Tangled

Unshift 281

Unshift 281

281 Ava: Catching Up

"That sounds..." I grope for a word. "Unpleasant?"

"Very: She shudders and leans forward. "Anyway, Chloe and Mia brought the vampires to the last place, and we barely escaped. We've been flying under the radar since and finally got here." Puzzling over that, I ask, "Are you sure it was them? You didn't hear what they were saying."

I hate both of them, so I'm not trying to defend them. I just don't want to tarnish any innocent names. Lord knows I have enough black marks against me in this pack.

Lisa looks at me soberly. "No. But the way they were acting... And the Grand Sage-ugh, sorry. Dr. Blackwell said he saw something on the phones."

I shudder. Even with as much hatred as I felt toward Blackwood, I never wanted them wiped from the map. Well, sometimes-but to call down an army upon the same people who watched me grow up, even if they turned a blind eye to my abuse, sours my stomach.

There are innocent people in any pack. They don't deserve to live through a nightmare like that.

squeeze

"I'm glad you're okay. Reaching over the table, I her hands. "Really glad. It was hard. Sometimes, I had to stop thinking about you..." Shit. That sounds terrible.

Lisa shakes her head and grips my hand tightly. "Trust me, I had to do the same sometimes."

"Yeah, but you were the one in a jail cell. I was out here." My lips twist into a grimace. "I should have been able to do more."

"Shut up, Ava." With a gentle squeeze that belies the harshness of her words, Lisa continues, "We're both unequipped to deal with all these supernatural guys. No wonder Jericho pushed us so hard. And yet..."

And yet we were still so easily overpowered.

unspoken words, my soul shrivels at

"What happened while I was gone? How are

Ah.

face, her brows drawing

you went through. Rubbing at my forehead, I sigh. "He's

too, she says immediately. "Tell

I know." I run a hand over my face. "So many things have happened, I don't even know where to start. Everything's a blur anymore. A memory hits me and I sit up straight, eyes wide. "Oh! You won't believe

leans forward, curiosity piqued.

My

201 Av. Catching Up

lady who gave you

bloodline of old witches. She brought me a magic book after the Moon Goddess brought her to Blackwood. Which I really need to

Goddess can intervene like that, why doesn't she do anything directly? Why can't she just give you whatever knowledge you need, if she wants you to

shrug, feeling a bit sheepish. "I have no idea. Honestly? I only half-believed in the Moon Goddess because of how I was raised. It all seemed like stories to keep us in line,

at all, Lisa admits. "I mean, I'm human. It wasn't part of my

of it all. Here we are, discussing deities like

anything from it. Instead I ended up in the city where you were

I'm glad

don't fully understand her motives, but she's helped us out too many times for me to doubt her anymore. Even Selene is warming up to her. She's had it out for her ever since she called

Selene?" Lisa glances around, like she's just going to appear

the madness that's been my life since she was taken. I tell her about my training at the Fae Ward, about the imposing yet oddly paternal Magister Orion, and how communication with the outside world suddenly ceased when we could no longer contact anyone

head in disbelief.

a twinge of worry at their absence. "It was right before everything went silent. I haven't heard from them since? "Do

just know she kept him alive. They're out now, trying to get more information from somewhere, I think" My brain's been such mush, I can't

Lisa scrunches up her nose.