Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 421: Ava: Functioning Luna in Crisis (II)

"What ship?" I ask, because it's the first time I've ever heard of this thing. We have a ship? We're not even close to the ocean, so how can we have a ship?

But the Grand Sage isn't interested in answering. He jumps to the floor in a flurry of movement, snapping his fingers in our general direction. "Come, come. You wanted to know where they are. Now we know."

My eyes brighten. If the Grand Sage knows where they are, then—

"Stay here," Kellan says.

"No."

Okay. Maybe Functioning Luna—

Stop.

Maybe Functioning Ava shouldn't be heading out. Maybe she should be staying here, safe in Wolf's Landing, with her people.

But there's something zinging around in my blood, insisting that I need to be there. My wolves are great people. They are strong, capable, and I know they would lay down their lives for this pack.

Magic, though? They're woefully incapable of handling anything to deal with magic.

"I'm going," I say, even though my instinct is to ask for permission instead.

Kellan just nods. That's it. The argument's over in half a second. "Understood. Dr. Blackwell, how far is this ship?"

The Grand Sage shakes his head. "It's close. Near where your soldiers picked us up when we got here."

no idea where that is, but Kellan seems to know immediately. "Understood. Greg," and he motions to the wolf in question, "will be your guardian. Stay with him at all times. Do not separate from

his hand. "I am aware of

the one to bring up the overwhelming issue at hand. "What about that?" he asks, jerking his head toward the

Still roped

can send wherever I need. Maybe I can start some sort of

and the like. Grimoire perks up at my train of thought, sounding excited at

the time, Ava.

creature can do to my people. "They shouldn't be able to do anything once they wake

not sure how the biology of gray-skinned Fae-maybe people work, after all. "Have Vanessa come by. I'm sure she has something on hand to ensure they

along with my words, a silent approval of my plan. It isn't the kind of nod where people have to check with him to make sure it's okay to obey me,

"Understood, Luna."

leave your sight for

* * *

we leave, but there's no time to even acknowledge her. We're in a rush, and

twenty

they're going to split off. Some ahead, some behind, just keeping an eye on things to make sure we're

they're supposed to do.

It's easy to breathe, even in this cold. The sky is clear and bright, without any clouds to muddy us up with any possibility of snow. The breeze is a

visibility is far and I'm deeply concerned the people we are out to hunt

She's far ahead, scouting with the shifted, and her predatory instincts are strong enough to underline

Hunt.

Hunt.

a rhythmic chant in my bones, an

Hunt.