Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 369 Ava: Camp

We're about to call it quits and find a spot to camp when something pings the edge of my magical radar.

Of course, I want to go straight there and purify it. But we still have to put up the tent, start a fire, and make dinner, and it's over a mile away.

It's one thing to make myself suffer; it's another to force the others to set up camp in the dark because I want to push our timeline.

The sled slows to a gradual stop, runners creaking against packed snow. That pulse of dark energy beckons, but the practical part of my brain overrides it. Night comes early, and I can always get to it in the morning.

Wiggling out from under the mass of blankets keeping me warm during our run—which has spanned a much larger area than we normally would, with how little corruption we've run into—I grab the flat pack I'd been sitting on for hours.

Vanessa's already unhooked the wolves from the sled, and they shift right there in the snow.

The pack had been wedged beneath me during the ride, keeping their spare clothes from freezing solid. A simple solution, but effective. My body heat combined with the magic flowing through me meant the clothes would be wearable, if not exactly toasty.

"The taint feels different." I stretch my legs, stiff from hours of sitting. "More concentrated."

"All the more reason to rest and prepare properly." Vanessa throws sets of thermal gear at the naked shifters, who get dressed with a speed I cannot replicate. "We don't need you collapsing from exhaustion again."

"I didn't do anything today," I protest. Which is true. Aside from clearing up a few mini clouds we've run into, I've just enjoyed a long-ass ride behind four wolves who've broken trail all day.

They're the ones she should worry about.

But they just shimmy into their clothes, acting as if they've done little more than go for a brisk evening jog.

puff white in the gathering dusk. No one complains about the cold—we're all

snow. Their efficiency speaks of years

rest of us work together to unload, but I'm more of

back." Marcus pulls a

into place with satisfying

with the wood stove, fitting the pieces together while Marcus tosses sleeping bags onto the

tent feels empty, and the

hunting." Marcus peers out the tent flap. "Speaking of which—can you sense

magic's not that sensitive. I can sense corruption and dark energy, and sometimes people—especially if I'm attuned

in my mind. But you're nowhere near

mental check reveals

Hunting, comes her reply.

with an armload of kindling and several larger pieces of wood, perfect for starting the fire. He deposits them near the stove and disappears back into the growing darkness

be warm soon." I arrange the kindling in the stove, grateful for the promise

stamps her feet before coming in, dropping off a few canvas bags. "The water's frozen,

how to put one of these small metal stoves together, I had no idea what

a lighter from his pocket and gets the fire started with practiced ease; even though I can do it with magic, he prefers the old-fashioned way. Says it just isn't right, relying on magic that way. The kindling catches quickly, and soon

rummages through our supplies, pulling out a folding table and various bags of

if they catch anything?" My curiosity takes over as I watch her

them, we won't eat until midnight. Better to

to melt. The temperature in the tent rises steadily, enough that I can finally remove my outer

cutting board, knife, and a bag of