Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted-Chapter 425: Ava: Culture Clash

The others who came with the Grand Sage seem to understand the horrors this dream-eater brings. "Do they know about dream-eaters?" I ask the Magister, who glances behind him.

They all shake their heads, but they still look horrified.

One steps forward. Vaguely familiar. Red hair. Super long, pointy ears. Weirdly wearing what looks like clothes you would buy out of any sort of outdoorsy sports store, not stuff people wear in the Fae Ward. Seeing a giant, fur-lined winter coat, jeans, and boots on a Fae definitely feels weird.

"Mistress Ava—"

The snarls ripple through the air before I even process what happened. My people bare their teeth, chests out and eyes dark, metaphorical hackles raised at the red-haired Fae's words. My stomach drops at the sudden hostility.

Magister Orion steps between his companion and the wolves, his voice booming. "Why such aggression to one of mine, wolf?"

"She is our Luna," Kellan says, his words frigid. "She is no mistress."

Their dramatic overreaction would be amusing, if it didn't ratchet the tension in this tent by a factor of two hundred or so.

Males, Selene says with a sigh, even as Magister Orion inclines his head.

The gesture is diplomatic, and he spreads his hands wide. "My deepest apologies for our oversight. We meant no disrespect to your Luna."

Some of the tension bleeds from Kellan's shoulders, though his eyes remain sharp. The others relax their stances, though too many of them are still frowning.

Magister Orion turns to the red-haired Fae, whose delicate features make it impossible to determine their gender. They're all so pretty. "You must understand—among wolves, titles and rank carry great weight. Luna Ava rules beside her mate as an equal partner. She is not my student here, but a leader of her people. We must show proper respect."

The Fae listens carefully, their blue eyes wide as they bounce around from person to person. I know the feeling. It's more than just disconcerting when a bunch of wolves start growling at you.

Though, maybe less terrifying for a Fae than a human-like person.

Magister Orion faces Kellan again. "Please understand that 'Mistress' is a standard term of respect in Fae culture. There are no… implications your people might associate with such a title."

The growls finally cease. I clear my throat, eager to move past this cultural misunderstanding before it can fester. Besides, if my wolves weren't being so suspicious of and mildly hostile toward the Fae, they probably would have never noticed the form of address.

"What's your name?" I ask the red-haired Fae. "You were about to tell us something?"

The red-haired Fae twists their fingers together, eyes darting between me and Kellan. "I am called Heize, Lu- Luna Ava."

They glance toward Kellan after stumbling over my title. His expression never changes; just an imposing stare on his impassive face.

Kellan's perfected that look over years of being Beta, and he wields it like a weapon. Lucas, too.

"We don't know of dream-eaters specifically." Heize's musical voice wavers as they keep glancing at Kellan and the others. "But that thing—" They point toward the unconscious figure. "It radiates with malicious intent. Any Fae can sense it. If I were to explain it in human terms, it feels evil."

The Magister nods along with the Fae's words. "It doesn't belong in this world," he agrees. "A strange existence in nature. Something manufactured and unnatural. Any Fae would feel uncomfortable standing near such a creature."

"How can you sense this?" Kellan asks, no longer sounding quite so interrogative. Just curious.

"All Fae are attuned to natural magic." Heize's confidence grows as they speak about something familiar, their shoulder's straightening as they stand taller. "This creature disrupts those natural flows. Imagine having a row of fish, and then seeing a wolf. It doesn't belong, you see?"

Selene confirms. Even I can sense the wrongness, though differently than they do. I would have never understood they were a manufactured creation, though.

Kellan looks thoughtful. He hasn't softened, but his body posturing has calmed down. "And you've never encountered anything like this before?"

"Never." Heize shakes their head vigorously. "We keep extensive records of magical creatures. For us not to know of these dream-eaters…"

Their words falter, and they glance toward the Magister, who waves a hand at them. "You can speak your truth here, child."

The red-haired Fae's mouth presses together, making a thin line even as worry wrinkles their forehead. "My assumption would be that the knowledge was buried intentionally."

"Indeed," Magister Orion sighs. "We Fae pride ourselves on our vast libraries and knowledge. For something of this nature to be omitted from our history books, it would be—"

"The Fae Throne." Another one of his friends jumps forward then. They're shorter than most Fae, with long black hair and lilac-colored eyes that glitter. "Hi, Luna Ava. My name is Eris. It's a pleasure to meet you." She holds out one hand, then pumps mine with an incredible amount of friendly energy.

"You, as well," I murmur, taken aback by her amicable nature.

"We cannot speak ill of our King—or Queen. But the Fae Throne has always been embroiled in dark scandals, and they will use geas if necessary to keep their darkest secrets from seeing light. It must be their order to bury the dream-eaters in history. And that means they were involved in their creation."

"How many kings ago was that?"

Curiosity seems to be melting my pack; one of my guards speaks up from over my shoulder.

Magister Orion's eyes grow distant, his voice taking on the cadence of a storyteller. "The earliest mention of dream-eaters comes from the reign of King Theron the Third. A succubus named Lady Aranthe caught his eye at court. None could match her beauty or grace, and she rose quickly through the ranks to become Imperial Consort.

"The tales speak of her otherworldly allure. How she could entrance anyone who looked upon her face. For three years, she held sway over the court, until King Theron discovered her true nature. He had her beheaded at dawn and her body burned to ash, scattered across the sea."

Eris lets out an unladylike snort. "That tale reeks of propaganda. More likely the King created his perfect consort and disposed of her when he tired of his toy." Her lilac eyes flash. "The Fae Throne has always dabbled in the forbidden. What better way to hide their crimes than to paint themselves as the heroes who destroyed such creatures?"

The room falls silent. Eris's eyes widen as she seems to realize what she's said.

"My sincerest apologies, Luna Ava." She drops into a deep curtsy. "I should not speak of such unseemly matters in your presence. The politics of the Fae court often descend into... matters best left unspoken in polite company."

"It's fine." I wave off her apology, more interested in the implications, and why the Fae all seem so uncomfortable with how easily she speaks against their ruler. "So you think the Fae Kings might have created the dream-eaters?"

"There is such a possibility," Magister Orion says carefully. "Though we must be cautious in making such accusations without proof, Eris."

She scoffs, and Heize squeezes her shoulder. "Watch your words, lest the wind bring them to the King's ears."