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

of my vision darken, reality slipping away like

suddenly as it began, the pain recedes. The world snaps back into focus, colors sharpening and sounds returning. I gasp, drawing in a

but insistently. I blink, trying to orient myself. We're still in the truck. Marcus is at

mirror.

as a croak. Swallowing hard, I try again.

What the hell just happened? It felt like my heart was being squeezed in a vise, like something was trying to

Ava Yanking

a thrumming in my veins that's

face went white as

memory of those endless seconds without air sends a shiver

eyes meet mine in

still scattered, my mind overflowing. "I'm not 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 the sensation. "It was like it grabbed hold of me. I feel like I was somewhere else for

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

many questions, and

Marcus's

this. Magic books that try to yank your soul out of your body don't

but something in me rebels against the idea. "No, it wasn't malicious. Just desperate." I pause, surprised by my own certainty.

again, and I

we can't risk you getting hurt. Maybe

It's like my body is vibrating from the inside out, a constant

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

sense of

desperately want to try

of Lucas sends a pang through my

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

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

24

Ava Yanking

away into that strange,

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

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