Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted - Chapter 482

Chapter 482: Ava: What’s in a Name?
The ghost’s translucent form wavers in the air, tilting its head at such a severe angle it would snap a living neck. My question seems to have thrown it for a loop—which is something, at least?

“Whooo am I? Who aaaaaam I? Who am I…”

Its voice slides up and down octaves like a broken flute, each more distorted than the last. My question seems to have broken it because it suddenly flickers violently as it zips away. But then it comes back.

And then it leaves again, still droning the question.

Elverly glares at me from behind the serving counter as if this spectral nuisance is somehow my fault.

Which… if you really break it down, it kind of is, but I don’t really feel like it is, either. But you don’t argue with Elverly. Even Lucas would hesitate to correct her if she said the sky was lime green.

Fantastic plan.

Grimoire’s dry voice has me rolling my eyes. “How stupid would you feel if he was willing to answer and we never tried?”

A fair point, I suppose.

Well—first things first. “Let’s get him out of here. He’s bothering everyone.”

You just don’t want people watching.

Who would? There’s a good chance I’m going to look like an idiot.

Selene moves closer to my side, her silver fur bristling as she stares up at the erratic ghost. She’s growling, though it’s a soft rumble. What I wouldn’t give to sink my teeth into that thing. Too bad my bite would just pass right through.

The ghost suddenly stops its frenzied movement, hovering perfectly still twenty feet above us. Its hollow eyes fix directly on Selene, and its face… shuts down.

There’s no other way to describe it. All expression fades.

And then it starts to sing.

“There was a human had a wolf and Selya was her name-o! S-E-L-Y-A…”

Selene’s ears go back and her hackles rise impossibly high. How does he know that name?!

My hand instinctively drops to her head, trying to soothe her with a quick pet. “Do you recognize it?”

The ghost cartwheels through the air, delighted—I think. It’s hard to tell when he isn’t making any facial expression as he bursts out in song. Then it swoops closer to Selene, its voice growing louder with each repetition of the song before it zips away again.

“S-E-L-Y-A! S-E-L-Y-A!”

That’s not possible, she whispers. This name is long forgotten.

“But who is it?”

The ghost darts toward us so suddenly I stumble backward, nearly tripping over Selene. It hovers inches from my face, its transparent features distorting as it suddenly grins.

“Little wolf lost in the woods, little wolf found her way home!” it sings, changing tunes without warning. “Little wolf died all alone, all alone, all alone!”

Selene snaps her jaws at it, her sharp teeth closing on empty air as the ghost cackles and spins away.

How does it know? she demands again, stronger this time, fury replacing her shock. No one knows that name. No one left alive.

The ghost cackles. “Dead men tell no tales, but ghosts? Ghosts know aaaaaaall the secrets!”

It’s different from before. Like it’s really paying attention—and maybe even hearing Selene, which… no. That’s crazy. It can’t.

“What do you want?” I ask, trying to keep my voice level despite the unease crawling up my spine.

The ghost’s form wavers, solidifying slightly as it leans forward. “Want? Want? WANT?” Each repetition grows louder until it’s practically screeching. “I want what was TAKEN from me!”

Plates and cups on nearby tables rattle, and more than one accusing look is thrown my way this time.

Yeah. Time to get out of here.

I start by walking backward. “Who took it from you?”

The ghost floats, following me as if pulled by string. Then it says, “Everything. Everything. EVERYTHING!”

There isn’t any particular place in Wolf’s Landing to bring a random ghost, but at the very least getting it away from the cafeteria will help. There is one currently uninhabited cabin, though…

Without thinking, I angle toward Ivy’s cabin. It will take some time to get there, but he seems to be following me again. “What’s your name?”

“What’s in a naaaame? What’s in a name. Who has a name? Do you have a name?”

“I have a name. Do you?”

“A name.”

It peers at me, momentarily calm as it floats around my head.

Taking the opportunity, I turn and walk forward. As expected, it stays with me, even coming to my side to walk with ghostly legs. “A name is power. Is power a name? What’s in a name, Ava Grey?”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”

“Power, power, Rapunzel in tower. Oh ho ho, off to work we go!” No longer pretending to walk, it floats high above me, swirling in a lazy circle. Kind of like a smoke ring, but a lot more obnoxious.

“Who is Selya?” Since Selene hasn’t answered me, I may as well figure out what the ghost knows.

It isn’t very important. An old name.

But judging by her reaction, I have a strong suspicion…

“A Luna can never outshine the sun! And the sun came out and dried out all the rain. Can you dry out the rain?”

The ghost hangs upside down before Selene, who snaps at its face.

It laughs. “You can’t. You can’t dry out the rain. The moon can never shine before the sun.”

Ivy’s cabin isn’t far, but it feels like forever when dealing with this character.

The ghost bobs alongside me, sometimes floating ahead, sometimes lagging behind like some demented balloon with a mind of its own. Even if it doesn’t work very well.

“Was Selya your friend?” I ask, watching its translucent form shimmer in the cold light.

“Too old, too old! A different time, a different world! Ava is my friend. Ava keeps me safe.”

The sing-song cadence of its voice is so damn creepy. If this crystal thing doesn’t work, I might actually explode out of sheer frustration.

“Ava, Ava, Ava Grey, Grey is black, black is wood.” It twirls away, then back again. “So sad, so sad, so many regrets. Did you know, Ava Grey? A sad wolf is a loud wolf. Always howling.”

Selene snarls and snaps when he gets too close, and he jerks away with a cackle.

This ghost seems more lucid than it lets on, Grimoire’s voice slides into my thoughts. He has meaning behind his words, even if they are rather… strange.

I nod slightly. “I was thinking the same thing.”

It’s like trying to translate a language I almost understand. The problem is getting around how it feels like it’s slithering into my head.

“Are you talking about my life in the Blackwood Pack?”

Once, even thinking of the pack would have ruined my day. Now, the question comes easily.

The ghost giggles. “Why,” it croons, dropping to a sickly-sweet whisper, “would a mother hate her daughter? Regret comes too late. Too late! Ding-dong, the witch is dead!”

My steps falter. “How do you know these things?”

Despite everything, thinking about my mother still stings. It’s strange. I should hate her. By now, I should be done with her memory, but there’s always the memories of before. The warm mom I had once did exist, and my love for her was strong.

But I shake it off. This ghost is getting to me; I can’t let it.