Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 269 Lisa: The Farmhouse

LISA

The entire world shakes and shudders, and | wake with a jolt. "Earthquake!"

"We landed, you idiot." Elverly scowls at me. "Next time, don't useas a pillow."

"Don't take her vitriol seriously, Lisa. She's the one who covered you with a blanket." The Grand Sage nods

toward me, and | glance down, surprised to see a flannel fabric about as large as a baby's blanket.

She yanks it offwith a huff, folding it and tucking it under her arm, where it disappears.

I blink.

"Where did it go?"

"Dimensional storage," The Grand Sage tells me, pushing different buttons. The vibration of the room ceases.

"Stay here. I'm going to check on matters, and the cloaking device isn't enough to cover everyone outside."

A hatch above us creaks open, letting in a sliver of light that makessquint. | hold my breath, not daring to

move as the Grand Sage maneuvers his way between Elverly and me. His robes brush against my arm, and |

catch a whiff of something herbal—sage, maybe?

Funny. Sage for sages.

As he climbs, | can't help but stare at the rungs he's using. Were those there before? | wrack my brain, trying to

remember if I'd noticed them during our journey, but cup blank. It's possible they were there all along,

hidden in the shadows of this cramped space.

But it's more probable that they popped out of the wall when he was pressing one of those many buttons.

The Grand Sage's feet disappear through the hatch, and | strain my ears, trying to catch any sound from above.

The silence remains unbroken, broken only by my own shallow breathing and the faint rustle of Elverly's clothes

as she shifts in her seat.

"Do you think—" | whisper, but Elverly cutsoff with a sharp look.

Right. Stay quiet. Got it.

| press my lips together, fighting the urge to fidget. The waiting is excruciating. How long has it been since the

Grand Sage left? A minute? Five? Tseems to stretch in this confined space, each second feeling like an

eternity.

A soft thud from above snapsback to the present.

The hatch opens wider, and | blink against the sudden influx of light. The Grand Sage's face appears in the

opening, his expression unreadable.

"It's clear," he says, but his words are grim. "You can cup now."

Elverly moves first, gracefully rising from her seat and climbing the rungs with practiced ease. | follow more

hesitantly, my muscles protesting after being cramped for so long. As | near the top, | can't help but look down,

curiosity getting the better of me.

The rungs definitely weren't there before. I'm sure of it now. They seem to melt seamlessly into the wall, as if

they've always been a part of it. Another bit of magic? Or skind of advanced technology? The line between

the two seems increasingly blurred around these two.

I haul myself out of the hatch, taking in our new surroundings. We're in what looks like an old barn, dusty

sunlight filtering through cracks in the wooden walls. The air smells of hay and something earthy | can't quite

place.

How the hell did we magically land inside a barn?

| want to ask, but | already know the explanation will be over my head.

Our "safe room" sits in the middle of the floor, looking for all the world like an oversized metal egg with a flat

top. If I hadn't just climbed out of it, I'd never believe it could fit three people inside, plus all the things that are

in the ‘dimensional storage’ they speak of.

"Where are we?" | ask, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.

The Grand Sage turns with a faint frown. "We did not go far. About two hours" drive from the heart of the

Westwood Pack."

"You don't seem very happy to be here." Glancing around, | ask, "Are you sure it's safe?"

It certainly seems quiet.

"Safe for now, yes." He reaches for my arm, slapping a white bracelet onto it. Elverly gets the streatment.

"This is in case we are parted. If anything happens, chere and press the green button on your bracelet. It's

programmed for the next destination. Don't wait for any of us, even if you're the only one aboard."

Wow. That seems terrible. | can't imagine leaving them behind.

He pauses, seeming to weigh his words carefully. "Don't introduce yourself by name. Use a pseudonym, if you

must." His nose wrinkles. "This place doesn't smell right. Be on your guard."

* kK

The crunch of gravel under my feet feels surreal as we exit the barn. My eyes dart around, taking in the vast

expanse of farmland stretching out before us. Horses and cows graze peacefully in nearby paddocks, oblivious to

our status as refugees. A cluster of beat-up trucks sits in the driveway of a dilapidated white farmhouse.

Elverly's nose wrinkles as she surveys our surroundings. Her disdain is palpable, and | can't help but share her

sentiment. This place seems a little too worn down to be considered a safe haven.

Then again, | guess no one would expect to find two gnomes here.

The Grand Sage motions for us to follow him towards the farmhouse.

As we approach, two men materialize, seemingly out of thin air. My heart leaps into my throat, and | stumble

back a step. Their sudden appearance is startling enough, but it's the low, rumbling growls emanating from their

chests that really seton edge.

Shifters. They have to be.

The Grand Sage doesn't seem fazed. He addresses them directly, his voice calm and authoritative. "I need you to

taketo the alpha of the Westwood Pack."

The shifters exchange wary glances, their postures tense. | hold my breath, waiting for their response. To my

surprise, the Grand Sage smoothly introduces himself.

"Allowto introduce myself. I'm Dr. Jonathan Blackwell, senior consultant for Paradigm Solutions. | was hired to

assist with a few of your delicate matters."

| struggle to keep my face impassive. Dr. Jonathan Blackwell, my ass. But the way he introduces himself so

smoothly makeswonder how much the's spent dealing with humans who had no idea they were shaking

hands with a supernatural.

A gnome.

I've never even heard of gnomes.

Garden gnomes, but otherwise, no.

The shifters still look uncertain, but before they can respond, a familiar face emerges from the farmhouse. My

heart skips a beat as | recognize Ryder, one of the deltas of the Westwood Pack. He's followed closely by Mia and

Chloe, two faces | know all too well from my twith Ava.

Panic floods my system. The Grand Sage is undercover for sodd reason, and wants us to be, too. But there's

no way | can keep my presence here a secret now. They know me.

On the other hand, I can ask them about Ava—

But as their eyes sweep over our little group, something strange happens. Or rather, doesn't happen. Their

gazes slide right pastas if I'm not even there. They focus intently on the Grand Sage, hanging on his every

word as he reintroduces himself as Dr. Blackwell.

word

word

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