Tangled

Unshift 221

Unshift 221

221 Ava The Fee Ward (1)

221 Ava: The Fae Ward (III)

A giant of a man fills the doorway, his broad shoulders nearly brushing the frame on either side. He's easily twice the size of any man I've ever seen, with pointed ears that stretch back into his salt-and-pepper hair. Despite the gray streaks, his face is unwrinkled, but his eyes-swirling from blue to black and back again-hold a wisdom that speaks of countless years.

"You're late," he bellows, his voice reverberating through the courtyard like a clap of thunder.

His larger-than-life presence fills the courtyard, very different from the Fae guards who led us here.

Marcus and Vanessa move to step between us, their stances protective, but the strange man roars at them. "Stand back, you flea-ridden mutts! Let me see my pupil!"

There's an excitement in his tone that belies the aggressive volume of his words, leaving me more confused than frightened. Selene slinks forward, her ears pressed back against her skull as she sniffs at the air to scent the new arrival.

"Your pupil?" I ask, my voice sounding small and uncertain even to my own ears. "Are you the one Sister Miriam told me about?"

The man throws his head back and laughs, the sound booming like a cannon shot. "Who am I? I'm the one who's graciously allowed you entry into the Fae Ward, girl. The one who's going to teach you to control that wild magic of yours before it consumes you whole."

All the Fae to this point have been elegant, their movements

221 Ave: The Fae Ward (1)

natural and flowing. Even the intimidating guards move with a grace that seems to come from deep within.

This man, this teacher of mine, is like a bear, with wide movements and a lumbering gait. Even so, his excitement shines through, making his sinister-seeming phone calls feel innocuous now in the light of his energy.

"You may call me Magister Orion," he says, his voice dropping to a more conversational volume. "And you, Ava Grey, have a great deal to learn. It took you too long to get here."

"A more friendly phone call might have helped." Trying to keep my words firm and even, I hold out my hand in greeting. "Hello, Magister Orion."

His massive head tilts, his eyes glittering down at me in the

not friendly? I warned you about your friend, and you interrogated me as

disguise your voice

face. "I, a respected wizard and Magister, disguise myself? Why would I do such

before us. "Are you not the one to call

Ah, yes. Of course I called her. The daft child

a tiny, tinny voice says from behind him, and we all step

18:15

Ava The Fae

"We call her little Tinker, after

Magister Orion's knee, her mechanical wings glinting in the light. She's even shorter than Layla, with vibrant pink hair and sparkling lilac eyes that dance with mischief. As she smiles at

remote control in her hand. With a flick of her wrist, the wings flap

high and melodic. "Ever since I saw that fabulous movie about the tiny Fae and the flying children. Of course, you humans butchered

unsure how to respond. "This place is far

of the Fae Realm, but it helps us feel more at

like a lot of history to dig through, but Magister Orion clears his throat, drawing our attention back to him.

have much to

beside me, her head barely reaching my hip. "I should explain about the, mm, what's the word? Oh, ves.

18:18

3/5

Aw The Fae Ward

did it, but we used

Sister Miriam says it makes him sound sinister. Did it

her face is

did," I confirm, watching her over-enthusiastic nod with some confusion. It takes a second

mind. "This device of yours

shifters could understand him?"

light up, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Precisely! Isn't it just brilliant? The Fae Ward functions with quite a bit magitech-ah, magical technology-but it doesn't always work the way we intend. Human innovation is

air, and she scrawls something on it. The letters are similar to the runes

I curse myself silently for not bringing it here. I'm sure they would have been able to tell me more

1. it.