Tangled

Unshift 309

Unshift 309

309 Ava: Grimoire's Plans

Ignoring Sister Miriam's curious stare, I dart for the cupboard where Grimoire's resting.

I rush to the cupboard, my fingers tingling as they make contact with Grimoire's supple leather cover. The moment I touch him, his mental shouts pierce my mind like a blast of thunder. "Grimoire, for the love of all that's holy, quiet down!" I wince, pressing my free hand to my temple. "Speak at a normal volume before you shatter my mental eardrums."

The roaring stops abruptly. Through our bond, I sense an almost sheepish energy emanating from the book. He clears his mental throat.

You've been wasting time theorizing when you could have just consulted with me, Grimoire says, sounding far too condescending for someone who was screaming at me to notice him.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "Now you tell me." 2

"Ava?" Lucas's voice cuts through our conversation. I turn to find him frowning at me, confusion etched across his face. "What's going on?"

I take a deep breath, suddenly aware of how bizarre this must look to him and Sister Miriam. "I'd like you both to meet someone." I hold up the book. "This is Grimoire. He's... well, he's a sentient magic book. And apparently, he has some thoughts on our current situation." Sister Miriam's eyes widen, a spark of fascination igniting in their depths. She steps forward, hand outstretched. "Fascinating. May I?"

Before I can warn her, her fingers brush the cover. A bright spark erupts between them, and she yanks her hand back with a hiss.

Tell the bloodsucker to keep her hands off me, Grimoire's voice echoes in my mind, indignant. My lips twitch. "He doesn't want to be touched. He called you a bloodsucker. I don't think he's very friendly."

I'm very friendly, he snaps. When / want to be.

To my surprise, Sister Miriam's lips curl into an amused smile. "Well, he's not wrong. Though I prefer the term 'vampire' these days. It has a bit more... panache.

Setting the book on the table, I keep my hand flat on the cover as I sit next to Lucas once again. "Okay, Grimoire. You've been listening. What do you think about this situation?"

Your alpha's predicament is indeed complex. The memories aren't gone, merely locked. Think of it as a defense mechanism. The human mind couldn't process the raw, ancient power the wolf tapped into. So it builds a wall.

how do we break down

a bomb, he

I heard

"With a what?"

<

309 Ava: Grimoire's Plans

leans forward. "What did he

before pressing my hand more firmly

"Care to elaborate?"

disdain. A magical one. A surge of power

part of his personality.

that. The way he backpedals would be amusing if I wasn't more focused on the information he

relay his words again, watching their expressions shift from confusion to

Lucas says,

interest. "It's not entirely without precedent. Brute force is often used when finesse

useless, Grimoire

exactly would this 'magical bomb' do? And what are the

almost feel Grimoire considering his words. It would be a concentrated burst of magical energy, focused on breaking down the mental barriers. The risks... well, they're not insignificant. Best case scenario, it works perfectly, and all

case...

already dreading

more than just the barriers. It could fragment

heart plummets. I relay Grimoire's words, feeling my brief rising

is the first to break the silence. "So, it's either get

bomb, think of it as a slow erosion. We could use magic to slowly wear away at the barriers, allowing memories to trickle back over

rising in my chest. "What's the

Possibly months, maybe even years. And there's no guarantee it would work completely.

a parrot, repeating it all for Lucas and