Page 95 of Destiny of the Dragons

Too slow. All four runes glowed with sickly yellow light and beams of power shot out into the room. Jace yelped and released a bright ball of fire. It should have been a good sign that he was able to get magic out, but she didn’t think it was.

Mia recoiled and pulled in more magic even as the hazy light grew stronger. It was an area effect, and harder to pinpoint where to dispel. She built magic up until her hands shook and her hair felt like it was standing on end.

Cross started to laugh. “Go ahead and try.”

He flicked his fingers again, and a burst of wretched yellow light hit her. She absorbed the blow, taking the foreign magic in.

He couldn’t do this, she thought. He had given her bone and blood for the Lover’s Pain spell. She felt the tendrils of that magic, cast months ago, but still there. She used the taste of blood in her mouth to amplify it.

She had never slept with him, but they were engaged to be married. It was enough of a connection for the magic to work. She muttered the incantation, over and over, until it built up.

“You cannot possibly stand against the runes.”

She added the fire and ice inside her, putting her bond into the curse, fueling the spell.

The runes glowed again and power crackled around them. She would use his own magic against him, she would protect her lovers at any cost.

Cross snapped a word of power. Seconds ticked by and just as the heat of the magic brushed her, she snapped her spell together. Jace and Smoke added their magic, and the spell bounced off her and hit Cross square in the chest.

Everything went dark.

Mia crumpled to the ground. Her chest felt like it was caved in and it was hard to breathe. She lay on her side, panting until someone touched her.

She pulled away.

“It’s me,” Jace said. “You okay?”

She tried to nod, but couldn’t.

Smoke pulled her against him. She looked between them, but they both seemed okay.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t do anything more.” Jace kissed her forehead. “I really want to know where Cross got those runes from.”

Mia glanced at the corner of the apartment. Cross was still there. He didn’t move.

“I killed him.” She was hoarse and didn’t remember screaming, but there was a lot of magic being thrown around.

“I can dump his body if you want.” Smoke asked, his face serious.

Mia laughed. “No.”

She thought about it. No, she needed to tell the council. Otherwise, she would be blamed.

“We have to call it in.”

Mia managed to drag herself to the couch. Jace brought her some tea, and Smoke made the phone calls.

After twenty minutes, her mother showed up with an aging council member.

The Magic Council pretended they were in charge, but they were mostly bureaucrats.

Mother looked around the room, her lip curled. “What in the world?”

The council member, named Mr. Palmer, wore brown tweed. He muttered at the runes, laying in the four corners of her living room, and took notes.

Cross’s father, Mason, was the last to arrive. He looked like an older version of Cross, with graying hair.

He was puffed up, ready to throw blame.

---