Page 334 of Sigils & Spells

“Take us to where the battle raged,

Accipe nos, ubi debacchatus es,

Where magic bled and blood forbade,

Unde magia sanguinem mitti vetuit,

Together to resolve our sister’s past,

Una ad solvendas praeteritas sororis nostrae,

Seeking answers for questions asked,

Quaerens responsa pro quaestionibus.

Protection in our travels, we beg you grant us leave,

In peregrinationibus nostris tutamen, quaesumus, concede nobis veniam.”

Enok looked up, nodding at us. As one, we reached our fingers to touch the key, and repeated the last part of his cast.

“Quaesumus, concede nobis veniam.”

Magic sizzled in the air. The scent of ozone was strong as a cold wind whipped around our bodies. My flaming red hair slapped me in the face, but I dared not move. The slightest thing could upset the course, and I desperately needed to get to the battleground to find my father, and possibly uncover what happened to the witches and wizards who died there. Grandmother Newton, especially.

Traveling by portal kinda sucked if you weren’t used to it. Even then, it was grossly uncomfortable. Like having the wind sucked out of you while riding the fastest, bumpiest rollercoaster the world had ever seen.

I landed on my feet with some of us, but Rio ended up in Magnus’ arms, and Enid was sprawled out on the floor. I was seriously worried about the latter, knowing Magnus had Rio’s back, plus the water witch was a badass in her own right. Enid had no known elemental affiliation, and as to what magical talents she possessed, so far it was like weirdo prophecies and fainting. Not really beneficial in a fight. And for all I knew, we were walking into a big one.

Magnus raised his hand, a signal for us to stop moving. I froze and looked around. We’d ended up in a grassy knoll a few feet away from what looked like a ravaged field. I sniffed the air, the taint of magic and death hung heavily on the land.

“This place is cursed,” Enid whispered.

Magnus’ head turned to the side and suddenly, a familiar shape appeared in the sky. It got bigger as it drew nearer, and my whole body seemed to sigh in relief.

“Holy cow!”

“Um, I barely passed biology in high school, but I don’t think that’s a cow,” Enid mumbled.

She was right, of course. That was no cow.

It was a dragon.

“Brandon,” I whispered his name into the wind like it was a prayer falling from my lips.

His diamond-shaped black scales glittered like obsidian glass, and the silver on his chest blazed in the sunlight, so bright it was blinding. But nothing could make me look away. Not even the tears trying to protect my eyes from the shine.

I heard that same clicking noise again, the flintlock sounding mechanism that preceded his flame, but Brandon did not use his fire. Instead, he tucked it away, and his beast, returning to his human form. A flick of his hand and he was clothed, something I’d never heard other shifters capable of.

“Druid perk,” he murmured, reaching me first and pressing his forehead to mine in greeting. “I missed you,mo spréach.”

“What does that mean?” Jade asked, and I opened my eyes.

“Don’t you dare tell her before you tell me,” I said, laughter bubbling in my throat.

Brandon tossed his head back and chuckled once before cupping my face and dropping a rough kiss on my lips that made my toes curl. Some women wanted sweet and soft, but not me. I was fiery tempered and had the magic to match. I liked my man just the way he was, powerful and edgy, with enough fire and spice to match me.

Who are you kidding, Tana McKenna?

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