Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 396

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

time. It can manifest

could possibly be it. It doesn't

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

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

My steps slow.

been diligent with her patrols, Grimoire says. The corruption near Wolf's Landing has been contained. The rogues have been affected

venture out further?

by the taint but aren't 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

I wave them back, not wanting to alarm anyone unnecessarily. "Grimoire, is there a way to scan everyone? To see if

I'm not sure if I can

not impossible, but 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

to spend

Yes.

* * *

the debriefing tent again, with Kellan. Ryder and Vester are gone on whatever missions they've

the tail end of

what about the

tightens.

"Since when?"

a weight that makes

screen before holding it out to me. The video quality is crisp, as if there wasn't a months-long digital blackout for all

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

The crawl at the bottom of the screen screams "STATE OF EMERGENCY" in bold red letters. The president is dead.

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

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