Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted novel Chapter 375

They have contact.

Selene’s words have my heart dropping down to my half-frozen toes.

"How far are we now?"

Too far.

If it weren’t for the gloves keeping my hands warm, my nails would be cutting through the skin of my palms. "We need to hurry."

My words are ripped away by the wind, but Selene knows what I’m saying, and I know she’s relaying my words to the wolves.

Ten wolves. How many were with Lisa today? I think it might have been five. Outnumbered not only two to one, but one of ours is human.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

"Grimoire, is there anything we can do?"

I know there isn’t, but I have to ask. It’s Lisa, for God’s sake.

You aren’t sensitive enough to pick up the enemy. What do you expect?

His words sound harsh. Cold. Like judgment’s already been made, finding me lacking. But I know it’s his own frustration bleeding through.

"Is there anything you can do?"

I’ve learned things about our bond. Little trickles of information over time. Like, Grimoire’s constrained by some basic laws in this world. He can’t just utilize his magic and become a God among men, for example. That’s why he was locked away for so long.

He’s bound to his book and whatever rules were created at the time—things he hasn’t deemed necessary to share.

But beyond that, he’s limited by our bond. While he’s able to use some of his magic through me, it’s only as much as my body can handle. And while he can somewhat take over my magical control, or even boost it, it’s all within the boundaries of what I would—theoretically—be capable of.

They’re all nebulous rules for someone like me, who doesn’t fully understand them. Maybe Magister Orion would know more; as thrilled as I am to be reunited with Lucas, I’m frustrated by my lack of support here. Grimoire’s knowledge is wonderful and helpful, and I’ve learned a lot.

But ultimately, he isn’t mortal.

He thinks of things in different ways than we do. Sees things in different ways. Feels things in different ways.

It’s like a language barrier between us sometimes.

Grimoire stays silent after my question, probably thinking it over. There are ways for him to surpass his limitations to a small extent—something he did the day the vampires came to Wolf’s Landing. But they came with great cost. To me, and to him, apparently.

I still don’t know exactly what he lost in the transaction, but I do know it wasn’t insignificant.

The exhaustion I suffered afterward was not insignificant, either. And while my magical affinity was boosted, it was forced in a strange way, taking a while to adjust.

The distance is too great, little witch. Even if I could see them, my magic would be too diluted by the time it reached them.

A groan tears from my throat as I duck my head between my knees. The blanket offers some protection from the relentless wind, but my cheeks and nose still burn from exposure. My heart hammers against my ribs. Each beat is a reminder of how far we are from Lisa.

The sled jerks beneath me as we hit a rough patch. Marcus and Greg maintain their brutal pace, their massive wolf forms cutting through the snow like ships through water. Steam rises from their fur in great clouds that dissipate instantly in the frigid air.

It’s a small thing, but I’ve managed to cast a warm barrier over them all. It’s not a lot and something I wish I’d thought of earlier, but it helps melt the snow they come into contact with.

I don’t recommend trying to touch them, either, but that’s a separate issue.

The wind howls around us, drowning out everything in my ears except for my own ragged breathing. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to focus on anything else besides the growing knot of dread in my gut. _{frёewebnoѵēl.com}