Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
Split up, maybe?
Stay close to Greg and the Grand Sage, Selene warns. Kellan wants us to circle wide.
Aha.
I follow Greg’s lead, keeping my steps light as we edge our way around the next hill. Selene’s not with us; she’s still with the advance party, closer to Kellan’s side.
My magic starts feeling fizzy in my veins, and the ball of it inside of me starts bouncing around frantically, as if trying to tell me something. Not for the first time, I wish I could just talk to it. Kinda feels like a lot of mystery would be solved if we could just sit down and chat.
But of course that isn’t possible, so now I have to figure out what’s set it off.
The feeling of my magic bounding around like an excited puppy leaves me almost motion sick.
That’s interesting, Grimoire says, finally breaking his silence since we started our run.
Interesting is a word for it, but right now my entire body and mind are focused on trying not to vomit. That would be an amazing way to instill confidence in everyone here. Not.
The fizzy, carbonated-soda feeling in my veins persists, which is an odd counterweight to the nausea in my belly.
My magic writhes and rebels against my attempts to contain it, like a squirrel on a heavy dose of Ritalin, but I come out on top eventually. The sensation settles deep in my gut, a constant vibration that makes my teeth ache.
“Stay close,” Greg whispers, his hand steady on my elbow. He should look ridiculous with the Grand Sage on his back, but he doesn’t. Just rock-solid and comforting, like he won’t let anything happen to us.
My magic writhes inside me, refusing to cooperate. It’s impossible to send out another search net with it acting this way.
I don’t see anything, Selene says, her confusion clear in our mental link. The tracks stop here, but—
There’s something, Grimoire says. It’s in the air.
The Grand Sage taps Greg’s back, before pointing over his shoulder. “The ship is about a hundred yards ahead. It’s cloaked, so you won’t be able to sense it.”
Greg’s fingers tighten on my arm as we edge forward, and I realize only then that I keep stumbling without realizing it. Most of my concentration is on not vomiting and keeping my magic contained.
It wants to explode out of me.
Grimoire, what the hell is going on?
It senses something.
Great. That much is kind of obvious. I really need something more to work with.
Wait. Selene’s mental voice cuts through my concentration. There’s something— A violent sneeze echoes in the clearing. Something familiar. That scent…
My heart pounds as I try to process what this means. The vibration in my gut intensifies, and I press my hand against my stomach, willing it to settle.
“Ava!”
The shout pierces my eardrums. My body jerks so hard I almost lose my footing again, but Greg’s steady grip keeps me upright.
“Holy sh—” The curse dies in my throat.
One second there’s nothing but pristine snow ahead of us. The next, bodies materialize from nowhere. The group stands like fur-covered specters in the white landscape, and my brain refuses to process what my eyes see.
A mountain of a man towers over the others, his shoulders broad enough to block out the sun. The rest blur together in my snow-blind vision, but that one—that one catches my attention like a spotlight.
My magic surges, no longer contained. The force of it floods my system with pure, electric energy. With joy.
Kellan and his wolves erupt from the snow bank to my right. Their coordinated attack speaks of years of training, their movements fluid and deadly as they charge toward the group.
“No!” The scream rips from my throat before conscious thought kicks in. “Kellan, stop!”
My magic amplifies my voice, carrying it across the field. The sound bounces off the snow, echoing in the crisp air.i
The air crackles with power as Magister Orion turns to the oncoming wolves, raising his hands. Magic pools around him and his companions like a living thing, ready to strike. My magic freaks out again as I panic.
“They’re friends!” I shout, yanking out of Greg’s grip as I run forward, waving my arms like a madwoman. “Friends! Don’t attack!”
Kellan’s wolves skid to a stop, snow spraying in their wake. Only Selene keeps moving, her silver form a blur as she races toward the group, but I already know she’s not going to attack.
“Are you certain?” Greg follows close behind, his legs in an easy loping rhythm compared to my more frantic one. “It could be a trap, Luna.”
The magic in my veins pulses with recognition, with rightness. I should have listened to its frantic, excited energy and realized there was no danger.
“It’s not!” Laughing almost hysterically, I run faster. “Friends, Greg! They’re my friends!”
“Luna!” Greg’s heavy footsteps crunch behind me. “Wait!”
Magister Orion lowers his hands as he turns to look at me again. The oppressive weight of gathered magic dissipates. His eyes lock onto mine across the distance.
“Little witch,” he yells, like we’re having a casual conversation in a cafe. “You’ve grown stronger.”
Selene reaches them first, prancing around their feet like an overexcited puppy. Her tail wags so hard her entire body wiggles, and I can see Tinker laughing. Hear it, too.
“They’re from the Fae Ward!” I shout at Kellan, who’s still tense. “They taught me magic!”
The beta signals our wolves to stand down. They remain alert, but their aggressive postures ease.
My magic continues to dance and spark, responding to the familiar signatures around Magister Orion.
His giant, beaming grin warms my heart as I finally slow to a stop in front of them, breathing hard.
“How did you find us?” I ask between panting breaths.
“We didn’t.” Magister Orion’s deep voice holds a note of amusement. “We saw traces of magic and felt it was necessary to explore them. We expected a response after breaching the wards—were those your doing, Ava?”
Greg catches up to me, still carrying the Grand Sage. “Luna, perhaps introductions are in order?”
Selene weaves between Magister Orion’s legs like she’s marking her territory, her tail still wagging with enough force to create mini snow drifts.
I missed them, she says, unashamed of her behavior, even if she looks more like a giant cat right now than a husky-wolf.
The Grand Sage slides off Greg’s back with surprising grace for someone his size. He shuffles through the snow to approach Magister Orion.
“Grand Sage!” Magister Orion’s voice rumbles through the clearing as he drops to one knee. The gesture strikes me as both foreign and familiar—the way he manages to make himself smaller while losing none of his presence. “It has been too long, old friend.”
These two know each other?
“Indeed it has, Orion.” The Grand Sage is dwarfed next to the Magister. He speaks with warmth, though. “Though I wish our reunion came under better circumstances. This isn’t the first time I’ve caught you breaking into one of my ships, is it?”
“Ah. It was yours, then. We were concerned… Well, never mind that.” The giant man looks sheepish as he ducks his head. “My apologies, Grand Sage. Though now that I am seeing you both, I must ask—is your friend safe now? The human girl?”
“Lisa?” My heart swells at his concern. Even after all this time, he remembers. “Yes, she’s safe.”
The Grand Sage nods in confirmation. “We’ve kept her well protected since her return.”
“Good, good.” Magister Orion’s shoulders relax slightly. “We have feared the worst in these past months. Establishing contact with friends has become impossible with the New Order in place.”
“The New Order?” My throat tightens as memories of the press conference flash through my mind. The President’s vacant stare. His monotone voice. The way everything felt wrong.
That must be it.
Of course they have some terrible name like the New Order.
“Ah.” Magister Orion’s face darkens. “You’ve seen them, then?”
“The President’s speech, right?” I shift my weight, and the sole of my boots squeak over packed snow. “It was strange. All the supernaturals there.”
“The president is a puppet.” Magister Orion’s voice drops to a growl. “The New Order seized control months ago. They’ve systematically dismantled every supernatural authority structure across the country.”
Kellan arrives then, still suspicious despite the clear harmony between us. He looks at Magister Orion’s party, inspecting them all one by one, even as he speaks. “What do you mean?”
“Your wolf councils? Gone. The vampire courts? Destroyed. The registered communities live under martial law. Even the unregistered territories have fallen.” He spreads his massive hands. “They’ve taken everything, little witch. Pack lands. Vampire havens. Fae sanctuaries.”