Tangled

Unshift 208

Unshift 208

208 Ava: Moon Goddess (1)

208 Ava: Moon Goddess (1)

At least the physical pain is over, Selene says as I'm groaning on my bed, limper than an overcooked noodle.

"It isn't over. I'm still dying."

You'll be fine. This is why you should have kept up with your exercise. Even a few days off and you're already back to being out

of shape.

"Must be nice to be a dog. You never get sore."

That's because I don't sit around like a couch potato.

Harsh.

But true.

Sliding off my bed in the most dramatically sore fashion I can muster, I ignore Selene's snort and tremble-walk the entire length of the room to the closet where I set the magic book. Mrs. Elkins goes home today, right?

"Right. They're driving her to Cedarwood. Lucas sent scouts to make sure she gets there okay."

"Enforcers," Marcus corrects me from his corner.

He doesn't offer to help me get what I want, but he's quick to make sure I'm calling his comrades by the right title. Giving him a sour look, I amend, "Enforcers." Grabbing the book off the top shelf, I decide to sit on the floor in front of the closet, not really wanting to walk on sore legs all the

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208 Ava Moon Goddess (1)

way to the bed. My muscles protest even this, quivering more than a leaf in the wind.

Look at you, taking the lazy way out, Selene mocks, her voice echoing in my mind with a teasing lilt.

"I'm not being lazy," I retort, settling cross-legged on the plush carpet. "I'm being efficient. Why waste energy when I can just sit

here?"

Selene snorts, her furry head shaking in amusement. Don't come crying to me when your butt goes numb.

Deliberately tamping down on the urge to stick my tongue out at her like a child, I turn my attention to the magical tome in my lap.

The ornate silver clasp is cool to touch, almost unnaturally so, and I suppress a shiver.

open the book. Once again,

sense. It has to be some kind of magical lock to keep its contents secure,

I don't have one, so

flip through the pages, my fingertips start to tingle, a sensation that's almost familiar. It's

across my skin, warm and inviting. I pause, staring at my hand, trying to figure out why it's triggering some

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Ava Moon Goddess

doesn't it?

shock collar.

she knows anything about

head, I mutter, "No, it's more than that. It's like..." I trail

I feel a strange pull, as if the

bolt of

where's

dresser? She sounds hesitant, and I block out the pain and exhaustion in my legs as I stumble

book, necklace in hand. "At the apartment, I touched this once, and it had this same feeling on my fingers. I was shocked. I didn't

it activated. Selene sounds excited, then dubious. But

there's no scent of

"Is there a scent?"

was then, is

So, she doesn't know..

spend that much time

"Sorry sorry."

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Moon

cool against my fingertips, much like the clasp holding

warmth emanating from

pulsing with an energy I can't quite

watches me intently, her blue eyes fixed on the necklace. What are

I

deep breath, I place the pendant on the blank page. For a moment, the world seems to freeze. The air grows heavy, thick with anticipation. Even the dust motes hanging in the sunbeams streaming through the

pounding in my ears. One second. Two.

And...

Nothing.

suck me under the waves of anticipation, holding me

hands on the ground behind me and stare at the ceiling. I was so sure they

would be

But no.

a whole lot

had been standing as still as a statue in

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Ava: Moon