It wasn’t until Wynn heard something hit the floor that she realized that the magic had pierced Azh’s shield. With a frown, her gaze dropped to the heavy book that had appeared from seemingly nowhere. It looked like the same book that Azh had been showing her earlier. She assumed he must have kept it hidden beneath a weave of illusion.
“What’s happening?” she demanded.
“I don’t know.” He allowed the flames to vanish as he glanced down. He made a choked sound of surprise. “Wait. Look. It broke the seal.”
Wynn cautiously moved forward. The book had opened when it hit the nasty carpet, revealing the pages covered with elaborate illustrations.
“What seal?”
Azh squatted down, touching the picture of a dragon in flight with reverent care. “This part of the book has always been protected by Gabriela’s magic. I’ve never been able to see what was on the pages.”
“Then the magic is dragon,” Wynn breathed, not sure whether to be glad she’d discovered the truth or terrified it was inside her.
Azh continued to study the book. “It’s more than that. Only Gabriela or her magic could have broken through that seal.”
“I thought she was dead?”
“She is. But the power you absorbed must belong to her.” He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes a misty shade of gray. “That’swhy you feel so familiar. I’ve spent centuries searching for every scrap of information that survived the journey to this world.”
Wynn flinched at the sharp burst of anger that exploded in the center of her heart. It shouldn’t matter that his intense obsession had nothing to do with her and everything to do with some stupid magic from a female who’d died eons ago. It wasn’t like she wanted him chasing after her, right? Once she’d gotten rid of the curse, then she was returning to her normal life and Azh could...well, go back to his damned lair where he belonged.
“Great.” She sniffed, tilting her chin to a defensive angle. “Then you can get her out of me and the two of you can disappear back into hibernation where I’m sure you’ll be very happy together.”
The smoky eyes swirled with an emotion she couldn’t read. “Are you jealous, Wynn?”
Yes. Yes, she definitely was. And it was pissing her off.
“I’m confused, exhausted, and angry,” she hedged. “I want to be done with this. Can you get rid of it or not?”
He studied her for a long moment before returning his attention to the book. Then, with a wave of his hand, he lifted the illustrations from the page, allowing the image to coalesce in the middle of the room. Like a 3D model floating in midair.
Wynn dismissed her embarrassing stab of jealousy, stepping forward to watch the image of massive dragons soaring through an impossibly blue sky. She blinked in surprise as they swooped over towering mountains, realizing that there were two suns on the horizon.
“This must be an image of Kazak,” Azh said, slowly walking around the edge of the illusion.
“Your homeland?”
“Yes.” He sent her a quick glance. “If the statue came from there it would explain why I don’t fully recognize the magic.”
Wynn refused to contemplate the implications of having an alien magic inside her. Instead she concentrated on the dragons as they soared past the mountains and over a brilliant blue ocean.
“It looks like paradise.”
“Our ancient histories claim it was a land of plenty where creatures lived in peace,” Azh agreed.
Wynn snorted. She was willing to admit the landscape was enchanting, but she’d studied enough history to understand that there werealways winners and losers in any society, and that those who succeeded were often the ones climbing on the backs of the less fortunate.
“Histories are written by those in power,” she reminded him. “They rarely notice the creatures who don’t have plenty or the ones being brutalized by those who claim it’s in the name of peace.”
Something that might be approval flared through Azh’s eyes, as if he were pleased she’d bothered to read a book. Wynn clenched her teeth. She should be annoyed by the condescending ass. Instead a warm satisfaction settled in the center of her soul.
“You won’t get any argument from me,” he assured her. “The stories were written by dragons who were looking back to long-ago days. Their nostalgia no doubt added a rosy glow.”
Wynn sniffed, determinedly kept her attention locked on the illusion as one of the largest dragons arrowed downward, landing on a sandy beach. Her heart missed a beat as she realized it was the silver dragon. The one that Azh claimed was Gabriela.
The massive creature barely touched the white sand before it was surrounded by a thick cloud of smoke. Seconds later, the mist cleared to reveal the creature’s human form. She was tall and muscular with long silver hair and eyes that smoldered with crimson flames. Wynn couldn’t see any clothing, but her skin shimmered with the lustrous beauty of a pearl as if she were coated in a thin layer of scales. There was also a silver crown perched on top of her head.
“Gabriela,” Azh whispered in awe.
