Page 33 of Devoted to the Dragon

“What?”

“Sometimes I’m glad Izzy didn’t get a chance to see what the world became.”

“I don’t think that’s messed up. Sometimes death is mercy.”

“Maybe. It makes me feel like shit though.” Gunnar sighs, and it’s a heartbreaking sound.

We hold each other for a long time after that, both of us lost in memories. But when I’m in his arms, it hurts less than it normally does.

Too soon, Fennik kisses us both goodbye on his way out. We stop lazing after that, time catching up with us.

The curious pup returns while we get dressed and eat breakfast. He asks me question after question about my past. Those questions always lead to more. Most of it is light and easy. A few of them are hard. Each one makes it easier to keep going.

Before I’m ready, the SUV is loaded for our trip and it’s time.

“You’re sure I can’t go with you to set the Moon Circle? I promise I won’t touch anything,” Gunnar says with a pouty lip.

My dragon snarls.

I wince. “Yeah. That’s a firm no from my dragon on entering my nest.” I soften the blow with a kiss that stops when we’re both breathless. “I’ll meet you at the edge of the last foothills before the Outskirts of the North Pass.”

He gives me an amused smile as he climbs into the SUV loaded for our trip. “Okay, dragoness, but you’ll have to let me meet her at some point. She’s the one I need to impress, and I feel like if I get some face time, it’s hard not to love me, you know?”

“She rolled her eyes at you,” I say, giving him my best unimpressed look. It’s a lie. The little wolf is charming and easy to like, even for my dragon. I lean in and kiss his cheek. “Be careful.”

“I thought I was the one guarding you?” he says with a grin.

I shrug and turn away from him, unable to stomach more than this playful goodbye.

I placethe heart stone next in the circle between the moonstone for fertility and the orange-red carnelian for courage. The last stone in the Moon Circle is the aventurine. It sits directly opposite the first and is meant to bring balance. With the last crystal placed, I close my eyes and clear my mind, invoking the magic of the moon and calling on its clarity.

The Moon Circle is meant as a blessing for mating. It combines an awakening spell with the power of crystals to boost our natural magic in hopes that it will help awaken bonds and enhance their strength. I say the old words, infusing them with my intentions and my hopes that they manifest themselves fully while the stones charge under the moon.Each day, the power of the circle will grow stronger until the start of a Thunder on thefull moon. I don’t know if it will work.Actually, I’m terrified it won’t work.

At least my dragon sends her power too. I appreciate that she doesn’t give voice to her doubts now.She wants to protect those I believe are my mates. And for that, I can’t fault her.

I release the energy and stand on a sigh.It is done, come what may.

Vandera bursts into the nest library, sucking wind. She pants her way to me as she pulls her grimoire from her bag. “Are you already done? Because I have an idea.”

“It is set,” I say. “Why?”

“The Moon Circle spell. There are two versions.” She moves to the bookshelves, eyes combing as she skirts her finger along the spines. “I noticed the other day when I was putting away the books. The spell I copied into my Shadow Book… the one I changed for the version we use at Frenzy? It’s the version everywhere. Like, all the grimoires have it.”

“It should be,” I say, confused about where this is going. “It is one of the first spells dragons copy into their Shadow Books when we reach maturity and are gifted our own.”

She grabs my grandmother’s Shadow Book and sets it on the table. I’m still confused about where this is going, but she’s too excited to stop now.

Vandera flips to the front pages and points at the Moon Circle spell. It takes me a moment, as it always does, to get past the sight of those runes made by my grandma’s hand. I run my fingers over the ink, almost tasting the residual essence of her magic.

Grandmother Ava was a healer, a witch more than a warrior. When I was young, I got impatient with her herb lessons, always wanting to cut them short for flight practice outside. I wish she were here now.

“Look,” Vandera says, snapping my attention back to her. She points at a smaller circle in the corner of the page, her jingling charms emphasizing her excitement. “There is another version. And see? It’s got the rune for Thunder.”

My confusion fizzles out, as does my hope.

She gives me a self-satisfied smile. “One is a Moon Circle, and the other is the Thunder. Maybe we need to do the Thunder Circle?”

I shake my head, sad to disappoint her. “They do the same thing.”

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