Tangled

Unshift 232

Unshift 232

232 Ava: Bursting In

"But I didn't do anything," I protest. "I just sat here."

"It doesn't matter," Vanessa says, just as Selene says the same thing in my head.

I swear I can hear a smile in my wolf's voice. Sometimes doing nothing is the hardest thing of all.

I look down at my hands, half expecting to see water droplets forming on my skin. But they look the same as always. "Did I really do it, though?"

I don't know. I'm not a wizard.

Pausing at that, I scowl at the air, since she's not near me. "Then

what was all that advice about?"

A hunch.

What the hell.

It worked, didn't it?

Can't really argue with that.

The door flies open with a resounding bang, and I nearly leap out of my skin. Before I can even process what's happening, Vanessa's between me and the entrance, her body coiled and ready to strike.

My heart's still racing when Magister Orion bursts in, his massive frame filling the doorway. But it's not his size that catches my attention this time. No, it's the tiny sparks of flame dancing above his head like a bizarre halo. I blink, wondering if I'm hallucinating.

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232 Ava: Bursting In

"Fire!" he roars, his voice booming through the room. "You touched fire!"

there's no mistaking the excitement in his tone. He's practically vibrating with energy as he continues,

Ava Grey! Do you have any idea how long it usually takes trainees

Sometimes months!"

Orion into the room, taking up his usual position in the corner. His face is

stance and moves to the opposite corner, still on high alert but

this time.

eyes dart around, taking in the room as if seeing it for the first time. The

from excitement to mortification.

the fire dancing above his head. "My sincerest

that follows is deafening.

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232 Ava: Burstant in

process what just happened. Did that really just occur? Or did

knock on the door breaks the stunned silence. Vanessa moves to answer it, and I have to stifle a laugh at the absurdity

the situation.

her voice carefully neutral. "How may we help

is subdued now, a far cry from the booming enthusiasm of moments ago. Vanessa glances back, catching my eye, and I can see she's struggling to keep

to let him

is beet red, and the dancing flames above his head have disappeared. He clears

offer my sincerest apologies for intruding upon your personal chambers without so much as a by-your-leave. It was terribly rude and unprofessional of me. I allowed my excitement to override my manners, and for that, I am

language and contrite tone are such a stark contrast to his earlier behavior that I'm not quite sure how to respond. Part of me wants to laugh

St Aubing b

trying to keep my voice steady.

"Yes, well, that's no excuse for

silence falls over the room. I glance at Vanessa and Marcus, hoping for some clue on how to proceed,

to let me

for a way to break the tension, "about

excited tirade. "Yes, of course. Perhaps we could discuss it in a more... appropriate setting?

of course," he says, backing towards the door. "I'll await you

soon as the door closes behind him, a hysterical giggle escapes. "Well, I say, looking at

supplies, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I never heard that

mores."

Marcus muses. "But then again, the knowledge we have is contained in storybooks. We have very little contact with anyone

Communities"

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27 Ava Thesi