Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 443: Ava: Pellonia

Magister Orion looks stunned when he comes into the tent, his swirling eyes landing on the small Fae girl Lucas calls Pip.

"What are you doing here?!" the giant man roars, and the wolves who had followed Lucas on his mission tense. None of them have met the Magister before.

Lucas, to his credit, remains aloof, though his hand tightens on my shoulder. "Do you recognize Pip, Magister?"

Magister Orion's face twists into a scowl. The expression transforms his usually dignified features into something fierce. My heart skips a beat at his thunderous reaction, but he smooths his expression and bows to Lucas with perfect court manners.

"Alpha Westwood. My deepest apologies for my outburst."

Lucas' hand relaxes on my shoulder. The warmth of his touch anchors me as I study Pip's face. Her purple hair seems duller now, less vibrant. Fear and relief war in her expression—but there's something else, easily recognizable. Her jaw is set in what looks an awful lot like defiance.

"This child," Magister Orion says, "is not who she claims to be."

Pip's shoulders hunch. The chains on her clothes jingle as she shifts her weight.

"Her name is Pellonia. She should be safely tucked away in a haven on the other side of the country."

Pip—no, Pellonia—hangs her head.

"So, you know her." Lucas's tone isn't a question.

"Indeed." Magister Orion's eyes swirl faster, betraying his agitation. "And her father will be most displeased to learn she is here."

Pellonia's head snaps up. "You can't tell him!"

"I absolutely can and will, young lady."

to my left shift uneasily. Magister Orion's massive frame seems to grow even larger, his pointed ears twitching with suppressed emotion.

Pellonia mumbles something unintelligible.

"Speak up, your highness."

catches. Highness? The title rings through the tent like a bell, and suddenly I understand why Magister Orion looks

girl says, her voice small but

cuts himself off. He pinches the bridge of his nose. "Three weeks.

protests. "I left a

course. How thoughtful of you, your highness, to leave a note before vanishing from your safe haven.

fingers flex against my shoulder. "Perhaps we

"We should.

doesn't move. Her chains jingle again as she crosses her arms.

is not

"I'm helping the rebellion!"

"You are a child."

"I'm thirty-seven years old!"

understand why. For someone who looks to be somewhere between thirteen and fifteen to claim they're thirty-seven years old… But, the lifespan of a Fae is very long. I can see how a thirty-seven year old Fae

softens. "Your father entrusted me

of her father makes Pellonia flinch. She looks so young, so vulnerable, that my

attention. "Maybe we

mine. "With respect, Luna, you don't understand the gravity of this situation. This is the seventeenth daughter of the Fae Crown

ripped jeans and

clears his throat. "Can you give us a little more information on this rebellion? The situation we found her in was…

even aware Pellonia was missing." His swirling eyes fix on the purple-haired girl, who

Fae Crown Prince leads a faction against the New Order within

Her chains jingle as she steps forward, hands balled into fists. "He'll end up bowing to their demands, just like he bows to

your mouth shut!" Magister Orion's roar makes the tent poles shake. His eyes swirl with dark colors, his pointed ears twitching