Page 8 of The Mating Magic
“Where did you find it?” Chasedemanded.
Evie fell silent. Lacey had insisted on keeping the Book of Shadows asecret.
The Book of Shadows would give her sister the means to finally level up her income, which in turn would help her acquire stature in the dragon world. Because right now, it sucked having to listen to the condescending remarks tossed their way as wealthy dragon shifters frequented their shop and looked down their noses at them while they browsed for herbs, potions and other items Lacey sold. It bothered Evie when these shifters argued down the price as well, haggling to the last cent. Lately Lacey had grown tired of the criticism and constant browbeating. She planned to close later this year if income didn’timprove.
Chase refused to drop her hand. “Evie, you can’t do this. If it’smoney…”
“You’ll give Lacey a loan for her store?” She gave a grudging laugh. “Oh, your family would lovethat.”
“It’s none of their business what I do with my money,” he saidtightly.
“But they would find out and trust me, they’d use it to their advantage. Especially Helen and Lynna, the ones who love to post everything on social media, mocking Others who have less power. I can hear the snark now and see their posts on Instadragon and Dragontweet now – hurry up and grab your potions and magick candles and incense from The Sage Shop before they go out of business forgood!”
A frown creased his forehead. “They’re truly thathorrid?”
Evie rolled her eyes. “Hello?! Of course they are. They’re vicious, especially when they discovered you and I were dating. They’re not dragons, Chase. Your cousins are trolls. Worse than the real trolls, they’re social mediatrolls.”
Chase went still. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this after the ball when I tried to contactyou?”
Evie felt a ripple of guilt. “What was the point? You couldn’t stopthem.”
“You underestimate my influence with my family. For what they did, Helen and Lynna will bepunished.”
He looked so sincere and intense, she wanted to believe him. Believe that Chase Burke could sway the opinions of the mighty Burke family of Palm Beach, dragons with tremendous wealth and social influence in the dragonworld.
But a tiny voice inside her urged her to stop hoping. Because as she’d learned in the past, when you put your trust into someone outside of family, they not only broke thattrust.
They shatteredit.
She sighed. “Chase, your parents hold influence with you, not the other way around. Your father pressured you into running the store on WorthAvenue…”
“Which I no longer do. My father released me of that obligation after I apprenticed myself to Drust.” He framed her face with his warm, strong hands. “It’s a tremendous honor to serve one of the wizards of the Brehon. I don’t care about the honor or how it increases my parents’ social ranking among other dragons. I did it because it was the only way I could break free from the familybusiness.”
This was news. “Ithought…”
Chase’s gaze snapped upward and his body tensed. “He’scoming.”
Chapter 3
Fear rippled through her.Only one man could strike Chase to total attentiveness likethat.
The ColdfireWizard.
No time to react, for suddenly a flash of cobalt blue smoke and a mighty shudder of the earth announced hisarrival.
When the smoke cleared, the wizard stood before them. He stood a few inches taller than Chase, with even black hair cut short. Drust sported a well-trimmed mustache and beard and had intense gray-blue eyes. Wearing a cobalt-blue tunic and trousers, and soft, doeskin boots, he looked perhaps thirty years old, but she knew he wasancient.
Evie’s heart raced with dread and her chest constricted.We’re in troublenow.
Everyonein the dragon world knew Drust, the newest of the wizards of the Brehon. Guardian and judge of dragons, he wizard presented a greater threat than all the other wizards. Drust was dragon himself, and knew a dragon’sheart.
Chase bowed low. “Uncle.”
Evie dropped to her knees and bowed her head. She had no desire to become dust in the wind, and Drust had enough power to flick a finger and destroy themall.
“Lacey, bow before the wizard,” Eviewhispered.
But her sister remained upright, her expression fierce as she confronted Drust. Lacey reminded Evie of a queen of ancient times, refusing to surrender. “Why shouldI?”
