240 Ava: Sister Miriam is Angry
Chapter 30Magister Orion doesn''t bat an eye when we tell him that we want to get in touch
with Sister Mim.
Two hourster, we''re back in Sister Miriam''s strange mansion, just outside of the Fae Ward.
We all try calling people again, but nothing but voicemails answer us.
Selene rolls against the cool floor, groaning in relief. So much easier to breathe here. Pity. I do like it there.
"Sorry." Watching her writhe around to soothe her itchy skin gives me something to do while we wait for Sister Miriam''s arrival.
La is back, hunched over a pile of papers she dragged with her, marking through various papers with terrifying efficiency. I''m not even sure if she''s reading what''s on the pages. Just flip, sign, flip, flip, sign. Every so often she sets one to the side after writing REJECTED inrge letters at the top of the
page.
"Theirnguage is fascinating." Vanessa murmurs, also watching the gnome work.
"Language?" Startled, I nce at the healer. "She hasn''t said a word."
Our whispers echo through the room. It''s impossible for La not to hear everything we''re saying, yet we continue to whisper.
"Her writing," she corrects me. "Those letters-you called them runes?-are so interesting. She writes them so quickly, but they''re so intricate and detailed."
ncing at the papers again, I squint my eyes.
It takes a while for me to realize that La is, in fact, writing in the strangenguage of theirs, and not in English.
That can''t be possible. I''m reading everything she''s writing with such case, as though it were already in English. How?
Affinity, Selene exins with a yawn. You''ve essed your magic. You''ve gained an
understanding of thenguage it epasses.
How is that possible? Unlock magic and an entirenguage just appears in your head?
Precisely.
I''d ask Magister Orion a few questions if he was here, but he''s not, so I shelve them for now. It''s a strange thing, but not nearly as important as what we''re here for.
The sharp click of heels against the floor announces Sister Miriam''s arrival before she even enters the room. Selene, who''s been rolling around on the floor, suddenly sits up straight, her posture prim and proper. I can''t help but smile at her antics.
My amusement fades quickly as Sister Miriam steps into view. I blink, taken aback by herN?velDrama.Org content rights.
240 Ava Sister Miriam is Andy
appearance. Gone are the vintage dresses I''ve grown ustomed to seeing her in. Instead, she''s wearing a loose shirt and jeans. It''s so... normal. So un-Sister Miriam-like that for a moment, I wonder if this is some sort of illusion.
"Good evening," she greets us, her tone cool and polite. Her red eyes lock onto mine. "Is there a problem, Ava?"
How much should I reveal? I''m not sure. ncing at Vanessa and Marcus, whose faces are nk, Iunch into a question first.
"Sister Miriam, is the city at war with shifters?"
Her reaction is immediate. Her eyes widen, and she takes an involuntary step forward, so intense that it steals my breath away for a moment as her eyes darken and her usualposure cracks, showing her fury. But there''s surprise, too.
"Why would you ask such a question?" she demands, her voice sharp with intensity. Then, as if catching herself, she quickly adds, "I''ve heard nothing about any war, but that doesn''t something isn''t happening. Quickly, exin."
Her fingers twitch, and her eyes dart around the room as if searching for unseen threats,
I''ve never seen her agitated.
She knows something
"There have been strange rogue attacks on my pack, I exin, the words tumbling out in a rush. "And I can''t get in touch with anyone. No one''s answering their phones?
Sister Miriam''s gaze snaps to La, who''s been watching our exchange instead of working on her papers. "What''s going on?" she demands, her tone sharp and bordering on rude.
La jumps to her feet, her small form quivering. "I don''t know of anything, I swear!"
Sister Miriam''s eyes narrow as she studies the gnome. After a few seconds, she must decide that she believes her, because she barks out orders. "Find out what''s happening and see if Alpha Renard and his brood are still in the city. Now"
With a snap of Sister Miriam''s fingers, La vanishes the sudden
into un air, I blink, startled b disappearance.
Sister Miriam turns back to me, tension radiating from her every movement. She''s almost shaking with anger, but it makes no sense.
It''s my pack in danger. Why is she so angry?
"Why did you call for me?" she asks, her voice tight. I''m sure there''s a reason."
Before I can respond, Marcus steps forward. "Selene wants to run recon, try to establish a connection with our pack" he exins, gesturing to my husky. "But she''d need a way back into the city Sister Miriam''s gaze falls on Selene, and I''m shocked by the tant dislike that twists her
eatures. It''s the most open disy of emotion I''ve ever seen from her. For a long moment, she Just res at Selene, who stares back, unperturbed.
240 Ava: Sister Miriam is Angry
She''s upset, Selene observes, like that isn''t obvious. But it isn''t at us. She has murderous intent toward someone, though.
Finally, Sister Miriam lets out a long sigh. "Fine," she says, the word sounding as if it''s been dragged out of her. "I''m willing to travel with the... wolf. It shouldn''t take long with both of us looking into the situation."
Then her eyes snap back to me. "Tell me everything you know," she demands. "Every detail, no matter how small. For attacks to ur without my knowledge means that someone is tampering in my informationwork. This is not a good thing, Ava."
Her grim words only cement the foreboding in my heart, but I ask, "Why?"
Sister Miriam''s sigh breaks the tense silence, her gaze softening slightly as she looks at Selene. The change in her demeanor is subtle, but noticeable.
"My informationwork," she begins, her voice measured, "operates independently of wolves or the city. These are individuals loyal only to me."
I feel a chill run down my spine at her words. Just how extensive is her reach?
"I have priority on information from both ckwood and Westwood," she continues. "Yet, I''ve received no word of any attacks. This can only mean one thing: someone has either infiltrated or destroyed mywork. And if that''s the case, I''m working blind."
Her red eyes lock onto mine, piercing and intense. "Who, Ava, would be interested in keeping me out of this situation?"
The answeres to me instantly. "Alpha Renard," I blurt out.
Sister Miriam shakes her head, a look of disdain crossing her features. "No, he''s far too stupid to orchestrate something like this."
Her dismissal of one of the strongest alphas in the Northwestern Territories should bring me some satisfaction, but I''m too focused on the puzzle in front of me. If not him, then who?
"Who lost their toy?" Sister Miriam asks, her tone cryptic.
The realization hits me like a punch to the gut.
Lisa.
"The Mad Prince," I whisper, feeling the blood drain from my face.
Sister Miriam''s grimace confirms my worst fears. "He was supposed to be chasing his prey for longer," she mutters. "Something must have happened"
Marcus interjects this time. "What are you saying?"
Sister Miriam''s exnation sends ice through my veins. "The Mad Prince has an obsession with those blessed by the Fae. Their blood increases his power." She pauses, her eyes distant. "His life''s goal has always been to create a harem of Fae-touched thralls to give him power. But very few of his prisoners have survived his... unique torments."
My heart shatters at the implications. What has Lisa been through, because it took so long to
240 Ava: Sister Miriam is Angry
Sister Miriam''s voice softens slightly, perhaps sensing my distress. "Since he enjoys ying with his food, it''s likely she was only mildly harmed before I lured him away with something he would have found irresistible"
Hope flickers in my chest, fragile but persistent. "Is that irresistible thing real?" I ask, desperate for any shred of good news.
Sister Miriam''s smile sends shivers through my body. It''s notforting; it''s predatory, full of secrets and hidden meanings.
"Oh, it''s very real, she purrs, her eyes glinting with an emotion I can''t quite ce. "And far more dangerous than the Mad Prince could ever imagine."