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

spreads his hands.

249 Ava: Unnest

"There's no sign of Alpha Renard, or any other shifters in the city, including the rogues

I murmur, wondering how all this

way

What aren't we seeing?

my head spinning

woken

pulled out from under me? "Someone is coming

the stern woman who resembled my mother. Her cold demeanor is

she 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 puts their

curiosity piques. "What information might she

situation. That alone is cause for concern. Florice never involves herself in politics. She lives and breathes paperwork." "Why would she come to you?"

may dislike me because I refuse to play by

she trusts you because you don't have

never aligned myself with any faction. My

his posture tense. "But how can we be sure she's not using that neutrality against you?

with the territory; he's here to

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

someone like Florice to seek

249 Ava: Unrest

fall asleep not

wake up again, still groggy.

suppressant's working. That's good to

"You feeling okay?"

gruff voice

feel like I'm lying in a puddle of my own sweat, but my mind has regained

Marcus says, noticing when

start up, slowly tugging at my memories. "Oh. Florice. Wait, how long

"Three hours."

That's it?

face, he says, "You

my muddled head,

position, I twist my hair off the back of my neck. The room air is cool against the sweat

of bacon, but I'll settle for going

for Florice."

the edge of the bed, I fall

my