Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 287 Ava: Seeing Lucas Again

"Ava?"

Lisa shakes me awake, but it takes a few blinks for my eyes to adjust to reality.

"What is it?" My throat is croaky, and I clear it with a few dry coughs.

"Kellan brought dinner. You've been sitting like that for a few hours. I wasn't sure if I should bother you or not."

My muscles protest as I push myself to my feet, my entire body stiff after hours of stillness. Every joint in my body seems to creak and pop, like I'm twenty years older than I am. Or maybe it's just the weight of everything bearing down on me.

"Thanks," I mumble as Lisa hands me a plate with a simple turkey sandwich. The sight of food makes my stomach growl, and I realize I'm ravenous.

I take a bite, savoring the simple flavors. It's nothing fancy, but right now it tastes like the best thing I've ever eaten. Lisa watches me, concern etched on her face.

"Did you make any progress?" she asks hesitantly, after depositing the wardstone between us for security. It's only a ten-foot radius; better to keep it close.

I grimace, swallowing hard. "I'm not sure if what I did was considered progress."

Lisa's eyebrows furrow. "What do you mean?"

I take another bite, chewing slowly as I try to gather my thoughts. How do I even explain what happened? The eerie forest, the mysterious pond, the spirit... it all seems so surreal now that I'm back in the real world.

"There's a place I go sometimes. It's like some sort of magical realm, but it feels kind of like a dream. This time, there was a dead forest and a dark pond. And a spirit."

Lisa tilts her head. "A spirit? Like a ghost, or…?"

I shake my head. "No, not like that. More like... a guardian, I guess? Of the magic in that place. But I still don't know where that place was, or why I was there."

Resting her chin in her hand, she watches me eat. "Well, where were you trying to go?"

"To the book. Well, I wasn't trying to go anywhere, but I wanted to connect with the book."

"So doesn't it stand to reason that it has something to do with the book? That place, and the spirit?"

as if that somehow makes my memories clearer, I think back. The spirit never gave me their name, but gave up Grimoire's without a second thought. The spirit somehow knew about Grimoire and my connection, and knows a lot about

Could it be…?

scowling at the sandwich in my hands. I want to

just have to eat

"What is it?"

a hand, chewing furiously as I think. If the spirit is Grimoire, then that place is—what? I don't know. Either Grimoire's place in

are too many things

They called it a

Curious. Very curious.

think the spirit is the book. I just

* * *

trying again, despite the anticipation coursing through my veins. I'm sure she's right—it would be better to try after

help the feeling of urgency, like I'm lagging

a few

But first, Lucas.

be happy to

mediocre breakfast of boiled eggs and toast, and a quick shower later, I'm back at the hospital, meeting a

the pack running—but Marcus is,

"Oh. You again."

maximum cheer into my

remarkably impassive at my words. I'm sure she's cursing

he wants visitors?" she suggests, oozing

behind me, his energy coiling like a spring ready to snap. Without turning, I raise my

surprised," I say, injecting a healthy dose of false sweetness into my voice. "Do you do this for every

pressing into a thin line. She's clearly not used to being called out so directly. I

Miss Grey," she says, her tone clipped. "We take patient privacy very seriously

see." I lean forward, placing my hands on the counter.

to me. "All visitors,"

other visitors walked right in without being questioned. In fact, I don't recall seeing anyone make a

face flushes, a mix of anger and embarrassment coloring her cheeks. "I-I don't have

to do your job

feel Marcus shifting behind me, probably itching to step in. But I need to handle this on my own. I'm tired of this. Tired of feeling like everyone's looking at me sideways. Tired of worrying about not