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

edges of my vision darken, reality

suddenly as it began, 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!

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

mirror.

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

like something was trying to pull it right out of my chest. And that string, that connection to the book-it's

Yanking At

in my veins that's

as a sheet and your groaned like

The memory of those endless seconds without air sends a shiver down my spine. "I think I made contact with the book. It

mine in the

And then..." I trail off, unsure how to

before shaking her head. "Stupid question. How would we

and

Marcus's

to yank your soul out of your body don't exactly scream

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 I swear it's a friendly

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

my veins. It's like my body is vibrating from the inside

right," I say to 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 rather not risk

a sense

desperately want to try

sends

head, a worried frown creasing her brow. "No, nothing yet. Vester should be able to reach me by now. It's

passed. The realization is

24

Ava Yanking

into that

once," he admits. "But it was brief. Flectr before

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