Page 57 of The Mating Claim

“Perhaps. Any time you perform magick, Lacey, you know there is a price to pay. And with these delicate spells, there is always…backfire.”

She put a palm to her face. “Backfire. Great. So I’m going to increase in size or suddenly sprout dragon wings on my humanbody?”

“You could use an increase in size.” He’d hoped his words would reassure her, but shescowled.

“You want me to getfat?!”

“You do not have enough meat on those delicate bones of yours.” Drust gave a wry smile. “You have not fed properly. Female dragons should be plump. It prepares you better for bearingyoung.”

This time she did not throw a bottle at his head. She threw an entire jar. He ducked,frowning.

“What?”

“Wizard you are a chauvinist! I’m not getting fat so I can breed littledragons!”

Irritated, he folded his arms. “I did not say that was your sole purpose, mortal. I was merely stating afact.”

“Well, state this. I don’t need to gainweight.”

“Prove it. Prove to me you can easily shift into your dragon form, which you will need to do for this journey, arduous as it will be. You have not consumed enough rare meat to feed your dragon self and make the transition easier. The last time I saw you in dragon form, your scales were dull and I daresay they are not as strong as they should be to withstand anattack.”

“Fine.” She stretched out her arms and iridescent sparks shimmered aroundher.

Nothing happened. He watched her tryagain.

Nothing.

“You cannot shift into your dragon form.” He knew this, knew how she’d been drained, but had hoped he waswrong.

It had something to do with that damn book. How had it affectedher?

He needed answers from his fellowwizards.

“Lacey, you cannot defend yourself now if you cannot shift. You must trust me to guide you to destroying thebook.”

Lacey’s gaze sharpened. “You wish me to trust you? After you killed my father? Trust you that you’ll help me and not destroy me along with the book? Why should I do that, Drust, when you threatened to turn me into toad foodbefore?”

He saw her point. “There is no other way, Lacey. You saw the consequences of what happened to your dog…and your supplies. The book must be destroyed. Who else can youtrust?”

“I can try to destroy the book myself. I don’t need help from any wizard. You guys aren’t exactly helpful or have been in thepast.”

Patience had never been his strong suit, but he grit his teeth and summoned it now. “And how will you do that? It cannot be burned, even with coldfire. Bury it and the book will find its way to thesurface.”

Lacey folded her arms and stared at the opposite wall. Waves of fear, resentment and anger rolled off her. Drust knew he was running out of time. He wanted to shake sense intoher.

Protecther.

Hold her close and never let go, because his deepest fears somehow were entwined with this lovely, stubborn shifter. No time to analyze it. Not when she’d already unleashed a demon through chanting a spell in thebook.

“The quicker we leave, the less time demons have to follow the trail Willow took. Your store may be filled with good, light magick, but you are still in grave danger, along with anyone else who comeshere.”

Finally she looked at him with those woebegone green eyes. Mentioning her beloved dog had finally gotten through to her. “EvenLucky?”

“I advise you to bring him to your home. Do not leave him here. He will be safer in your home after I ward theproperty.”

“I’ll need time to gather my stuff. Where are wegoing?”

“You will see. I first must make arrangements with my fellowwizards.”