Page 142 of Silent Jay

Jay grinned. She picked up one foot and then the other so that she hovered above the table in a cross-legged position. The tornado above her head burst into a shower of colorful sparks, which gathered under her to create a slowly rotating globe. It took me a second to realize I looked at a replica of Earth. Denser patches pulsated with magic while smaller lines glowed softly.

“Is this a map of the Ley Lines?” Olivia Rose asked, her voice full of awe.

Jay blew on her fingernails and rubbed them against her shirt. “Just pulled it out of my ass.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

JAIYANA

Ihad no idea if the dragons found me funny or not, as I floated with my butt directly above my map, but whatever. What mattered was Olivia Rose’s voice and how many others were impressed. I needed to establish myself as dominant and powerful immediately.

First impressions and all that.

Although controlling the elements was a lot like using my magic, it required a different set of ‘magical muscles’ which currently had the strength of a newborn. Using wind magic to keep myself hovering was the most taxing, but the intricate map of the Ley Lines took unreal concentration. Using raw elements to get colors split my focus in so many directions I wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation beyond my planned entrance.

Not the way the elements were meant to be used.

Everything’s art if you label it.

Heh.

“Where are we?” One of the earth dragons asked, studying my map.

“No!” Tyson’s father punched the table. “Guards, remove this thing from the room.”

Right, so maybe less strategy and more defense.

I released my map and dropped my legs, coming down in a wide stance.

“Obviously, your report was wrong.” The oldest dragon in the room stood facing the one with flaming horns. “Rehan claims this woman, whom he calls Jay, is powerful and knowledgeable, and she has displayed both.”

“Guards!” Tyson’s father repeated.

The air shifters, who I just bowled through, took a step forward, including the one I’d thrown to the floor. He looked ready to murder me. I caught them by surprise. This time the four of them would hand me my ass, especially if the fire dragons joined in.

“Stop,” Lux yelled.

I looked behind me to see the air prince standing and vaulting onto the table. He put his back to mine to face his father.

“Call off our guards,” he demanded. “Jay’s my mate.”

A shiver ran up my back, and my heart fluttered. I was, at the moment.

“Lux.” The Air King stood, his face turning an alarming shade of red. “Don’t make the wrong choice again.”

I reached behind me and gripped Lux's cool cybernetic hand, linking our fingers together.

“Right and wrong be damned, there are traditions which need to be upheld.” Ryker stood as well. The last time we met, Doctor Raba had been assigning me value. “This woman is clearly not a dragon and has no place in this room. Her humanity cannot be overlooked.”

Well, it seems it’s my humanity and not my fertility that is the problem now.

You just can’t please some people.

“No.” Rehan’s rich voice rang through the room, and my heart sang. In one massive step, he joined me on the table, boxing in my left. “She’s my mate, and I asked her to be here. She’s everything Tukaqu said and more.”

I nodded at Rehan and bumped his hip with my own, unwilling to tether my remaining free hand.

“Rehan! We told you to have our backs and only our backs,” Rehan’s father growled.

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