Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted novel Chapter 402

"Nothing." Vester’s voice carries through the tent flap. "Not even static. Just dead air."

I pause outside the debriefing tent, my heart thudding against my ribs. The grim tone in Vester’s voice makes my news about Ivy seem trivial.

"And the watch?" Lucas asks.

"Same as the others. No signal, no connection." A pause. "This isn’t like Ryder. He knows better than to go dark without warning."

I push through the tent flap. Both men turn toward me, their faces drawn with concern. Maps and papers litter the table between them, markers dotting locations I don’t recognize.

"How long since his last check-in?" Lucas asks Vester, though his eyes stay on me.

"Eight hours. He should have reached Jericho’s location by now."

My fingers twist together. The weight of their conversation presses down on me, making my own concerns feel small. One of Lucas’ deltas is missing—possibly in danger. My news about Ivy and her strange corruption can wait. It isn’t as urgent.

"What is it, Ava?" Lucas’ voice softens when his eyes land on me. He extends his hand toward me, an invitation I can’t resist.

Stepping closer, I savor the warmth of his hand curling around mine. "It can wait. This is more important."

"If you’re here, it’s important." His thumb strokes over my knuckles. "Tell me."

Vester shifts, his attention moving to the maps. The illusion of privacy in a space too small for secrets.

Tell him, Selene urges.

"It’s Ivy." The words tumble out. "She’s sick—but it’s more than that. There’s something inside her. A corruption, maybe, but different from what we’ve seen before. More controlled."

Lucas’ grip tightens. "Controlled how?"

"It pulses with her emotions. Responds to them. And she’s aware of it, even if she doesn’t understand what it is." I glance at the maps, at the markers showing Ryder’s last known position. "She passed out in the middle of telling me about it. About feeling something clawing inside her."

"When did this start?"

"After the attack on her escort team. I’d like to know more about that."

"The attack site was... messy." Vester spreads his hands over a section of the map marked with a red X. "Blood everywhere. Signs of a serious fight."

"But no bodies?" My stomach churns.

"None." Lucas’ jaw tightens. "The snow was disturbed enough to suggest multiple casualties, but we found no remains. The blood patterns indicated fatal wounds."

"Could they have been taken?"

Vester traces a line on the map. "Most likely. The tracks were confusing. Some led north, others south. Most were obscured by fresh snowfall before we arrived."

"What about Ivy’s account?"

Lucas exchanges a look with Vester. "She described a brutal ambush. Said her entire escort died protecting her." _{freewebnøvel.coɱ}

Lucas studies me for a long moment. "Only if you take precautions. And you don’t attempt to interact with whatever’s inside her without discussing it first."

"Agreed." It’s an easy promise to make. Right now, I just need to understand what we’re dealing with.

Be careful, Selene warns. This feels like a trap.

Everything feels like a trap lately, I reply, but I know she’s right. Whatever happened to Ivy’s escort, whatever’s happening to her now, it’s all connected to something bigger.

Hopefully not something that’s been waiting for us to notice it.

Lucas’ fingers brush against my arm, drawing my attention back to him. "Thank you for telling us this, Ava."

Heat rises to my cheeks at his praise, but more than that, the knot of anxiety in my chest loosens. I’d thought briefly that I should walk away, that Ryder’s situation was more urgent. Now, pulling together the extra information, it seems that Ivy’s situation is worse than I thought. I wouldn’t have known if I’d swallowed my words and walked away.

"I almost didn’t. It felt small compared to what you were talking about." Admitting the truth makes me feel a little like a child asking for more praise, though.

"Nothing about this situation is small." Lucas pulls me closer, his warmth steady and reassuring. "Your ability to sense these things, to notice what others might miss—it’s invaluable. Don’t ever hesitate to bring your concerns to me."

Vester nods in agreement. "The smallest detail can reveal the largest threats. If you hadn’t mentioned this about Ivy, we might have missed a crucial step in our investigation. More lives could be at stake."

My gaze drifts to the maps again, seeing them with new eyes. Every marker, every note that might be significant. How many other "small" things have we overlooked?

Lucas squeezes my shoulder. "We need every piece of information, every observation. Your perspective helps us see patterns we might otherwise miss. Don’t underestimate the importance of what you know."