Tangled

Unshift 200

Unshift 200

200 Ava: Steve (1)

The phone rings.

And rings.

All I get is voicemail, three different times.

Knowing that Lucas is busy with the Council, I just send a quick

text for him to call me back when he can.

A knock on my door interrupts us, and Jericho pokes his head in with his typical scowling face. "All good in here?"

"Good," I confirm, as Selene rubs her nose against the ground.

The older shifter watches her as he closes the door behind him.

"What's wrong with that?"

The way he emphasizes the 'that'has Selene freezing

mid-movement, her lip curling above her teeth in a silent snarl.

Did he just call me-?!

"She is fine. Just sniffed the book and got a little too much magic in

her nose."

That grizzly head nods, like it's a normal occurrence. "Every pup has to learn sometime, I guess." After seeing the blank stare on.my face, he says, "It isn't unusual to run into the occasional magical artifact. Witches magicked just about everything they put their hands on. One fellow even found a pair of magic underwear."

I stare at Jericho, my mouth hanging open. Magic underwear? Seriously?

16:03

1/6

200 Ava: Steve (1)

He just shrugs, completely unfazed. "Witches are an odd breed."

Shaking his head, he changes the subject. "Your Mrs. Elkins is having breakfast downstairs. Care to join her?"

My heart leaps. "Yes, absolutely! Eager to talk to her, to ask her more about this book, about magic, about everything, I almost fall back into an old routine.

Secrets.

Tell him, Selene murmurs.

before we go downstairs, I had

***

the middle of White Peak, which looks like an abandoned warehouse more

the building, while two stay outside to make sure we don't

unexpected visitors.

through the dimly lit warehouse. Shadows loom in every corner, making me feel like I've stepped into some gritty crime movie set. I

Jericho come with us?" I ask,

the metal and concrete.

to stay on Blackwood land while I'm away.

16:03

2/6

200 Ava: Steve (1)

frown, unsatisfied. "Who are we meeting

"You'll see soon enough."

building belonging in a movie, and

aesthetic."

"Who's Steve?"

been

an ominous groan. Kellan leads the way down a set of stairs without a single light,

brightly lit basement that greets us. It looks like a professional office, complete with fake plants, paintings on the walls, and several cubicles. The only thing missing

as we

nods. "No one

the desk, startling me. He can't be more than ten years old. As he climbs onto the chair, my heart drops

roll out from beneath

seat and stares at us over the counter

you have an appointment?" he asks, his

serious.

his head. "No. I'm Kellan Ashbourne, and this

16:03

3/6

cuts him off with a sneer. "I remember you."

Heel like a bug under a microscope.

Blackwood beta's daughter here?

does he know

throat. "Ava is

his eyes narrowed, before grunting and waving us forward. "Follow

hallway to a door at the very end. Pausing with his hand on the knob, he turns to

Okay. He's not Steve.

hell is

room. What kind of operation is this? And why would Lucas and Kellan be involved with a

touches my mind, grumpy and petulant. She's still upset about being left behind, but Kellan was

dominating the space. Bookshelves line the walls, filled with anything but books. Instead, there are action figures mixed with strange artifacts. Behind the

no way around it. This isn't a

16:03

200 Ava Stove:!!)

woman.

bright pink hair on the other side of it. She has what looks like a cartoon pony temporary tattoo on her cheek, and Mardi Gras necklaces over a simple white shirt. A lot