Page 124 of The Dragon's Mate

Kaida set the potion bottle on the tableand waited. A few minutes later, her entire body tingled, and she stared down atherself as she reappeared out of thin air. She grinned as she walked to her bedroomand dressed in jeans and a thick sweater. It had been two weeks of taking theinvisibility potion and she still got a thrill out of disappearing and reappearing.

She returned to her small kitchen and made herselfa cup of coffee. She and Bren had slept in this morning and there’d only beenenough time for Bren to quickly shower before they left. She had a key to hisapartment and could have stayed longer, but without her mate there, her dragon’surge to return to the clan appeared quickly.

She sank down on the couch, sipping at hercoffee. Her dragon, always grumpy in the morning, made a disgruntled hiss whenthere was a knock on her door.

“Come in,” she called.

“Hey, honey.” Sika joined her on thecouch, sitting down and tucking her legs under her.

“Hi. Where’s Kova?” Kaida asked. They’dhad the naming ceremony for the hatchling a week ago, and Sika and Jarvis hadnamed the baby after Jarvis’s father.

“He’s with Jarvis,” Sika said. “I finishedfeeding him, but he was being fussy, so I handed him to off to Jarvis.” Shelaughed. “I feel a little guilty, but Jarvis does love spending time with our hatchlingso…”

Kaida smiled at her. “You and Jarvis are wonderfulparents, Sika.”

“Thanks, honey. How are you?”

“Good,” Kaida replied.

“You look good. You look happy,” Sikasaid.

“Do I?”

“Yes. Is it because of how much time you’vebeen spending with the human the last couple of weeks?”

“Who says I’ve been with Bren?” Kaida said.

Sika rolled her eyes. “Please. You’ve haddinner twice with the clan in the last two weeks, and I’ve come by every nightthis week and you haven’t been here. Also – you’re covered in the human’sscent.”

“Shit,” Kaida said.

Sika laughed. “How are you sneaking pastall of the reporters? Are you hiding out in the car trunks of the security firmlike the other clan members when they need to go into the city?”

“Yeah,” Kaida said. She hated lying to herbest friend, but she couldn’t tell her about the invisibility potion. Elora wasdoing her a favour and she didn’t want the affable and sweet witch to get in trouble.

Kaida stared at Sika over her coffee cup. “Arethe other clan members talking about me behind my back.”

“Some,” Sika admitted cheerfully. “Butmost of them think it’s just a fling or a phase you’re going through.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep,” Sika said. “Honestly, Kaida, you’renot the only clan member who has started,” she paused, “socializing with thehumans.”

“What?” Kaida sat up abruptly, coffee sloshingover the side of the cup to burn her fingers. She set the mug on the coffee tableand wiped her fingers on her jeans. “Are you joking?”

“I’m not,” Sika said. “Finn has been goinginto the city almost every night, as has Savina and Atticus. All three of themreturn smelling like humans.”

“What has the council said?”

“What can they say?” Sika said. “They aregrown dragons and free to do what they want.”

“They could be banished,” Kaida said.

“Didn’t you hear?” Sika replied. “Thecouncil elders across the country had a Skype meeting. They decided to, at leasttemporarily, stop the banishments.”

“Holy shit,” Kaida said.

“Cadmus was the one who suggested it and theother council elders agreed to it. Bones was there when Cadmus told the othercouncil members. He told Jarvis that Ryul just about lost his mind.”

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