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?

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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.

we go downstairs, I had a strange

***

to a strange building in the

into the building, while two stay outside

unexpected visitors.

corner, making me feel like I've stepped into some gritty crime movie set. I glance at Kellan,

us?" I

the metal and concrete.

on Blackwood land while I'm away. Besides,

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200 Ava: Steve (1)

"Who are we meeting

"You'll see soon enough."

breath about the building belonging in a movie, and Kellan actually cracks a smile. "It's

aesthetic."

"Who's Steve?"

who's been helping

an ominous groan. Kellan leads the way down a

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

expecting this," I admit as we approach the empty reception

"No one

desk, startling me. He can't be more than ten

it to roll out

on the seat and stares at us over the counter with a

you have an appointment?" he asks, his voice

serious.

his head. "No. I'm Kellan

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off with a sneer. "I remember you." His gaze

like a bug under a microscope.

Blackwood beta's daughter here?

jolts through me. How does he know who I

his throat. "Ava is Alpha

boy-Steve, I assume-looks taken aback. He studies me intently, his eyes narrowed,

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

Okay. He's not Steve.

hell

as we step into the room. What kind of operation is this? And why would Lucas and

She's still upset about being

an office, with a large wooden desk dominating the space. Bookshelves line the walls, filled with anything but books. Instead, there are action figures

This isn't a

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200 Ava Stove:!!)

woman.

looks to be maybe thirteen, with a head that's half-shaved and long, bright pink hair on the other side of it. She has what looks like a cartoon