I frowned. “So Nadine, Keegan, thepack…”
Eva paused. “Would lose their humanity and be stuck in their beast form. Nothing more than animals. Slaves to the magicalworld.”
I felt sick. This was too much pressure. “Maybe I should run. I have a friend in California. Maybe Logan and I should split up. Make it harder for them to catch us…” When Jen got back from her vacation, I could stay at her parents’ place inMalibu.
Logan flinched, looking hurt, and Eva tsk-tsk’d. “That would get you killed. Logan is your only chance at survival. If you run every time a druid is in town, you will never come up for air.No.You must train to control your dragon magic and learn the art of trickery. Those two acts alone will serve you well enough to keep you allalive.”
My dragon magic. “I don’t have dragon magic,” I told her. “It’s some weird purple unexplainedmagic.”
Eva’s lips tightened into a line. “I know. Logan called me. No matter. You are a dragon shifter and that magic must be controlled along with your ability toshift.”
I nodded, and felt as if I was getting a scolding from my mother. God, I missed my mother. I would even take her yelling at me rightnow.
“I must go now. Sloane, walk me out?” She opened her arm and I linked mine through it, wondering why the pureblood sorcerer wanted me of all people to walk herout.
As we passed everyone in the kitchen and made our way to the front door, Logan went to followus.
“Give us a minute, dear,” Eva told Logan, and he stopped following us and gave her a piercing look. Now my gut was churning with nerves. What would she want to talk to me about? Why couldn’t Logancome?
Once we were out on the porch, Eva dropped my arm and pulled out the keys to her black Mercedes. It gave a beep as she unlocked it and I stood there awkwardly wondering when she was going to saysomething.
She waved her hand and the passenger side door opened. “Step inside, dear. My car is spelled so that we may speakfreely.”
I raised an eyebrow. How the hell had she opened the door? Magic was cool … and freaky. I hesitated a moment, but deep down I trusted Eva. She could have harmed me before if that was her intent and shedidn’t.
I hugged my arms to my chest as I followed her to the car. Once I was inside I could smell the crisp leather, oil, and distinct scent of some flower. My nostrils must have been flaring, because Eva sat next to me and laughed. “Each sorcerer’s magic has a smell unique to them. Mine has a floral scent, don’t youthink?”
I nodded, wondering if I would ever stop learning about this newworld.
Eva reached out and took my hand and we both turned to face eachother.
“Logan thinks you’re a hybrid. Half dragon shifter and halfsorcerer.”
Her blunt proclamation shocked me a bit, but now that she had mentioned it, I was desperate to know her opinion. “Am I?” We had talked about it a little in her office, but she didn’t seem sure of what exactly I was, other than adragon.
Eva gave a sad smile and shook her head. “No. I know my own kind. As a purebred sorceress, I can sense the potency of magical blood within my own people. It’s how I make my living, telling people how much magic they have, what their magical lineage is, etcetera.Everyonewants to be a powerful sorcerer. It’s like getting your genealogy chartdone.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know what to say. I was kind of hoping I was part sorcerer. It would at least explain the weird purple magic I’d busted out earlier onBaldy.
Eva caressed my hand with her thumb. “You’re a sweet girl. I saw that the moment you stepped into myoffice.”
“Thank you.” My voice was weak; it felt like she was bracing me for something. Somethingbad.
“Honey. Dragon shifters can’t mate with other shifteranimals.”
I swallowed hard. “Iknow.”
She nodded. “And you’re not partsorcerer.”
“Okay…” My heart was pounding so loud in my chest I was sure sheheard.
“Sloane … I want you to prepare yourself for the possibility that you could be partdruid.”
Complete and utter shock trickled down my body from my head to my toes, and numbness saturated everything that I was. “What?” I yanked my hand back and clutched it to my chest. “No, that’s notpossible.”
Eva smoothed the pants of her suit. “It’s unheard of, notimpossible.”
“But … that would mean…” I wasn’t thinking clearly. “Druids and dragons hate each other. How could two of them mate? This iscrazy.”
