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.

soft click, it releases, and I carefully open the book. Once again,

some kind of magical lock to keep

have one, so

pages, my fingertips start to tingle, a sensation that's almost familiar. It's like a gentle current of

skin, warm and inviting. I pause, staring at my hand, trying to figure out why it's triggering some sort of memory buried deep in my

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Moon Goddess

gently shocked, doesn't it? Like

shock collar.

have no idea how she knows anything

mutter, "No, it's more than that. It's like..." I trail off, struggling to

intensifies, spreading up my arm and into my chest. My heart beats faster, and I feel a strange pull, as if the book is drawing

bolt of lightning, a

"Selene, where's that

She sounds hesitant, and I block out the pain and exhaustion

apartment, I touched this once, and it had this same feeling on my fingers. I was shocked. I didn't know that

Selene sounds excited,

there's no

"Is there a scent?"

then, is her

So, she doesn't know..

spend that much time around magicians,

"Sorry sorry."

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Ava Moon Goddess

chain cool against my fingertips, much

yet there's warmth emanating from

an odd sensation, like it's alive, pulsing

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

thinking that 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

my pulse pounding in my ears. One

And...

Nothing.

suck me under the waves of anticipation, holding me deep

back, I rest my hands on the ground behind me and stare

be

But no.

a whole lot

standing as still

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Ava: Moon Goddess