Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted - Chapter 475

Chapter 475: Ava: Charging for Answers
I burst through the door of the Fae’s building as I charge after Acarus. Like hell he’s leaving with vague words and an ancient (but magical) phone.

Only twenty feet ahead, Acarus stands with Magister Orion, the dream-eater still bound and draped over his shoulder like a morbid trophy. They’re deep in conversation, heads bowed slightly toward each other.

“—regardless of what you think. They already know this place exists,” Acarus says, his melodic voice carrying through the crisp air.

I slow my pace. I’d wanted to demand answers the moment I caught up, but his words are already sending me down a worried rabbithole. They? They who? The New Order? Or something worse…?

My steps falter as I take in the rest of the scene. Eleanor and Pip stand about twenty feet away from the vampire and magister, surrounded by a tight circle of Wolf’s Landing guards.

Eleanor gestures animatedly, her journal clutched to her chest with one hand while the other draws patterns in the air. Her voice carries fragments of “resonance patterns” and “convergent nodes” across the clearing. Pip stands beside her, chains clinking softly as she shifts her weight from one foot to the other.

What catches me off guard is Pip’s expression. She doesn’t look particularly friendly to me. She watches with detached politeness—the blank mask of someone tolerating a conversational bore at a dinner party. Didn’t Lisa say they were getting along? Did something change?

Then again, I could see Eleanor’s constant discussion over magic boring someone who was born into a world of it.

Acarus turns toward me when I get a little closer. “You have another question,” he states.

It’s not a question. Just a flat observation that somehow knocks me off-balance. Guess it’s obvious why I’d be rushing out here.

“Yes, but first I need to know more about Wolf’s Landing’s safety.”

Acarus nods once, the gesture almost robotic in its precision. “There’s likely an attack coming soon. They’re gathering forces nearby.”

“They?”

“The New Order.”

My mouth falls open. “You’re just telling us this now?”

He shrugs, the dream-eater on his shoulder jostling slightly. “Your survival is your responsibility, isn’t it?”

“We’re friends, Acarus. Friends share these things.”

Acarus blinks, tilting his head at me. “I did. Just now.”

This is what being friends with a vampire means. Selene sighs. You’ll never know if their loyalty is yours.

My wolf-husky doesn’t particularly like vampires, but I don’t have the same instinctual distrust she does. Still… I eyeball Sister Miriam’s son with a sour look on my face. “You should have mentioned it sooner.”

He frowns.

I take a deep breath, trying to contain my anger. Getting pissed at Acarus is like getting mad at a cliff face for being steep. Selene’s right about vampires. Sister Miriam always played the cryptic game and kept her cards close to her chest, too. “Could you please inform us if you hear about any more attacks? We’d appreciate the advance warning.”

His perfect features arrange themselves into something resembling confusion. “Aren’t you capable of defending yourselves?”

The disbelief in his words has every wolf shifter in the area stiffening. Some growls vibrate through the air.

“Yes.” My teeth clench so hard my jaw aches. “But if we can prepare, we lose fewer lives.”

Acarus shakes his head, the faintest hint of disdain crossing his face. “Mother said you were strong. I’m starting to wonder.”

Someone behind me snarls. Outright snarls.

He doesn’t even blink.

Instead, he lifts one elegant hand, and we all stiffen.

Silver-black energy spirals from his fingertips, coalescing into a swirling portal hanging in midair. The magic pulses with cold light, casting eerie shadows across his perfect face.

Guilt sweeps through me. I’d honestly thought he was going to make an example out of… no, wait, that isn’t the problem here.

“Wait!” I take a step forward, even as someone grabs my shoulder and yanks me back. My bodyguards are determined not to let me kill myself. I’ve gotten so used to them around, they’ve practically turned invisible—but they’re always there, somewhere.

I shrug their hand off my shoulder. I’m not about to dive into the swirling abyss, thank you very much.

They don’t let go.

Exasperated, I stand my ground and continue, “You didn’t really explain what a ghost’s heart is—”

Acarus frowns at me. “I’m not here to spell everything out for you. I’ve already lingered too long.”

Damn these vampires and their inability to say anything simply.

“If you could tell me where to find it, even, I can probably figure it out myself.”

He laughs. “I’m sure you’ll be fine, young witchling. Ah.” The mirth disappears abruptly, making it all feel very artificial. For a second, he really resembles Miriam, despite not being biologically related—the way his emotions don’t match his face, and how his face kind of moves strangely. Like half of it is lagging behind the emotions of the other half.

But then the resemblance disappears, and he’s just Acarus again. “The invading forces are gathering outside the city to the west. Fifteen miles out. They’re on a strip of land with only a small, dirt road access for cars. It’s warded, so your scouts have probably missed it every time they’ve walked by.”

Right. The location of the invaders. At least this information is more important than the ghost’s heart. “Thank you.” Maybe he’s learning, after all.

I doubt it, Grimoire murmurs, stealing Selene’s line.

Do you distrust vampires too?

I am a witch’s grimoire, Ava. What do you think?

Acarus steps through the portal without another word. Not even a wave goodbye. The dream-eater disappears with him, and the portal collapses with a soft pop of displaced air.

“Damn!” I drag my hand down my face, a groan of pure frustration tearing from my throat. He wasn’t here long enough. If he’d stayed a few days, I’m sure I would have remembered my freaking laundry list of questions.

I do have the phone, so at least I’m not completely without ability to contact our allies, but…

I turn to Magister Orion, who watches me with his swirling blue-black eyes. His massive frame stands still as stone, his expression unreadable.

“We need to talk,” I say.

He nods solemnly.

Over his shoulder, I catch Eleanor and Pip both watching. Eleanor’s brow is furrowed in concentration or concern, her pen hovering over her journal. Pip’s face is a blank mask, her purple hair shifting in the cold breeze.

Word’s probably already gone out to everyone in the camp. Gossip is faster than anything.

Call Lucas, I tell Selene with a sigh. And get Vanessa and Vester too.