Tangled

Unshift 240

Unshift 240

240 Ava: Sister Miriam is Angry

Chapter 30Magister Orion doesn't bat an eye when we tell him that we want to get in touch

with Sister Mirlam.

Two hours later, we're back in Sister Miriam's strange mansion, just outside of the Fae Ward.

We all try calling people again, but nothing but voicemails answer us.

Selene rolls against the cool floor, groaning in relief. So much easier to breathe here. Pity. I do like it there.

"Sorry." Watching her writhe around to soothe her itchy skin gives me something to do while we wait for Sister Miriam's arrival.

Layla is back, hunched over a pile of papers she dragged with her, marking through various papers with terrifying efficiency. I'm not even sure if she's reading what's on the pages. Just flip, sign, flip, flip, sign. Every so often she sets one to the side after writing REJECTED in large letters at the top of the

page.

"Their language is fascinating." Vanessa murmurs, also watching the gnome work.

"Language?" Startled, I glance at the healer. "She hasn't said a word."

Our whispers echo through the room. It's impossible for Layla not to hear everything we're saying, yet we continue to whisper.

"Her writing," she corrects me. "Those letters-you called them runes?-are so interesting. She writes them so quickly, but they're so intricate and detailed."

Glancing at the papers again, I squint my eyes.

It takes a while for me to realize that Layla is, in fact, writing in the strange language of theirs, and not in English.

That can't be possible. I'm reading everything she's writing with such case, as though it were already in English. How?

Affinity, Selene explains with a yawn. You've accessed your magic. You've gained an

the language

and an entire language just appears in your

Precisely.

here, but he's not, so I shelve them for now. It's a strange thing, but not nearly

room. Selene, who's been rolling around on the floor, suddenly sits up straight, her posture prim and proper. I can't help but

Miriam steps

Ava Sister

Gone are the vintage dresses I've grown accustomed to seeing her in. Instead, she's wearing a loose shirt and jeans. It's so... normal. So un-Sister Miriam-like that

and polite. Her red eyes lock onto mine. "Is there a

at Vanessa and Marcus, whose faces are blank,

Miriam, is the city

intense that it steals my breath away for a moment as her eyes darken and

question?" she demands, her voice sharp with intensity. Then, as if catching herself, she quickly adds, "I've heard nothing about any war, but that doesn't something isn't happening. Quickly,

fingers twitch, and her eyes dart around the

seen her

She knows something

the words tumbling out in a rush. "And I can't get in touch with anyone. No one's answering their

Layla, who's been watching our exchange instead of working on

her feet, her small form quivering. "I

she believes her, because she barks out orders. "Find out what's happening and

a snap of Sister Miriam's fingers, Layla

un air, I

turns back to me, tension radiating from her every movement. She's almost shaking with anger, but it makes no

danger. Why is she so

call for me?" she asks,

can respond, Marcus steps forward. "Selene wants to run recon, try to establish a connection with our pack" he explains, gesturing to my husky. "But she'd need a way back into the city Sister Miriam's gaze falls on Selene,

the most open display of emotion I've ever seen from her. For a long moment, she Just glares at Selene, who stares

Ava: Sister Miriam

that isn't obvious. But it isn't at us. She has murderous

Sister Miriam lets out a long sigh. "Fine," she says, the word sounding as if it's been dragged out of her. "I'm willing to travel with the...

back to me. "Tell me everything you know," she demands. "Every detail, no matter how small. For attacks to occur without my knowledge means that someone is tampering in my information network. This is not a good thing,

words only cement the foreboding

tense silence, her gaze softening slightly as she looks at Selene.