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?

back. The spirit never gave me their name, but gave up Grimoire's without a second thought. The spirit

Could it be...?

the sandwich in my

Soon Lucas

:: Ash

demand answers, but my stomach demands

just have

"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

They called it

Curious. Very curious.

"I think the spirit is the book. I just missed it while I was

sure she's right-it would be better to

doesn't help the feeling of urgency, like I'm lagging

onward.

always a few

But first, Lucas.

side to side, wondering if he'll be happy to see me. Or if he'll suffer

nightmares, a mediocre breakfast of boiled eggs and toast, and a quick shower

for whatever he has to do to keep the pack running-but Marcus is, and his presence behind me makes it a

"Oh. You again.

into my voice. "Here to

impassive at my words. I'm sure she's cursing my audacity in her head. "Why don't I see if he wants visitors?" she suggests, oozing

to snap. 117-hou

spring ready turning, I raise my hand slightly, a silent signal for him to stand

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

Ava Seeing Lucas

directly. I can almost see the gears turning in her head as she tries to formulate

she says, her tone clipped. "We take

see." I lean forward, placing my hands on the counter. "And does this protocol extend to all visitors,

me, then back to me. "All

the counter. "Because I couldn't help but notice yesterday that several other visitors walked right

embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

steady. "But you do have to do your job fairly

itching to step in. But I need to handle this on my own. I'm tired of this. Tired of feeling like everyone's looking

see my