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.

downstairs, I had a

***

doesn't happen. Instead, I'm dragged to a strange building in the middle of White Peak, which looks like an abandoned warehouse more than anything

me into the building, while two stay outside

unexpected visitors.

loom in every corner, making me feel like I've stepped into some gritty

couldn't Jericho come with us?" I

the metal and concrete.

needs to stay on Blackwood land while

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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

with an ominous groan. Kellan leads the way down a set of stairs without a single light, except whatever's coming

that greets us. It looks like a professional office, complete with fake plants, paintings on the walls, and several cubicles.

admit as

"No one ever

suit and tie pops out from beneath the desk, startling me. He can't be more than ten years old. As he climbs onto the chair, my

roll out

at us over the counter with

have an appointment?" he asks, his

serious.

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

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off with a sneer.

a bug

Blackwood beta's daughter here?

me. How does

his throat. "Ava is Alpha

assume-looks taken aback. He studies me intently, his eyes narrowed, before grunting

hand on the knob, he turns to us with

Okay. He's not Steve.

who the hell is this

than ever as we step into the room. What kind of operation is this?

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

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

no way around it. This isn't a woman, or even

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200 Ava Stove:!!)

woman.

the other side of it. She has what looks like a cartoon pony temporary tattoo on her cheek, and