Page 80 of Primal Dragon

Lady Wyxl got up from her seat and headed over to a shelf where she picked up a box. “I just got this in this morning.” She set the plainly carved box on the table in front of Arthur.

He lifted the lid and stared down at the rock in the center of the box. It was glowing like piece of lava.

“It’s the Fire Stone,” Henrik replied. “I thought it was a fucking myth.”

Lady Wyxl shook her head. “I’m afraid not. It took me some time to get my hands on it. He’s coming here to pick it up any moment. Your timing is impeccable. I’m afraid I can’t let it go without the cost being paid.”

Quinn put her hands on her hips. “What’s the cost?”

“Something you’re willing to sacrifice for the item,” she said.

Warren huffed, “More mind games?”

“It’s the price. Human money doesn’t mean a lot in the fae world. Or in the magic world. Sacrifice has power. It can feed spells.”

Quinn glanced around at everyone. “What exactly are you looking for?”

“Something of value to you, that you don’t want to give up,” Wyxl replied.

“Anything?”

“If it’s a bottle cap of the first soda you shared with your husband of ten years, that has value. It’s sentimental and you don’t want to give it up. Something like that.”

“This is ridiculous,” Warren snarled.

Henrik snorted his agreement but said nothing.

Quinn reached into her pocket and pulled out her vampire glamour ring. She didn’t want to part with it. Not only did it make her feel safe at times, James had given it to her. She wanted to keep it. What if she never saw him again? What if he was dead? She wanted to keep it.

She stepped forward and held it up. “What about this?”

Lady Wyxl grinned.

Henrik wrapped his hand around her raised wrist. “Quinn, you can’t give that up. You need it. We’re not done with Stefano.”

“You don’t need me as a male vampire anymore. Stefano already knows who I am. With Rebecca and Drake, he already knows I’m involved with you.”

“I don’t want you to be the one to give something up,” he growled.

“It’s either this or your heartstone,” she snapped.

Henrik snarled. “You’re not giving that up.”

“She has your heartstone?” Warren’s voice was filled with surprise. “How the hell did that happen?”

“Is there something better?” Quinn asked, raising her brow as a challenge.

Henrik dropped her wrist and grumbled as he turned away from her.

“Will this work?”

Lady Wyxl nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, it’s bound with its own magic too. That’s a very exciting piece.”

Quinn set it on the table. “You get the ring. We get the rock.”

Arthur closed the lid and lifted the box and stood.

“That’s it. Without this rock, Grey can’t complete the spell?” Warren asked.

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