooden walls. The air smells of hay and something earthy I can't quite

hell did we magically

but I already know the explanation will be

metal egg with a flat top. If I hadn't just climbed out of it, I'd never believe it could fit three people inside, plus

are we?" I ask, unable to contain my

frown. "We did not go far. About two hours' drive from the heart of the

here." Glancing around, I

It certainly seems quiet.

is in case we are parted. If anything happens, come here and press the green button on your bracelet. It's

That seems terrible. I

to weigh his words carefully. "Don't introduce yourself by name. Use a pseudonym, if you must." His nose wrinkles. "This place doesn't smell right. Be on your

* * *

vast expanse of farmland stretching out before us. Horses and cows graze peacefully in nearby paddocks, oblivious to our status as refugees. A cluster of beat-up

is palpable, and I can't help but share her sentiment. This place seems a little too worn down to be considered a