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!"

me flinching, but there's no mistaking the excitement in his

you were special, Ava Grey! Do you have any idea how

Sometimes months!"

is almost infectious, but I'm still reeling from the sudden intrusion. Marcus follows Magister Orion into the room, taking up his usual position in the corner. His face is impassive as ever, but there's a hint of

relaxes her defensive stance and moves to the opposite corner, still on high alert but recognizing that we're safe. I'm

this time.

in the room as if seeing it for the first time. The realization dawns on

from excitement to mortification.

head. "My sincerest apologies, my lady!" Before I can even form a response, he's out the door, slamming it behind him with as

that follows is deafening.

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232 Ava: Burstant in

with Vanessa and Marcus, trying to process what just happened. Did that really just occur? Or did

stunned silence. Vanessa moves to answer it, and I have to stifle a

the situation.

Vanessa says, her voice carefully neutral. "How

enter Miss Grey's chambers?" His voice is subdued now, a far cry from the booming enthusiasm of moments ago. Vanessa glances back, catching my eye, and I can

to let him

enters, his massive frame somehow seeming smaller than before. His face is beet red, and the dancing flames above his head have

intruding upon your personal chambers without so much as a by-your-leave. It was terribly rude and unprofessional of me.

behavior that I'm not quite sure how to respond. Part of me wants to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but another

St Aubing b

say, trying to keep my

excuse for such behavior. I assure you, it

and Marcus, hoping for some clue on how

let

begin, searching for a way to break the tension, "about that

Perhaps we

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

as the door closes behind him, a hysterical giggle escapes. "Well, I

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

mores."

opposite," Marcus muses. "But then again, the knowledge we have is contained in storybooks. We have very

Communities"

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27 Ava Thesi