Tangled

Unshift 230

Unshift 230

230 Ava: Change of Balance

"I'll get the Magister," Marcus offers. "You focus on the those other ones. Try not to flood the room or something"

"I can swim," Vanessa says. "I can probably keep her afloat until you get here."

Their faith in me is so touching. "I'm not going to flood the room,

guys."

"Did you know you were going to set a paper on fire before you

did it?" Marcus looks stern, but there's a slight twinkle in his eyes, and a little quirk to his smile, that tells me he's becoming more comfortable around me.

At least he's not trying to escape the general vicinity of magic, after being in the Fae Ward for a few days. He's getting used to its existence around him, though he admits that it feels itchy. Vanessa doesn't seem to have the same problem.

Selene, on the other hand.....

I'm not sneezing, but all I can smell is refuse. She sounds sour in my head. There's an alley with garbage cans. I guess no one wants to ward their trash.

As Marcus leaves to fetch Magister Orion, my heart clenches in sympathy for my wolf. I wish there was a way to make you more comfortable.

It's fine, Selene replies, though her mental voice sounds strained. I'd rather be here than leave you alone.

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230 Ava: Change of Balance

Vanessa settles on the bed, her fingers tracing the edges of the rune papers scattered across the covers. She looks up at me, her eyes filled with concern. "How are you holding up, Ava?" Falling onto my back, I throw my arm over my eyes, blocking out the lights. Every one of my feelings presses down on me, shoving me deeper into the mattress. "Honestly? I feel like I'm missing something huge. Like there's this... I don't know, this looming disaster just waiting to happen, and I can't see it coming."

nods, her expression thoughtful. "Well, we know Lisa's been relocated. That's good news, right? And Lucas is an experienced alpha. He's handled

eyes. "But I can't shake this feeling that I should be doing more. It feels like I'm hiding while

ear as I lower my arm to peer in her direction. "Maybe working on your

Pulling out my phone, my fingers hover

try again, my heart rate picking up with each unanswered

Vanessa savs, but I can hear the

17:05

Change of

uncertainty in her voice.

Kellan's number, hoping he'll at least be able to give me an

I mutter, tossing my phone onto the bed. I look

suddenly feeling very small and very scared. "How do

eyes soften, and she reaches out to squeeze

with it. The amount of times I've been left at the hospital while Vester's out on a mission is not small." "And

a patient who needs something, or more wounded coming in. There are things that you need to do, and you do them. Worrying yourself into an anxiety spiral won't

mated and spending more time away from him than

be away from him? Here, in your chest?" I

moment I ran from the Lunar Gala, and

accepting my mating

now, and driving

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a (ne of Bat

on a distant look. "Always," she says quietly. "When he's not near, it's like... like I'm missing an arm or a leg. Missing a lung. I can't breathe a full breathe, and I can't walk at full

doing to even remember to call Lucas. It seems stupid that I ever got that

into my life, as

realize I still was complacent, knowing he was there to hold us up. He's always been the glue of our relationship, and I've been like a flighty hummingbird, flitting from one place to

with our

call me, distance, I realize how much I relied

to know he's safe, and finally understanding

feel good at

keeps throwing revelation after revelation at me, and I'm drowning in a sea of