Tangled

Unshift 311

Unshift 311

311 Lisa: Would a Watch Work?

LISA

"You've gotten fat. Elverly greets me, in that traditionally hateful way of hers.

Does the fact that I missed her toxic tongue mark me as abnormal? Probably. But I hug her anyway, smiling when her body doesn't tense, even as she grumbles at me for touching her without permission.

The rest of the night with Kellan was nothing but awkward silence. Being away from him is a blessing right now. I just keep thinking about how he smelled-yeah. No. Not thinking about that. "I'll ask next time. How have you been?"

Elverly's snort could mean anything really, but I choose to interpret it as I've missed you too.

Maybe I'm psychotic. Or delusional. But I'm pretty sure that's what she means.

"Their food is terrible," she mutters. "Not a cook among them."

"They are refugees from war," says the Grand Sage, sounding rather resigned. "It isn't as though they would gather the kitchen before escaping."

"Food is important, the old gnome woman snaps. "Eating well is an important part of recovery."

""Yes, yes."

Grand Sage and Elverly bicker. Their dynamic reminds me of an old married couple, though I'd never dare say that out loud. Elverly might actually bite my head off if

it'd be the safest place for me while Ava and

always important to step away from new mates. Wolves don't have the same deep-seated urges for privacy as humans

to change the subject, I nod towards the papers scattered on the table in front

you working on? Looks like some kind of

"Indeed it is. I'm developing a communication device. Something smaller and more portable than

genuinely

now, and I'm trying to address that. But I'm working with limited options due to our lack of supplies." We're refugees, after all. It's not like we have access to the latest tech or endless resources.

11:34

<

Would a Watch

you

Sage sets down his pencil and turns to face me fully. "Not everyone in our camp can utilize or sense magic. We need a device that anyone

what that means. "Right. Gnomes can't use magic.

gnomes have always been deaf to

how does that work with werewolves?

innate magic that allows them to shift. But that doesn't necessarily translate to an ability to manipulate other

at his sketches. They're intricate, full of symbols I

paper. "The basic principle is to create a network of energy that

but using it wouldn't require any magical ability from the user. It would be like using a flashlight. The electricity makes it work, but

on."

that's why he works on magical technology, trying to blend the two things. "That makes sense. So, what's

to construct the devices, and they're not easy to come by in our current situation. And then there's the matter