Tangled

Unshift 291

Unshift 291

291 Ava: New Bond

Leaning forward, 1 stare at the spirit, who seems nonplussed by the intensity of my gaze.

"What?" They sound defensive for the first time.

"You aren't fond of wizards or magicians, are you?"

They scowl. "I am not fond of humans, human:

"I told you, I'm Lycan. Kind of.

"Hmm." They don't sound convinced. I guess I can't blame them. It isn't like I can shift.

"You're Grimoire, aren't you?"

In between one blink and the next, they're now standing in front of me, feet firmly planted against the ground and taller than before. How tall? Seven feet? Eight?

Are those flames I see flickering over their skin? Yes. Yes, those are.

Gone is the ethereal, androgynous being. In their place stands a towering figure, flames dancing across skin that seems both solid and intangible. His hair is as red as blood, his eyes an unnerving silver, and he's unmistakably male. I keep my eyes on his face.

His hand shoots out, gripping my arm with surprising strength. I try to pull away, but his hold is unyielding.

"How did you know?" His voice, deep and undeniably masculine now, rumbles through me.

I swallow hard, fighting the urge to struggle against his grip. "It seemed pretty obvious in retrospect." My eyes dart to his face, taking in features that seem both ancient and ageless. "Why do you look and sound different now?"

A smile spreads across his face, transforming his stern expression into something almost warm. "You're simply seeing me for who I am, Ava Grey"

I glance around, momentarily distracted by the transformation of our surroundings. The clearing, once bordered by decay and darkness, now teems with vibrant life. Lush greenery. stretches as far as I can see, pulsing with an energy that makes my skin tingle. "Let go of me," I say, tugging at my arm again.

His grip doesn't budge. "I can't. I must maintain contact with you for the transfer.

That sounds a little unnerving. "Transfer? What transfer?"

to shake off his hand, twisting my arm and pushing

It's like trying to

both commanding and

forcing myself to

transfer are you talking

now a swirling mix of silver and white, bore into mine. "The transfer of knowledge, of course. You came seeking answers, did you

hesitantly, not entirely sure I like

still and

urgency in his voice gives me pause. I take a

expression softens. "Good. Now, close your eyes and open

of energy courses through his hand into my arm. It's like being struck by lightning, every nerve

Centuries of magical knowledge, secrets long forgotten by the

the ebb and flow of magic throughout history. I witness the triumphs

Grimoire, my head spinning from the influx of information. "What...

of what I am," he replies, his voice echoing strangely in my ears. "A fraction

I've seen.

and the string within me is thick and sturdy, filled with a warm presence

My head hurts.

feels like it's splitting

be like that for a while. My

with violent shivers. The warmth from earlier is gone, replaced by an icy cold deep in my

his brows tugging together in concern. "Your fever

I wrap my arms around myself, trying to step away from him, despite wanting to lean into the warmth of his body. "W-why did you do that without asking me

hand. Aun Did you not

291 Ava. New Bond

like

trying to summon a magic book, not bond with you. Whatever you are.

line. "Our souls are linked now. It's a

souls am I supposed to be linked to?" My voice is

six-foot-something. "Are you bonded with others?"

puffs out his chest, looking both proud and slightly miffed. "Well, I am now also a

"I distinctly remember you saying Grimoire likes his peace. This doesn't seem very peaceful

hundreds of years of not being

lights up, a beaming smile spreading across his features, the new bond within me humming with happiness. It's then that I truly understand-the feelings coursing through the new connection inside me? That's his true self. The sarcastic, grouchy exterior is just a facade. Before I can process this revelation, Grimoire envelops me

unsure how to react. This overly affectionate side of Grimoire is unexpected, to say the least. Slowly, I bring my arms up to return the hug, patting his