Page 39 of Dragon Awakened

Amy and Grace are standing in the doorway. Grace's expression turns solemn as she watches me fiddling with the chain of the necklace.

Amy is less grave as she blows me a kiss and puts her hands over her heart. "Promise you'll be careful."

"Aren't I always?"

She snorts. "You literally get kidnapped or blown up every time I'm not around."

"You were totally there the last time I got blown up." Rolling my eyes, acting flippant to cover up for my nerves, I turn back toward my mates.

They can feel my racing heart. Last night, we all slept fitfully--probably because I was a nervous wreck. I know they don't regret sharing an emotional link, but it's got to be inconvenient when I'm too wound up to sleep.

I felt better after Rafe got me to open up. Their reassurances helped set me at ease. Deep down, though, I'm still worried about who and what I am. As much as my soul yearns to find my final mate, my heart keeps clenching up, reminding me why I'm also dreading it.

And there's one other piece.

I glance at Zahra, who's standing in the kitchen next to Obi, her arms crossed. She's mostly held her tongue, but she's obviously not happy about our decision to proceed.

What we're about to do is dangerous. King Zephyr and his guards have always been ruthless. Now they're also supported by Erembour's Shadow Dragon forces. If we're caught...

I look to each of my mates in turn. "I have to do this, but it's not too late for you to back out."

Rafe outright laughs. "As if."

"Never," Malik vows, his tattoos swirling and his blue eyes thunderous.

Jianyu reaches for my hand. "We're with you. Wherever you go."

I let out a rough exhalation through my nose. "Okay, then."

I shoot one more glance at Rhiannon, who nods in support. She's here to help if anything goes wrong, but we both agreed it was best I navigate the magic myself. It's not as if she'll be there to hold my hand when it's time to come back.

Steeling myself, I take the locket in both hands. When I open it, the same swirling darkness unravels in front of me, purple and pink clouds punctuated by bright stars. I choose to focus on those tiny points of light burning brightly amid the void.

"Maude's shop," I murmur, speaking to the power unfolding itself within the locket, directing it to the thrift store where I used to work.

All morning, my mates and I debated about the safest place to go. At first, I wanted to portal directly to Brynn's house. I'd give just about anything to see my cousin again--but it isn't safe. I trust her not to alert the authorities, but I trust my Aunt Helene about as far as I can throw her.

Anyway, it wouldn't be fair to Brynn. She'd keep my secret, but what would it cost her, after King Zephyr found out I'd snuck into the kingdom and made off with one of his sons?

Best to keep her uninvolved.

All the other places I thought of had complications. But the old secondhand shop where I used to work? It's guaranteed to be closed right now, and I know for sure that it has absolutely zero security.

The galaxy within the locket begins to rotate, and its warmth expands to fill my open palms. My bracer crackles with sympathetic magic, and I close my eyes, picturing the crowded shelves. The scent of the place.

Every other time I tried to summon a portal, it took basically all the magic I had. I followed a feeling--a sense of safety or the hot breeze of Air Dragon magic. The faint lights of my parents' spirits.

But now I can feel the magic coming to me. A lightness rises in my chest. This is working.

I open my eyes and lock my gaze with Rhiannon's. She's beaming with pride. As she should be--this was a stroke of genius on her part.

Still holding the locket in one hand, I reach out with the other. Malik places his palm in mine, clasping it tightly. Jianyu holds onto my wrist and Rafe my arm.

The instant all three of them are in contact with me, something inside me snaps into place. The breath is punched from my lungs as the bright stars and clouds within the locket sweep out, curling around me and my mates, and then we're falling. Sheer exhilaration shoots through as the magic takes form. All three of my men bleed life and magic and wonder into me, and it yanks the four of us forward. Rhiannon's living room dissolves, and all is blackness and stars, and we're hurtling and tumbling. My mates grasp onto me more tightly, and Malik murmurs my name, amazement warming his voice.

And then we're there. In the front room of old Maude's secondhand shop, right in the heart of Wynrath Crest, in the very center of the Air Kingdom.

The locket's roar dulls back down to its usual, muted hum, but as I click it closed, it still radiates a gentle glow of power. I exhale roughly. I'm no expert, but it seems like it has more than enough magic to get us back to Unity, after we're done.

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