Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 389 Ava: Pulling Away

My hands tremble against the frozen earth. The corruption no longer yields so easily to my touch. Each pull of taint feels like dragging a boulder through mud; I'm exhausted.

Stop. Selene's command rings sharp in my mind. You're exhausted.

She's right. You need to pull back now.

The corruption fights my attempts to draw it in, thick and viscous. My earlier confidence crumbles as my magic strains to pull in more corruption. It's hungry.

Sweat trickles down my spine despite the bitter cold.

I try to pull away, but the corruption clings like tar. My arms shake with the effort to break free. The magic inside me churns, no longer the smooth current it was before.

Get up. Selene's teeth close gently on my coat sleeve. I've cleared a lot of space, and it's no longer unsafe for her to be by my side. Let go.

"I'm trying." Panic edges into my voice. The corruption wraps tendrils around my magic, and my magic grabs onto it like a starving child. "It won't let go."

Focus. Grimoire's presence wraps around my mind. Your magic belongs to you. It is under your power. You are in command.

The corruption pulls harder. My vision blurs at the edges. The buzzing under my skin turns to needles of ice.

Fight it, little witch.

I close my eyes, concentrating on Grimoire's voice. On Selene's steady presence. On Lucas waiting for me back at Wolf's Landing. On Lisa who needs me strong and whole.

On all of Westwood, who have come to accept me as their Luna.

The corruption's hold wavers.

my hands back from the earth, falling backward into the snow. My chest heaves as I gasp for air. The magic inside me whirls like a storm, making me dizzy;

Selene presses against my side, her dog-breath in my face

at my trembling hands. Selene's right; I am glowing. The light beneath my skin pulses erratically, matching the chaos of my

"It was so easy, and then it

you're lacking energy, and then it's like walking through knee-deep

were both there for

can't cleanse on your own. It's understandable to falter in the face of its power. Grimoire's words are a soothing balm in my tired head. Now, we should return. You need to eat and recoup your power. We should return in two days, before it grows too

cool fingers press against my wrist, her frown deepening. "Your pulse

a strong front, I yawn around the

She presses the back of her hand to my forehead. "And pale as

I didn't drink a

after the

says Lucas is worried sick. You've

the deep purple shadows stretching across the snow. Twilight bathes everything in muted colors, the sun nothing more than a memory on the

didn't realize it would take this

the snow. "How much of the taint is left? How many more times will we

"About two-thirds."

me. Greg mutters a

Vanessa's voice rises, her eyes wide. "You've been working for eight hours straight and there's

trip; they've seen how much I've done in the past. It must be a huge shock for them to see different this patch is

was very

her pack. "Here. Small sips." She presses a water bottle into my hands. "Your