Unshift 261
Unshift 261
261 Ava: Yanking At Her
It's almost like a presence saying hello.
Thinking of that little string, I tug back. Twice.
An answering jerk. One. Two. Three
The words I just spoke drift into my head: It's like the book is alive.
it crazy to talk into this void in my head, in the general direction I hope the book is in?
Sure. But at least no one can see or hear me doing it.
Hello? I call out, trying to
there?
Use the same mental channel I use to speak with Selene. Are you
Another tug on that string.
I really, really need you to come to where I am. It's safer here. Or something. How do you explain. to a book that the world has gone to shit and you want to keep it from being used to create further catastrophe?
Please.
Being polite never hurts.
This time, that string-y feeling yanks, and it feels like my heart is constricted, interfering in its ability to beat.
I can't breathe. Pain explodes in my chest, radiating outward like a supernova. My lungs burn, desperate for air that won't come. The world around me blurs, sounds fading into a high-pitched buzz that fills my
cars.
second passes. An eternity compressed
seconds. The edges of my vision darken, reality
The world snaps back into focus, colors sharpening and sounds returning. I gasp, drawing in a ragged breath
I blink, trying to orient myself. We're still in the truck. Marcus is at the wheel, his knuckles white as he grips it tightly, eyes darting between the road and the
mirror.
as a croak. Swallowing
felt like my heart was being squeezed in a vise, like something was trying to pull
Ava Yanking At
in my veins
looks me over with a frown. "Your face went white as a sheet and your
sends a shiver
meet mine in the mirror.
to call it to me like Magister Orion said. And then..." I trail off, unsure how
Vanessa asks, before shaking her head.
many questions, and so
Marcus's
need to be careful with this. Magic books that try to yank your soul out of
a point, but something in me rebels against the idea. "No, it wasn't malicious. Just desperate." I pause, surprised by my own certainty. How can I
of me tugs again, and I swear
finds mine, squeezing gently. "Either way, we can't risk you getting hurt. Maybe we should wait until we reach Lucas before trying
like my
should wait until we're somewhere safe before I try contacting the book again. Too many weird things keep happening to me. I'd rather not risk
have a sense
I desperately want to
of Lucas sends a
"No, nothing yet. Vester should be able to reach me by
felt like mere minutes had passed. The realization is
24
Ava Yanking
into that strange, mental-magical
he admits. "But it was brief. Flectr
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