Tangled

24 Ava: Paranoia and Secrets (V)

I stare at Selene in utter confusion. “Dig? What do you mean, dig?”

Precisely what I said, she replies, her tone brooking no argument. Dig.

I glance around the small clearing, taking in the soft carpet of moss and fallen leaves. “With what? My hands?” The mere thought of digging into the earth with my bare fingers fills me with a strange revulsion.

Selene lets out a huff of annoyance. Yes, with your hands. I would do it myself, but… She pauses, eyeing the ground with distaste. I don’t like to get mud between my claws.

I can’t help but snort at that. “Are you sure you’re not just a husky after all? Because that’s a very husky–like attitude.”

In response, Selene snaps at the air, her jaws closing with an audible click. Enough stalling, she growls. Dig.

With a sigh, I sink to my knees and begin to dig, scooping handfuls of damp earth aside. Selene

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24 Ava Paranoia and Secrets (V)

watches me intently, her tail swishing back and forth.

Deeper, she urges after a few moments.

I grimace as my fingers sink into the cool, loamy soil. “This is so gross. You owe me a manicure after this.”

Selene merely flicks an ear, unimpressed by my complaints.

As I continue to dig, my arms quickly grow tired from the exertion. Sweat beads on my brow, and I can feel the grime caking beneath my nails. Ugh.

Finally, my fingers scrape against something hard and unyielding. I pause, brushing away the remaining soil to reveal…a box?

Selene

It’s a simple wooden affair, unremarkable save for a strange symbol carved into the lid. I shoot

toward the box.

breath, I lift the

nestled amid a bed of soft fabric, is a ring. But not just any ring–the centerpiece

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hue. It’s almost identical to

both, Selene says, as

my thoughts. At all

gingerly lifting the ring from its resting place. “But why? What’s so special about

head. It’s not yet time for you to know that. For now,

my finger. An odd tingle dances across my skin as the two crystals are united.

of here before I have to groom myself for days to get all this filth

the mud clinging to her paws. “Whatever you say, princess. I’ll

the way back through the trees, leaving me to hurry after her.

as we walk,

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arm. “So, are you going to explain what all that pain was about? And what did you mean by me ‘becoming“?”

irritation. It means precisely what I said. You were becoming.

“Yeah, but

tone is firm as

I hurry to catch up, leaves crunching underfoot. “Well, it’s not the best thing

in silence as we retrace our steps back toward the main path. It’s only when we reach

a deep breath. There’s a lightness to my body that wasn’t there before, a sense of renewed energy thrumming through my veins. The

think about it Selene’s voice cuts through

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Ava: Paranoia and Secrets

thoughts in a sharp

a perplexed look. “Think about

replies flatly. Unless you want the attention it

echo, baffled. “What are you talking about?