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.

look around for

Her presence won't be erased by your touch. You can hold it. You can even put it

I do something

it on the ground. The magic within is gone. Depleted. Holding it

would it return to me? How did it return to me?" Maybe it's less about defiling the divine after all, and more that it feels kind of gross to touch

but you can always ask your teacher when

Right. "What do you

that comes out of Selene isn't aggressive, but more of a wolfish grumble as she snaps at the air. I told you a

Did she?

that she mentions it, there's

conversation like that.

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Mom's

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

"What about Lucas' wolf?"

No.

terse, ringing warning bells in my head. "Do you

I'm on the right path, but I reel in my curiosity for more important matters. "When will

Probably soon.

words have my stomach

What now?"

as it seems, and you might be upset with us, even when you understand why

won't even meet my eyes, even

talk about it until she's made

words are firm, even as she slinks off the bed to

1. it.

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Avi Mom's Legacy

be angry

whisper brings frustrated tears to

angry with you.

me."

out from beneath the bed, when the guard knocks again and pecks his head

"Oka-ouch."