Page 73 of Destiny of the Dragons

Mia nodded. “Keyona, I love you, but you have to leave. With Zian. You’re just going to interfere with the flow of magic up here.”

Keyona grumbled at Selene. “Fine, fine. I see it’s time for me to make my exit. But I’m shopping for stuff online that will be delivered tomorrow, and you can’t stop me.”

She tugged on Zian’s hand. “Come on, help me find some “I’m sorry molting sucks” presents.”

“Molting does suck,” Zian agreed easily. “Especially since she doesn’t have a Treasure.”

“I don’t need a stupid Treasure,” Selene muttered darkly.

“We don’t have to be a Treasure,” Jesse said, patting her back as she stumbled down the hallway. “You just have to get through this molting in one piece.”

Jesse looked worried, and she waited until Zian left with Keyona to look at Jace.

“Why does Jesse look like she has a terminal illness?”

“Because she’s on her second molt,” Jace said with a grimace.

Mia sat down, only to jump when the doorbell rang.

Jace opened the door. “It’s Sawyer,” he said and stepped back.

Sawyer also worked security at the casinos. He had long brown hair and a grin. “What’s up?”

Mia pointed down the hall. “Selene is going to molt.”

“She’s been on the edge for weeks.” Sawyer frowned. “I have a ranch out in the desert, it might be easier.”

Mia raised her eyebrows. “You convince her of that. I’m going to make a net to catch the magic in the meantime.”

Sawyer went down the hallway, and Mia sat crosslegged on the floor. Magic saturated the room, so really it was a matter of catching it.

She drew some symbols into the rug with her finger. It didn’t show up, it was more for her focus. Jace sat near her, his energy a warm hum around her.

Ice spiked through her, as she reached for her magic. She felt Smoke as though he was on her other side, and for a moment she wished he was here with them. It didn’t feel right casting magic with Jace in the room but not Smoke.

Smoke’s magic wrapped around her, thick enough like she could almost see it. The ozone smell grew stronger, until it felt like lightning was gathering.

“Quickly, Mia, or I’ll take you out of here myself,” Jace murmured. “Cast the spell and we can meet up with Smoke.”

Jace moved some hair off her shoulders, and it was a line of fire on her skin.

Mia used his touch to focus. The line of fire and ice moved inside her, and she pulled those two opposite yet balanced energies together.

She used her own magic, magic of body and soul, her blood heating up with their energies coursing through her.

She wove a net around Selene’s apartment. It should have been hard, with the swirling crackle of air magic around her, making a wind kick up inside the apartment.

Books and papers scattered. Mia focused on the spell, muttering words of an incantation. With a flick of her hands, the net was cast.

She shivered, heat and chill rolling through her. Jace ran his hand lightly over her back, normally a dangerous idea for a witch in the middle of magic, but it just felt right.

Mia stood up, her legs shaky.

Jace caught her around her waist. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She leaned into Jace more than she really needed to. It wasn’t that she was drained.

She had too much energy, needed more places to burn it off.

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