Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 423: Ava: New Order

These two know each other?

"Indeed it has, Orion." The Grand Sage is dwarfed next to the Magister. He speaks with warmth, though. "Though I wish our reunion came under better circumstances. This isn't the first time I've caught you breaking into one of my ships, is it?"

"Ah. It was yours, then. We were concerned… Well, never mind that." The giant man looks sheepish as he ducks his head. "My apologies, Grand Sage. Though now that I am seeing you both, I must ask—is your friend safe now? The human girl?"

"Lisa?" My heart swells at his concern. Even after all this time, he remembers. "Yes, she's safe."

The Grand Sage nods in confirmation. "We've kept her well protected since her return."

"Good, good." Magister Orion's shoulders relax slightly. "We have feared the worst in these past months. Establishing contact with friends has become impossible with the New Order in place."

"The New Order?" My throat tightens as memories of the press conference flash through my mind. The President's vacant stare. His monotone voice. The way everything felt wrong.

That must be it.

Of course they have some terrible name like the New Order.

"Ah." Magister Orion's face darkens. "You've seen them, then?"

"The President's speech, right?" I shift my weight, and the sole of my boots squeak over packed snow. "It was strange. All the supernaturals there."

a puppet." Magister Orion's voice drops to a growl. "The New Order seized control months ago. They've systematically

He looks at Magister Orion's party, inspecting them all one by one, even as

vampire courts? Destroyed. The registered communities live under martial law. Even the unregistered territories have fallen." He spreads

did no

"The New Order was thorough. They infiltrated every level of power. By the time anyone realized

suspected, Selene

of it together over time, though we still don't understand who they are. Or why they're doing

is absolute," Magister Orion continues. "They've placed their people in every major pack. Every vampire

travels through my body, before leaving my legs feeling a little like jelly. Greg reaches

vibration it was doing earlier, but a

process the implications. It has so many other

here? Last time I saw you—" My voice cracks. The memory of that night still haunts me: Magister Orion telling us to escape. The door exploding. Guards invading, yelling for his arrest. "They said

fall. "That particular misunderstanding was cleared up rather quickly. It was little more than a ruse to begin with. It was

much for something as simple as a misunderstanding. They sent in their

seems like overkill to pretend he murdered someone just

first time. It's good to see her, too. "It was quite the dramatic escape for

of

across the snow. "Little witch, they never got me that far. Don't you worry. There

Most of the faces here with the Magister are unfamiliar, or only vaguely familiar.

"Layla's running a