Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 400

Chapter 400 Ava: Confronting Ivy

Snow crunches under my boots as I pace, each step carving deeper tracks into the pristine cover of snow that swept in overnight.

Three steps left. Three steps right. My breath clouds in front of my face.

"Just knock already," I mutter to myself.

You've been out here twenty minutes, Selene points out.

"Not helping."

How do you tell someone they might be corrupted by dark magic? 'Hey, noticed you've been acting weird lately, mind if I check for evil taint?' Yeah, that'll go over well.

The door flies open with a bang that makes me jump. Ivy stands in the doorway, her usual perfect appearance nowhere to be found. Dark circles ring her eyes, and her chestnut hair hangs limp around her face.

"What do you want?" Her voice comes out raspy, like she's been gargling glass.

"I..." All my carefully planned words evaporate. "Are you okay?"

She leans against the doorframe. "Fine. Just tired."

But she's not fine. I can see the slight tremor in her hands, the way she's barely keeping herself upright. My magic flutters in response to... something.

"You look sick."

"Thanks." Her laugh turns into a cough. "Always good to hear how terrible I look."

"That's not what I meant." I step forward, catching her arm when she sways. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Yes." She tries to pull away but doesn't have the strength. "Or tried to. Everything hurts."

I press my palm to her forehead. She's burning

need to see

"I don't need—"

have a fever." My tone brooks

opens her mouth to protest, then closes it as another wave of dizziness hits. I tighten

because I don't think I

weight. She's lighter than I expected,

I murmur. "We're

progress through the snow. Ivy's breathing grows more labored with each step, and I

comes into view, smoke curling from its chimney. "Just a

helping me?" Her words slur

approach, Vanessa's concerned face appearing. "I

head drops to my shoulder.

to help, and together we guide Ivy inside. The warmth hits

happened?" the healer asks, directing us to an empty

Ivy onto the mattress. "High fever, dizzy,

eyes flutter closed as soon

felt ill?" Vanessa asks, already checking her blood pressure and

Her voice is barely audible. "Thought

I want to reach for it, to understand

your body temperature is dangerously high." Vanessa disappears from the side of the bed, ostensibly to

planned to approach Ivy about the corruption, but maybe it's better this way.

Vanessa says, returning with an IV bag.

surprise Ivy, whose eyes crack open. "Being

laugh turns into a weak cough. "Always...

inserts the IV. I sink into a chair beside the bed, watching the steady

do you think caused this?" I ask our

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