Tangled

Unshift 287

Unshift 287

287 Ava: Seeing Lucas Again

"Ava?"

İ

Lisa shakes me awake, but it takes a few blinks for my eyes to adjust to reality.

"What is it?" My throat is croaky, and I clear it with a few dry coughs.

*Kellan brought dinner. You've been sitting like that for a few hours. I wasn't sure if I should bother you or not.

My muscles protest as I push myself to my feet, my entire body stiff after hours of stillness. Every joint in my body seems to creak and pop, like I'm twenty years older than I am. Or maybe It's just the weight of everything bearing down on me. "Thanks." I mumble as Lisa hands me a plate with a simple turkey sandwich. The sight of food makes my stomach growl, and I realize I'm ravenous.

I take a bite, savoring the simple flavors. It's nothing fancy, but right now it tastes like the best thing I've ever eaten. Lisa watches me, concern etched on her face.

"Did you make any progress?" she asks hesitantly, after depositing the wardstone between us for security. It's only a ten-foot radius; better to keep it close.

I grimace, swallowing hard. "I'm not sure if what I did was considered

Lisa's eyebrows furrow. "What do you mean?"

progress.

I take another bite, chewing slowly as I try to gather my thoughts. How do I even explain what happened? The eerie forest, the mysterious pond, the spirit... it all seems so surreal now that I'm back in the real world.

There's a place I go sometimes. It's like some sort of magical realm, but it feels kind of like a dream. This time, there was a dead forest and a dark pond. And a spirit."

Lisa tilts her head. "A spirit? Like a ghost, or...?"

I shake my head. "No, not like that. More like... a guardian, I guess? Of the magic in that place. But I still don't know where that place was, or why I was there."

Resting her chin in her hand, she watches me eat. "Well, where were you trying to go?"

"To the book. Well, I wasn't trying to go anywhere, but I wanted to connect with the book."

"So doesn't it stand to reason that it has something to do with the book? That place, and the spirit?

they said- Wait. Squinting, as if that somehow makes my memories clearer, I think back. The spirit never gave me their name, but gave up Grimoire's without a second thought. The spirit somehow knew about Grimoire and my connection, and knows a lot about the book-and

Could it be...?

a bitch, I mutter, scowling at the sandwich in my

Ava Soon Lucas

:: Ash

my stomach demands more

have to

"What is it?"

chewing furiously as I think. If the spirit is Grimoire, then that place is-what? I don't know. Either Grimoire's place in that magical realm, or maybe the bond between us? There are too many things I don't

lands. They called it a hellhole. Said

Curious. Very curious.

spirit is the book.

despite the anticipation coursing through my veins. I'm sure she's right-it would be better to try after a good night of sleep and some

help the feeling of urgency, like

onward.

always a few steps

But first, Lucas.

if he'll be happy to see me. Or

shower later, I'm back at the hospital, meeting

around Lisa this morning before disappearing for whatever he has to do to keep the pack running-but Marcus is, and his presence behind

"Oh. You again.

into my voice. "Here to

words. I'm sure she's cursing my audacity in her head. "Why don't I see

to snap. 117-hou

sense Marcus tensing behind me, his energy coiling like a spring ready turning, I raise my hand slightly, a

dose of false sweetness into my voice. "Do you do this for every patient under your care when a visitor arrives? Or

Seeing

the gears turning in her head as she tries to formulate

says, her

lean forward, placing my hands on the counter.

standing behind me, then back to me. "All visitors," she insists, but I

that several other visitors walked right in without being questioned. In fact, I don't recall seeing anyone make a single phone call to

her cheeks. "I-I don't have to

to do your job fairly and without discrimination. Unless,

in. But I need to handle this on my own. I'm tired

is to see my mate. To