Mara’s eyes snapped open. “How long was I gone?”
Legion squinted. “Only a second or two. Do you need to try again?”
“No, she told me what to do.”
Legion raised an eyebrow. “Adara?”
Mara put her hand on Legion’s arm. “That isn’t Adara. She died when she sent her magic into the world. The woman you saw, that I see, is the temple. Adara created an avatar to guide us before she died.”
Legion nodded. “I understand that now.”
“She also said that Adara’s dark passenger was a mage, but she doesn’t know who he is or if he still lives. The temple has no power here until we return her to this plane. She also said there are specific dragons we need, but I don’t know who they are.”
“Possibly the mates to the six druids. We will worry about that later. How do we save Natalie?”
“I have to embrace my power.”
Legion frowned. “I thought you had.”
“I need my circle to reach my full potential.”
His eyes flickered with golden flame. “How do you find it?”
Mara closed her eyes and focused on her power. She envisioned the table in the temple with the empty circle. The dragon statue carved to Legion’s likeness formed in her mind. She saw Adara holding it to her chest before placing it in a wooden crate. She opened her eyes. “I need the wooden statue. The one that looks like you.”
Legion closed his eyes. “It is upstairs. Draco brought it with the other things he restored from the shop.”
Mara ran to the spare room littered with various scrolls, books and figurines from the store. The images in her mind had her walking to the corner of the room to retrieve the statue. She grabbed it, looking over the seamless carving. She recalled the vision of Adara holding the statue to her chest. Power flowed through her, transfusing the item in her arms, returning it to its original construction.
She flipped over the dragon, running a finger over its belly. The line appeared before the black circle fell into her hands. The etched symbol of the eye carved deep into the shiny surface. Light flared as the room disappeared into a wall of power.
Chapter 23
Power raged through Mara’s bloodstream like wildfire. Images rolled through her head like she was in a theater, watching someone else’s life enfold. The world witnessed through the eyes of a ghost?
She floated through a house with shiny oak tables and expensive rugs. She didn’t recognize the home. It gave an outward opinion of beauty, yet it felt hollow. Every antique set up for show. A movie set with the main character yet to appear.
She moved to an enormous library. Books placed immaculately on every shelf, with their owner at the helm. Devlin sat at the table flipping pages in a massive leather-bound book. He looked up, hissing. “How did you find me?”
Mara assumed he was talking to her until Legion marched through the door. His eyes blazed fire and lightning pulsed up his arm. Scales formed beneath his skin before the ball of magic erupted in the room, directed at Devlin. “Your time is over.”
She hurried from the room, looking for something to identify her location. The small office was littered with papers, but none had an address on them. A leather chair was angled at the street, admiring lights that twinkled in the distance. Casting shadows on the tall buildings that reached for the sky. “It’s on the outskirts of the city.” She moved to the window, zeroing in on the street sign down the road. “It’s on Walter lane. It’s a big house with purple flowers in the front. I can’t see the building itself. I am inside.”
Legion’s voice echoed in her mind. We can find it now. Return to me. Release the vision.
Mara opened her eyes to Legion’s handsome face. “You did good. I have to go before Devlin wakes. I need you to stay here with Draco.”
Mara shook her head. “I should go with you. I was there.”
“No, my love. You saw Devlin and me. Not another version of yourself. You are staying here.”
Legion shifted to his human form, putting the glamor in place that made it appear like he was wearing clothes. He had sensed no humans, but the revelation that there could be a rogue mage loose in the world made him vigilant.
Conner folded his wings as he joined his leader on the grounds of the Walter street house. The grounds were manicured with purple flowers on the cultured lawn. The blue house was less ornate, as if it was owned by someone who took pride in their home. It was an unusual choice for Devlin. They advanced toward the house that acted as a perfect mask for the monster inside.
Legion took the lead as they searched the rooms in the home. The office Mara described was at the end of the hall. There was a faint rustle of paper before a low groaning sound echoed in the hall. He stormed into the small office with his magic exploding out of him.
Devlin was blinking his eyes, as if trying to orientate himself. He sat back quickly in his chair when he saw Legion. “How did you find me? This location is protected by...”
Legion hissed. “Your time is over.” A fire ball of power slammed into the startled dark dragon.
Devlin erected a flimsy shield. Still, Legion’s magic slammed him into the bookcase, showering him with falling texts. He pulled himself upright with blazing red eyes. “Your time as leader of the Rule clan is ending. Even if you defeat me, your destiny is to die while holding the dead seer in your arms.”
Legion’s dragon roared in his head. The mental image Devlin painted was burned in his memory for all time. It took all his considerable will and years of control to reign in his beast’s thirst for Devlin’s blood. “You are confident for a dragon
