Page 91 of Destiny of the Dragons

She would be right where she was now. They would have to come up with a new plan.

More time passed. It might as well have been an eternity.

Maybe Mrs. Ryder was escaping out the back door. But the woman knew Mia could track her anywhere, she’d already proven it.

Just as she thought she would lose the last of her patience, the door opened again.

The door swung open and Mrs. Ryder thrust a book into her face. She looked equal parts relieved and afraid. “Take it.”

Mia took the book before her mind caught up with what was happening. “Thank you.”

Before Mia could finish thanking the woman, the door shut again.

“Rude.” Jace snorted.

“She’s afraid,” Smoke said.

Mia looked at the book. It was old, but not the fraying leather she had pictured. She opened the cover, expecting some sort of engraving, but there was nothing.

Disappointment fluttered through her.

“So, is it real?” Jace asked.

“I don’t know.” Mia flipped through the pages as Smoke steered her back down the sidewalk.

It looked like a cookbook, but inside of food recipes, it was spells. Each recipe had a variety of handwriting.

The spells she scanned were mostly healing along with finding or warding. Smoke folded her into the backseat, and Jace took the wheel again.

Mia flipped through the book as Jace drove on. Part of her mind was gibbering with excitement.

The other part was oddly filled with dread.

“Can I look at it?” Smoke cocked his head. “Maybe I can sense some magic?”

“Just let me look.”

Smoke didn’t say more. She leaned against him, hoping she didn’t hurt his feelings. She needed to flip through the entire thing.

It was thick, but not as thick as she had pictured. Was this really all the spells her family had made over the centuries?

Mia flipped through the middle to the back. The spells grew more…grisly. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, but Smoke wasn’t looking at her.

Jace was rambling on about where they were going to eat dinner. The gentle noise of conversation was nice around the pounding of her heart.

There was the Heart of Stone spell. She stopped, her hands going clammy again. She swallowed hard, wishing she had something to drink. Water, or perhaps a few shots of whiskey.

This might actually be the real deal. Mia looked at the spell, and it had all the components she knew. She kept flipping, stumbling on spells she didn’t know existed. How to make someone tell the truth.

How to make someone fall in love with you.

Mia held her breath until she flipped to the end. Smoke led her back to her apartment, opening the door and bringing her to the couch. Jace set a glass of water in front of her while ordering from her favorite Chinese takeout.

There were a few pages torn from the end of the book.

That was to be expected.

Her mind wanted to poke holes in this. Instead of joy she simply felt nothing. Her stomach knotted up, her skin clammy with a cold sweat. It was hard to take a deep breath in.

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