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.

17:05 C

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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."

been relocated. That's good news, right? And Lucas

can't shake this feeling that I should be

working on your powers is the best help you can be right

out my phone, my fingers hover over Lucas's number. I've left him twelve messages since yesterday. "I should call him, just to

times. No answer. I try again, my heart rate picking

just busy." Vanessa savs, but I

17:05

Change of

uncertainty in her voice.

at least be able to give me an update. But his phone

tossing my phone onto

small and very scared. "How do you handle this? The stress, the

reaches out to

with it. The amount of times I've been left at the hospital while

something, or more wounded coming in. There are things that you need to do, and you do them. Worrying yourself into an

for me." If Lucas being unreachable is hard for me-newly mated and spending more time away from

I rub mine, where there's an ache I've become familiar with.

ran from the Lunar

accepting my mating

and

17:05

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a (ne of Bat

or a leg. Missing a lung. I can't breathe a full breathe, and I can't walk at full strength. You

me hard. There were so many times I just got busy, too distracted thinking and doing to even remember to call Lucas. It seems stupid that I ever got that complacent before, when now my entire day revolves around my phone, sending out regular calls in case he

my life, as my partner, and the responsibilities of the position it brings, I thought I was finally

to hold us up. He's always been the glue of our relationship, and I've been like a flighty hummingbird, flitting

with our

me, to call me, distance, I realize how much I relied on him.

to know he's safe, and finally understanding

doesn't feel

revelation at me, and I'm drowning in a sea of knowledge that