Chapter 396 Ava: Cell Towers

I don't trust her, Selene says, coming out from me to stare suspiciously at the door Ivy closes behind her.

The walk back feels longer, my boots crunching through snow as my mind churns. Something about Ivy's story nags at me, like a splinter under my skin. It leaves me uneasy and uncomfortable, but I can't pinpoint why.

"Selene, could you ask around about the attack?"

She trots beside me, staring at me with her sharp blue eyes. Why do you want to know about that?

"I can't put my finger on it. It's just strange. Maybe I'm being paranoid." Lord knows I've got serious issues with the woman. Paranoia feels far too natural around her. Of course, she encourages it with her strange behavior and passive-aggressive nature, but… I don't know.

There's something about this. I just know it.

You think she's lying?

"No, no. Not that."

She was too nice?

"No." Frustrated by my own inability to understand what's bothering me, I kick at the snow compacted to the side of the trail. "It's probably nothing. I'm just—"

Her presence felt strange to me, too, Grimoire offers, sounding thoughtful. I paid little attention, but it was strange. I don't know why, either.

Maybe that was it. "Think she was affected by some taint she passed by?"

It could be. We haven't had much experience with the early stages of exposure. We can keep an eye on her.

know if it was,

time. It can manifest in many different ways,

I wonder if that could possibly

muzzle connects with my thigh, nearly sending me face-first into a snowbank. I hop and skip

Her ears prick forward. Twenty? Thirty? And yet we've only found five of our own

My steps slow.

Grimoire says. The corruption near Wolf's Landing has been contained. The rogues have been affected elsewhere, completely oblivious to the

the wolves who venture out further? The ones who hunt,

showing symptoms yet? What if they're like Ivy—something's off but we can't quite place what? If Ava isn't near them, would we

not wanting to alarm anyone unnecessarily. "Grimoire, is there a way to scan everyone?

type of scanning I do isn't that in depth. I'm not sure if I

it would take considerable energy. This isn't a general area scan, but more of a fishing expedition. The magic spent is far greater, and the control is much tighter, to search for that specific resonance. In order to match it, you would also need to be very familiar with what you're looking for. It isn't easy, but it isn't

I need to

Yes.

* * *

and Vester are gone on whatever missions they've been given, but Vanessa's there, her

press a quick kiss to Lucas's cheek, catching the tail end of their conversation. Something about cell towers makes

what about

tightens.

"Since when?"

a weight that makes my earlier worries about Ivy seem

out, her fingers dancing across the screen before holding it out to me. The video quality is crisp, as if there wasn't a months-long

news anchor's face fills the screen, her usual professional demeanor cracking around the edges

in bold red letters. The president is dead. Not just dead—assassinated. The words blur together as the anchor continues her report, but certain phrases punch

attack on the White House... Vice President Matthew Collins has assumed

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