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!"

mistaking the excitement in his tone.

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

Sometimes months!"

Magister Orion into the room, taking up his usual position in the

high alert but recognizing that we're

this time.

His eyes dart around, taking in the room as if seeing it

from excitement to mortification.

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

that follows is deafening.

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232 Ava: Burstant in

Marcus, trying to process what just happened. Did that really

breaks the stunned silence. Vanessa moves to answer it, and I have

the situation.

Vanessa says, her voice carefully neutral. "How may we help

His voice is subdued now, a far cry from the booming enthusiasm

let

somehow seeming smaller than before. His face is beet red, and the dancing flames above

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

to respond. Part

St Aubing b

Orion, I manage to say, trying to keep my voice steady. "I understand you were excited

well, that's no excuse for such behavior. I assure

the room. I glance at Vanessa and Marcus, hoping for some clue on how

content to let me take

searching for a way to break the

light up, but he visibly restrains himself from launching into another excited tirade. "Yes, of course. Perhaps we could discuss it in a more... appropriate setting? The library, perhaps?" I nod, relieved to have a direction. "That sounds

backing towards

the door closes behind him, a hysterical giggle escapes. "Well, I say, looking at Vanessa and Marcus, "that

corners of her

mores."

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

Communities"

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27 Ava Thesi