Page 93 of Destiny of the Dragons

“I need a plan.”

Jace shrugged, toying with a piece of her hair. Even Tikka was purring in her lap. “It’s a business meeting. Cold and ruthless. You have the book. If she wants the book, she will let you out, period.”

Mia sighed. “It won’t be that easy.”

“Not easy.” Jace shook his head. “She will try to browbeat, guilt, and control you. But none of what she says will change the power you have. You have your ancestral spellbook and she does not. She will act as though she has the upper hand, but it's not true."

Mia raised an eyebrow. “Like your mother?”

Jace winced. “Yes, like my mother. I’ve been following her orders for so long thought I was winning the game. But the only way to really win is not to play it at all.”

“Right.” Mia rolled her shoulders. She would go to work tomorrow and tell her mother how it was going to be.

Her chest tightened at the thought, but she would just have to power through it. Jace was right, she had the book and Mother didn’t.

“I don’t suggest bringing the book with you,” Jace added. “Hide it in a secure place.”

“And make her sign a contract.” Smoke stroked his hand lightly down her arm. “Something she can’t back out of.”

“Okay. Magically binding contract.” Mia bit her lip. She could do the spell, but she wasn’t sure how to word things.

“Let me help you draft something.” Jace sat up, a gleam in his eye. “And I’ll send it over to Zian for review. We’ll make it airtight.”

“Okay.” Mia relaxed. They could do this. They could make it work.

She just had to push through her mother’s crap a little bit longer and they would be free.

“Why not draft something for your own mother,” Smoke murmured. “While we’re getting out?”

“Yes. Mother’s suspicious activity…it might be enough.”

She brushed her hand over Smoke’s shoulder and leaned into Jace. Even if she had found the book years ago, she didn’t think she wouldn’t have had the strength to say she was leaving. Having her dragons with her, their love a warmth inside her, made it feel like anything was possible.

She tilted her head up to Jace.

“Anything for you,” he said, his mouth against her lips, and then kissed her.

It was slow and beautiful. He tasted her lips like she was a fine wine, the best that life had to offer. She sighed, and some of the tension in her chest loosened up.

She tugged Smoke closer, and he rested his chin on her shoulder. Warmth kindled inside her. She cupped Jace’s face with her hands.

The words “I love you” were on her lips.

The door banged open. Cross stepped inside and shut the door.

Mia stood up, her stomach dropping to her feet.

Smoke was on his feet in a second, a ball of frozen light in his hands.

Cross threw something down on the ground. It split into brown rectangles and slammed against each corner of the room.

Mia gasped. Magic leeched out of the room. Smoke’s frozen light disappeared. Smoke dropped to his knees, and Jace wheezed.

Cross grinned. “I didn’t think they would be here, but this is all the better.”

Mia stood up. Jace tilted to the side of the couch, still making an odd wheezing sound like he couldn’t breathe easily.

She glanced at Smoke and he was pale, his shoulders hitching.

---