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"

asks. "Why aren't they keeping the

his hands.

249 Ava: Unnest

any other shifters in the city, including the rogues who

how all this ties into

way this

What aren't we seeing?

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

woken

times will the rug get pulled out from under me? "Someone is coming who might have answers," Magister Orion adds. "Do you remember the strange Fae named

stern woman who resembled my mother. Her

Magister Orion says, a hint of grudging respect in his tone. "But she's also a wealth of information. She goes

information might she have

involves herself in politics. She lives and breathes paperwork." "Why would she

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 in

she trusts you because you don't

myself with any faction. My only interest is

"But how can we be sure she's not using

guess it comes with the territory; he's here to keep me

smile. "Florice is many things, but not duplicitous. She's rigid, inflexible, and often infuriating, but she's also honest to a fault. If she's

what would be dire enough for someone like Florice to seek help

249 Ava: Unrest

doesn't mean I'm healed; I fall asleep

I wake up again, still groggy. Vanessa's gone, and only

working. That's

"You feeling okay?"

voice warms my

puddle of my own sweat,

Magister Orion downstairs, waiting on Florice," Marcus says,

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

muddled head, I'm

my neck. The room air is cool against the sweat gathered at my nape. "I think my

about twenty pounds of bacon, but I'll settle for going downstairs

for Florice."

off the edge of

me, holding onto my arm