Tangled

39 Ava: Her Identity

39 Ava: Her Identity

You have the potential, Selene says, her voice a cautious whisper in my mind. The arcane flows through your veins. But…

My breath escapes me in a giddy rush. Magic. Real magic. Human magic. It’s something out of a fairy tale, not something that should exist in my life. Then again, supernaturals exist–and we’re pretty nonstandard,

ourselves.

It’s not that simple, Selene continues, her tone growing more serious. Magic is not a toy, little one. It’s a force of nature, raw and untamed. To wield it requires knowledge, discipline, and control.

I swallow hard, feeling the warning in her words. “But how do I learn? I don’t even know where to start.”

You would need a teacher, Selene explains, her voice tinged with hesitation. Someone well–versed in the arcane arts, who could guide you, show you how to harness and control your power. But magic is a lost art. Magicians were lost to the curse and became shifters.

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39 Ava: Her Identity

Talk about a letdown.

O

“So, I won’t be able to do magic.” Is that how you say it? Do magic? Cast magic? Spell magic? Cast spells? It all feels weird in my mouth.

It is unlikely, Selene says, but she still has that cautious

sound to her voice.

“If I tried, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Death.

A simple word, bluntly given, with all the truth in the world behind it. I shudder at the matter–of–fact tone.

times long past, many talented humans were lost to the recklessness of their magical talent. Until magicians began to teach each other, too many lives were lost

some of the warmth that fled my body as

have been amazing to learn, of course. But–if

Her

volatile.

bothering me from

Of course.

separate from me? No shifter has a

You were born bonded with the ancient magic, she explains

bonded with ancient magic, and they don’t have any ‘separate‘, only ‘one‘. Why am I different?”

that can’t be helped, Selene sighs, and I can almost

now? And what are we, exactly? Are you a Lycan or a

Her Identity

pure, Selene says, her voice filled with a quiet pride.

work better. “How is that possible? Doesn’t the curse decide

who is matched?”

a story for another time, Selene says, her tone turning brisk. For now, it’s more important that you take a cold shower before your heat starts back

a shiver down my spine, and I can feel the first tendrils of heat starting to uncurl in my belly.

right; I don’t want to be in a frantic state like yesterday. But I can’t let this conversation go just yet. I’m

me? And what do you mean, we’re separate and one at the same time? I don’t understand any of this.”

is much you don’t understand yet. But trust me when I say that everything will be revealed in time. For now, focus on getting

on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and

more later.

the heat is building faster now, and I can feel my skin starting to prickle with sweat. I need to get this under control

is

ground as I go. Niceties are foregone; I just want to get control of my

as I can.

the presence of a powerful wolf. I don’t know how far they are, but they’re close enough that I’m lifting my chin to sniff, trying to get their scent in

my nose.

a little weaker, but

Ava!

my nose, which of course does nothing to help but makes me feel better for

shivering in minutes, huddled under that

617

Her

help keep my mind clear to

extent.

talk to Selene through my mind again. Why is heat even a thing? This is ridiculous. I’m losing my