Tangled

Chapter 261

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.

An eternity

darken, reality slipping away

the pain recedes. The world snaps back into focus, colors sharpening and sounds returning. I gasp, drawing in a ragged breath that feels

mind. Her hand grips my shoulder, shaking me gently but insistently. 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

mirror.

My voice comes out as a croak. Swallowing hard, I

was being squeezed in a vise, like something was trying to pull it right out of my chest. And that

Yanking At

in

as a sheet and your groaned like you were dying. I'm

shiver down

mine in

sure. I was reaching out to it, trying to call it to me like Magister Orion said. And then..." I trail off, unsure how to describe

asks, before shaking her

and so few

Marcus's

that try to yank your soul

"No, it wasn't malicious. Just desperate." I pause, surprised by

tugs again, and I swear it's a friendly

hand finds mine, squeezing gently. "Either way, we can't risk you getting hurt.

veins. It's like my

Vanessa. "We should wait until we're somewhere safe before I try contacting the book again. Too many weird things keep happening to me. I'd

a sense of self-preservation in me

desperately want

Lucas sends a pang through my

you made contact yet?" I ask, looking between Vanessa and Marcus. Hope flutters in my chest, fragile and desperate. Vanessa shakes her head, a worried frown creasing her brow. "No, nothing yet. Vester should be able to reach me by now. It's strange." "How long has it been since you could sense him?" Surprised, I peer

hour? It felt like mere minutes had passed. The realization is chilling. How much time am

24

Yanking

slipping away into that strange,

pack presence once," he admits. "But it was brief. Flectr before I could really

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255