Tangled

Unshift 249

Unshift 249

249 Ava: Unrest

Magister Orion's booming voice wakes me from the unsettling dream, though it's too much work to open my eyes. I'm exhausted. My body feels like it weighs a thousand pounds. My ears tune in before I'm fully awake.

*-in an uproar. Every portal is guarded, and the death tolls keep rising. The militia's working on the riots, but they might not be enough. It makes no sense at all. There's no rhyme or reason to

1. it.

"How safe are we here?"

"It's impossible to tell. The High Fae have already taken one family into custody for insurrection, but it's possible there are more. It's as though everyone's lost their minds."

That doesn't sound good.

My eyes snap open and I struggle to sit up, pleasantly surprised my body's aches are gone, even if I still feel heavy.

"What's going on?"

Magister Orion's face swims into view, his contorted features smoothing over. The sight jolts me fully awake, my heart rate picking up.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, his voice gruff.

I wave off his concern. My health isn't as important as this conversation. "I'm fine. What's going

on?"

Magister Orion exchanges a loaded glance with Vanessa. My stomach tightens.

H

"The city is in an uproar, Magister Orion says, his words heavy. "In the First, Second, and Third Wards, there are riots and uprisings. There's no rhyme or reason. Vampire against vampire, Fac against Fae; it's unclear who is ally or foe."

The timing is suspect. We can't contact anyone outside this place, and now there's civil unrest?

My mind reels, leaving me dizzy. "Does this happen often?"

"No, never." He clicks his tongue, running a hand over his face in frustration. "There have always been struggles of power, but they never involve the city. Assassinations, maybe. Financial destruction. Things of that nature. Too many powerful families have allied to keep peace in this sanctuary; no one can stand up to their combined power."

"Until now," Marcus says, surprising me. I didn't realize he was here.

"Until now," Magister Orion echoes with a sigh. "Too many people are missing. The body count keeps rising"

then? Vanessa asks. "Why aren't they keeping the city in

spreads his

249 Ava: Unnest

other shifters in the city, including the rogues who have lived

this

no way this

What aren't we seeing?

has my head spinning one way, then the other. It

woken

too familiar. How many more times will the rug get pulled out from

who resembled my mother. Her cold demeanor is

sticks to protocols, Magister Orion says, a hint of grudging respect in his tone. "But she's also a wealth of information. She goes through almost every document a Fae ever

piques. "What information

shakes his head. "I'm not sure, but she seems agitated by the situation. That alone is cause for concern. Florice never involves herself in politics. She lives and breathes paperwork." "Why would she come to

shakes his head, his salt-and-pepper hair catching the light. "Florice may dislike me because I refuse to play by the rules, but she knows I'm neutral

that over. "So she trusts you because

with any faction.

posture tense. "But how can we be sure she's

he's here to keep me safe, not fight

She's rigid, inflexible, and often infuriating, but she's also honest to

would be dire enough for someone like Florice to seek help from someone she

249 Ava: Unrest

fall asleep not long after, despite

up again, still groggy. Vanessa's

suppressant's working.

"You feeling okay?"

voice

I'm lying in a puddle of my own sweat,

downstairs, waiting on Florice," Marcus

a while to start up, slowly tugging at my memories. "Oh. Florice. Wait, how long have I been

"Three hours."

That's it?

the surprise on my face, he says, "You can go

my muddled head, I'm wide

good." Shoving myself into a seated position, I twist my hair off the back of my neck. The room air is cool against the sweat gathered at my nape. "I think my fever's broken." "You look

want a shower, and about twenty pounds of bacon,

for Florice."

try to slide off the edge

holding onto my