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."

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

sudden spring of tears in my eyes. "But I can't shake this feeling that I should

peer in her direction. "Maybe working on your powers is the best help you can be right now. Think about it-if you can master this, you'll be

alone. Pulling out my phone, my fingers hover over Lucas's number. I've left him twelve messages

rings, once, twice, three times. No answer. I try again, my heart rate picking up with each unanswered ring.

just busy." Vanessa savs, but I

17:05

Change

uncertainty in her voice.

be able to give me an update. But his phone

my phone onto the bed.

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

and she reaches out to

hard,” she admits. "There's no easy way to deal with it. The amount of times I've been left at the hospital

done. There's always a patient who needs something, or more wounded coming in. There are things that you need

back, I squeeze hard. "Thank you. For being with me. For sacrificing for me." If Lucas being unreachable is hard for me-newly mated and spending more time away from him than

your chest?" I rub mine, where there's an ache

moment I ran from the Lunar

accepting my

and

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a (ne of Bat

"When he's not near, it's like... like I'm missing an arm or a leg. Missing a lung. I can't

doing to even remember to call Lucas. It seems stupid that

can reach him. It's been an eye-opening experience. Once I accepted him into my life, as my partner, and the responsibilities of the

always been the glue of our relationship, and I've been like a flighty hummingbird, flitting from one place to

with our

text me, to call me, distance, I realize how much

desperate to know he's safe,

doesn't feel good at

like the entire world keeps throwing revelation after revelation at me, and I'm drowning in a