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.

Until magicians began to teach each other, too many lives were lost in the pursuit of the power within them. Do not open that door, Ava.

to regain some of the warmth that fled my body as she

been amazing to learn, of course. But–if Selene says it’s too dangerous, I believe her. It isn’t worth my life to

Her

volatile.

been bothering me from the beginning. “Selene, you’re my wolf, right?”

Of course.

from me? No shifter

the ancient magic, she explains in that non–explaining way, where

cryptic again. All shifters are bonded with ancient magic, and they don’t have

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

are we, exactly? Are you

Her

quiet pride. I came to be with

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

who is matched?”

her tone turning brisk. For now, it’s more important that you take a cold shower before your heat starts back up. Clayton is near.

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

right; I don’t want to be in a frantic state like yesterday. But

can you just choose to be with me? And what do you mean, we’re separate and one at the same

me when I say that everything will be revealed in time. For now, focus on getting through your heat. We can

Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of

more later.

skin

humiliation is enough.

the bathroom, tearing off my hospital gown and tossing it on the ground as I go. Niceties are foregone;

as I can.

a powerful wolf. I don’t know how far they are, but they’re close enough that I’m lifting

my nose.

a little weaker, but he’ll do

Ava!

help but makes me feel better for at least trying, and turn on the

in minutes, huddled under that

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Ava: Her

seems to help keep

extent.

even a thing? This is ridiculous. I’m losing my mind because I want some