Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
Marcus sets me onto the floor, and I wince, my stomach bruised where his shoulder slammed into it as he ran.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine.” My body’s shaking, belying my words. “He had time to come in. Why didn’t he come in?!”
“Interference,” Marcus says grimly. “There were likely more than he expected. He’s making sure we get away.”
“But why the hell would they want me? I shake my head, remembering how mortified I was just minutes ago when I realized I hadn’t questioned someone wanting me to save an entire pack. “I have some magic power, but that’s not enough to explain what’s going on around me. It isn’t enough to set an entire city to war.”
It’s like having three different books happening at once.
Whatever’s happening with Lucas and Whispering Pines probably involves Blackwood; that, at least, makes sense in my head. Renard’s quest for power, and even Whispering Pines turning on the Council, are things I can wrap my mind around.
The phone calls reference Westwood, yet seem to come from Dakota Sanctuary.
And now the Dakota Sanctuary is unsafe, with mysterious forces battling over an unknown motive. This should have nothing to do with me.
The only reason I’m even in the city is to receive magical training. Aside from Sister Miriam and Magister Orion, the only person connected with me in the entire city is the Mad Prince.
It can’t be….
“The Mad Prince isn’t the cause of all this, is he?” I murmur, rubbing my forehead as my brain aches with all the information I’m trying to process.
“I don’t know,” Marcus says, his eyes trained on the doors that have disappeared. “But I have no idea how safe this room is. We should find a way out before those Fae get to us in here.”
I nod. “Magister Orion gave the room an order. It should change based on that.”
But it’s still the training room.
Vanessa and Marcus flank me so closely that their breaths tickle my neck.
“Please change into a portal,” I beg the room, not sure what else to do. “Like Magister Orion asked.
Nothing happens. The metallic walls remain stubbornly unchanged.
Vanessa’s voice is tight with worry. “Are we stuck here?”
I swallow hard, trying to push down the rising panic. “This is our first time in here without Magister Orion,” I point out, grasping at any explanation that might offer hope. “Maybe… maybe the room doesn’t recognize our authority?”
Marcus’s brow furrows, his eyes darting around the space. “But why isn’t it following orders? Magister Orion told it to create a portal.”
I bite my lip. “What if it’s because he wasn’t in the room when he gave the order? Maybe it needs. his physical presence to activate?”
The seconds stretch into agonizing minutes as we wait, the sound of our breathing the only thing breaking the stillness. I can feel the heat of Vanessa’s palm against my back, Marcus’s arm brushing mine.
Even here, with no one around, they won’t leave my side.
Just as I’m about to suggest we try something elseanything else, like banging until we find at hidden doormovement catches my eye. A shimmer ripples across the far wall, like heat waves rising from sunbaked asphalt. It swirls and coalesces, taking on the familiar appearance of the portals we used to travel to Dakota Sanctuary,
Relief floods through me, tempered by caution.
Magister Orion asked for a portal, but his directions were vague. There’s a hell of a lot of world out there.
Marcus steps forward, his jaw set with determination. “I’ll go first,” he says, his tone brooking no argument. Before I can protest, he’s through the portal, vanishing in a blink.
Vanessa and I exchange a quick glance, an entire conversation passing between us in that split second. Together, we step into the swirling vortex.
The world twists and blurs around us, and for a heartstopping moment, I feel like I’m falling through an endless void. Then, abruptly, solid ground materializes beneath my feet. I stumble forward, colliding with warm bodies in the darkness.
“Oof!” Vanessa grunts as we all tangle together, a mess of limbs in a space that feels far too small.
“Sorry,” I mutter, trying to extricate myself without elbowing anyone in the face. “Where are we?”
A rustling sound, then a click. Soft light floods the space.
Marcus stands a few feet away, his hand on a dangling pull cord attached to a bare bulb.
As my vision clears, I take in our surroundings with growing amazement. We’re in what appears to be an attic, but unlike any attic I’ve ever seen. The space is absolutely crammed with… stuff. Artifacts of every description crowd the room, lining shelves, stacked in corners, hanging from the rafters.
There are ornate mirrors with tarnished frames, their surfaces cloudy with age. Delicate porcelain figurines pose next to weathered leatherbound books. Intricate clockwork devices. tick softly, their gears exposed like mechanical organs. Crystals of various sizes and colors catch the light, throwing rainbow reflections across the walls.
Despite the sheer volume of objects, the attic is surprisingly clean. No cobwebs drape the corners, no dust coats the surfaces. It’s as if time has been suspended here, preserving everything in a perfect state of organized chaos.
“What is this place?” Vanessa breathes, her eyes wide as she takes in the spectacle.
I shake my head, at a loss for words. The air itself seems charged with potential, tingling against my skin. My newly awakened magical senses hum, picking up on some sort of energy present in the space.
Marcus moves cautiously, his trained eye scanning for potential threats. “It seems safe enough,”
he says after a moment. “But I wouldn’t touch anything if I were you. No telling what some of these things might do.”
I nod in agreement, though my fingers itch to explore. We might not know where we are, but I can tell there’s magic somewhere.
Each object seems to whisper secrets, promising knowledge and power if only I’d reach out and grasp them. I clench my fists at my sides, resisting the temptation.
“We need to figure out where we are,” I say, forcing myself to focus on our immediate situation. “And more importantly, how to contact Lucas and the others. They need to know what’s happening. Sister Miriam and Selene will have no idea how to get back to us, either.”
I didn’t ask Magister Orion how to use that damn communication orb, but at least Vanessa brought it along.
Marcus nods. “First, stay with Vanessa. I’ll investigate the area. We need to make sure it’s safe.”
“Just because it looks peaceful doesn’t mean it is, the healer agrees.
As if in response to her words, a faint sound reaches their ears. I don’t hear anything, but Marcus holds a finger to his lips, tugging at the light again and letting the attic
I can hear it now.
go dark.
Footsteps, coming from somewhere below us. My breath catches in my throat as I exchange alarmed glances with Marcus and Vanessa.
We’re not alone.
My heart pounds against my ribs as Marcus and Vanessa move in tandem, shoving me behind them. Their bodies form a living shield, and I struggle to quell the surge of guilt that rises in my throat. They shouldn’t have to risk themselves for me. I’m not worth their lives.
I press my lips together, fighting the urge to protest. Now isn’t the time for heroics or misplaced pride. I force myself to stay still, to become as small and quiet as possible in this cramped, magical attic.
The silence stretches, broken only by our shallow breathing. Sweat beads on my forehead, trickling down my temple. The air feels thick, oppressive. Every creak of the floorboards beneath us sends a jolt through my system.
I can feel the tension radiating from Marcus and Vanessa. Their muscles are coiled tight, ready to spring into action. My body thrums with nervous energy, my heart booming in my ears.
The soft tread of footsteps on stairs. They’re getting closer.
Marcus reaches for something. Once I hear the soft schnick, I understand. It’s his knife.
He’s going to take them down if he has to.
We don’t even know if they’re friend or foe. He’s prepared to make the hard decision just to keep me safe.
It’s a humbling experience.
My mouth goes dry, and I swallow hard, trying to wet my parched throat.
They pause, in a moment of agonizing silence.
Then, the unmistakable creak of a door opening.
I hold my breath, every nerve in my body screaming. This is it. We’ve been found. My mind races.
through possible scenarios, each more terrifying than the last.
But instead of shouts or the sound of weapons being drawn, a voice breaks the silence. A voice that sends a shock of recognition through me, though I can’t quite place it.