Page 97 of Destiny of the Dragons

“You little ungrateful wretch. Hand it over, right now.” Mother closed the distance between them, her finger pointed at Mia’s chest.

Mia sighed, the hope for reconciliation gone. She just felt tired now, of all the waste. “No.”

Mother recoiled. “No? You dare tell me no?”

“In exchange for me handing the spellbook over, you will leave me alone.” Mia lifted her chin. “I’ve hidden it. If something happens to me, you will never, ever find it.”

“You ungrateful creature,” Mother snarled. “I raised you—“

“You terrorized me my entire life,” Mia snapped. “I want to be free to live the life of my choosing. In exchange, you’ll get the spellbook. A fair trade, I think.”

“Oh, you think so?” Mother chuckled, stepping closer to her without actually touching her. Fear trembled in her chest, but Mother wouldn’t kill her.

Whatever threats Mother could employ, she couldn’t follow through with them. For once, Mia had all the leverage.

“It’s very simple. I give you the spellbook, you stay out of my life.”

“Sure dear, hand over the spellbook.” Mother smirked at her.

Mia rolled her eyes. “You’re going to sign a contract, of course.”

Mother glared at her, the temperate dropping ten degrees. She grabbed Mia’s wrist and jammed her thumb into the shadow mark.

Blinding pain brought Mia to her knees. There was nothing but pain, it stole away all thoughts and feelings.

“How dare you,” Mother snarled. “How dare you threaten me, after everything I’ve done for you.”

Mia whimpered her body on fire. It burned from the inside out, every nerve lighting up until tears streamed down her eyes, and her breathing went erratic.

Jace roared and sent a burst of flames in their direction. Mother laughed and snapped her free hand up. The flames parted around them.

Smoke let out a burst of ice, and Mother twisted her wrist, the ice circling back around them.

Mother snapped out a command, and Jace cried out, blood leaking from his nose.

Mia kicked her leg out despite the pain and collided with Mother’s shin.

The shadow mark burned hotter, and Mia gasped, black spots forming in her vision.

“Stop now, dragons, or I’ll make sure Mia never walks again.”

Blood pounded in her ears. Mia took small breaths through the corner of her mouth. Mother must have let up on the shadow mark because her vision slowly returned.

“Well, well.” Cassius put his hands on his hips. “This is a pickle.”

“Leave now,” Mother said. “This is a family matter.”

“I’m hurt,” Cassius said with mock pain. He touched his hand to his chest. “I thought I was part of the family.”

“You are,” Mother said stiffly. “But Mia here thinks she’s adult enough to take on the head of the house.”

“She is,” Cassius smirked. “I’m honestly shocked she hasn’t snapped and killed you long ago.”

Silence descended.

Mother recovered quicker. “What did you say to me?”

Cassius picked up a ceramic moon from the rubble of her curio collection. “The way you torture and control her. I would have thought Mia would have snapped years ago.”

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