Tangled

190

190

190 Ava: Mom's Legacy (III)

"What the hell?" I mutter, turning the necklace over. There's some dried blood on the chain, and it's broken.

The blood, I'm sure, is mine.

Selene pads over, her ears perke h. This is...

"My necklace. Yeah. How the fuck did it end up in my suitcase? And even that was packed all the way in Westwood territory, yet I lost this during the fight with Todd."

Her nose flares as she sniffs at it. It's a message.

"A message? From who?"

That cagey feeling again, as Selene avoids a direct answer. One who can teach you.

"Selene-we're not doing this cryptic bullshit again. Who is this a message from, and how? In fact, how did it ever show up in my apartment the first time?"

Her huff irritates me like nothing else, and I snap, "Selene, this isn't funny. I'm sick of the secrets. You're always waiting until too late to tell me things, and it isn't fair."

It isn't always a choice to hide things from you, she mutters. I'm bound by too many things.

"I swear to the Moon Goddess, if this is one of those things you said about the natural order of the world..." My threatening tone has nothing behind it, but she flinches anyway. No. This is a vow given to the Moon Goddess, in exchange for your

10:26 C

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100 Ava: Mom's Legacy (1)

security. In fact, you can consider the Moon Goddess the messenger in this instance. Her scent is all over that necklace.

I drop the necklace as though it's on fire. "What do you mean, her

scent?"

The thought of touching something with a divine scent on it is abhorrent. Like I'm defiling a precious artifact.

around

touch. You can hold it. You can

Why would I do

saying you could. She noses at it on the ground. The magic within is gone. Depleted. Holding it won't do anything. You can keep it or get

return to me? How did it return to me?" Maybe it's less about defiling the divine after all, and

say, but you can always ask your teacher when

do you mean,

a wolfish grumble as she snaps at the air. I told you a long time ago, I have my

Did she?

she mentions it, there's a vague memory of

conversation like that.

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Ava: Mom's

Miriam, and now I feel terrible for forgetting my own wolf was supposed to find a teacher. But then again, how was I supposed to know she could do that, when she ca I can talk to anyone I wish to. I've been speaking with Jericho's wolf.

"What about Lucas' wolf?"

No.

warning bells in my head. "Do you have a problem

in my curiosity for more important matters. "When

don't know. Probably soon.

ominous words have my stomach sinking to my toes.

What now?"

seems, and you might be upset with us, even when you

in waves. She won't even meet my eyes, even when I walk around her to force it. She just moves her

talk about it until she's made

even as she slinks off

1. it.

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Avi Mom's Legacy

angry with

brings frustrated tears to my

I won't be angry with you. Just come

me."

beneath the bed, when the guard knocks again

"Oka-ouch."