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 compressed

my vision 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 like sandpaper in my throat. "Ava? Ava! Are

my 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

mirror.

voice comes out as a croak. Swallowing hard, I try again. "I'm

happened? It felt like my heart was being squeezed in a vise, like something was trying to pull it right out of my chest. And that string, that connection to the book-it's still there,

Yanking

thrumming in my veins

with a frown. "Your face went white as

without air sends a shiver down my spine. "I think I made contact

in the mirror.

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

Vanessa asks, before shaking her head. "Stupid question. How

and

Marcus's

be careful with this. Magic books that try to yank your soul out of your body don't exactly scream

against the idea. "No, it wasn't malicious. Just desperate." I pause, surprised by my own certainty. How can I be so sure about the intentions of an inanimate object? And yet, I

again, and

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

my arms, trying to soothe the strange thrumming in my veins. It's like my body is vibrating from the inside out, a constant reminder of the magic pulsing

the book again. Too many weird things keep happening to me. I'd rather not risk

have a sense of

desperately

of Lucas sends a

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 out the window, but there's nothing to see in the darkness. Vanessa's frown deepens. "Well, you've been focusing' in the back for about an

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

24

Ava Yanking

slipping away into that

talks with his eyes glued to the road. "I felt a pack presence once," he admits. "But

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