Tangled

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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

you about your friend, and you interrogated me as if I were her

your

a respected wizard and Magister, disguise myself?

giant Fae standing before us. "Are

I called her. The daft child

says from behind him, and we all step back, startled by a new addition to our little

18:15

The Fae

says from behind us, sounding amused. "We call her little Tinker, after one of your

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 us, I can't help but stare at the robotic contraptions protruding

my fascination, the little Fae titters and spins around, revealing a remote control in her hand. With a flick of her wrist, the wings

of wings," she gushes, her voice high and melodic. "Ever since I saw that fabulous movie about the tiny Fae

place is far more amazing than any movie I've ever seen," I

Ward? Balderdash. We're just a cheap imitation of the Fae Realm, but

of history to dig through, but Magister Orion clears his throat, drawing our attention back to him. "Shall

We have much to

cottage, she falls into step beside me, her head barely reaching my hip. "I should explain about the, mm, what's the word? Oh, ves. The phone call"

18:18

3/5

The Fae

Orion did it,

his words, but Sister Miriam says it makes him

is almost rabid,

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

mind. "This device of yours

shifters could understand him?"

eyes 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,

out of thin air, and she scrawls something on

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

1. it.