“We should head out,” Logan said, over my shoulder. “Eva thinks the druids are close by. She’s shielded us now, but we need to get back toCalifornia.”
I took one more whiff of the flower, and couldn’t help the smile that burst across my face. In a small way, Isaac had brought her to lifeagain.
“Thank you,” I told the druid, we walked back to thecar.
Isaac had something in his hand, wrapped in white cloth. “You’re welcome,” he said, and handed me thecloth.
It was a little damp, and when I opened it and saw my mother’s necklace, I was glad. It had been washed, and the large red ruby shone in the moonlight. I’d touched this thing a million times, more so as a kid, sitting on her lap or lying with her, but I’d never worn it.Ever.
“Should I … do this now?” I asked him, while everyone piled into theSUV.
Isaac nodded. “If it has … some sort of reaction, I would rather that happen here than on the land where they can trackit.”
With my track record, reaction was going to be anunderstatement.
“What if it doesn’t work like my staff did? To hone and anchor my powers?” I asked my mentor. That friggin' staff was perfect for me. I was still in denial that it wasgone.
He shrugged. “Then we’ll go to planB.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Whichis?”
A slow grin crept across his face. “Still working onit.”
Hah! Plan B was nothing.Great. Everyone was in the car now except Logan. He’d come to stand patiently by myside.
“You got this,” hesaid.
Right. Like a nuclear blast of purple wasn’t about to shoot out of me and put me into a coma.Please don’t shoot out and put me in a coma,I prayed. I had to believe that nothing my mother created could ever hurt me. Unclasping the lock, I slipped it around my neck, holding my breath while Logan fixed the clasp behindme.
“Take off your shoes,” Isaacgrowled.
Oh. Right. Stupidshoes.
The cool and heavy ruby lay against my skin, sending small sparks of power along my nerves, but nothing terrifying. The moment my bare feet touched the ground, a wave of heat welled up inside of me and threatened to make me explode. It was quick and hot, but died down just asfast.
“You’re flushed,” Logan said,worried.
“I’m okay,” I squeaked. A reservoir of power had opened up like a sinkhole inside of me, so vast and … alive. Heat flushed my skin for a moment while a low hum built in my chest. I took in a deep breath and it settled, but it was still there, just beneath the surface, ready andwaiting.
“Fire magic,” Isaac said, and he ran his hand over my energy, three inches away from my body. I could feel some type of pull, as if my body were responding to him, even though he wasn’t touching me. My dragon slithered inside of me, pushing against the magic there. It was as if I’d just been filled up where I was once half empty, and now they were competing for space. Isaac’s warning to keep my dragon strong so that my druid magic didn’t consume her jumped to the forefront of mymind.
Stay strong, girl, I toldher.
“Let’s go!” Eva shouted out the window, banging the door with her openpalm.
I’d almost forgotten druids were after us, possibly with The Eye. The way I left Ireland, Ardan was no doubt ready to tear my head off and drink my magic in a blaze of fury. I turned to leave when Isaac caught myarm.
“Not so fast. I want to see you use it,” hesaid.
“Use my magic? Here?” I looked at the public place. Granted it was closed, but there was no telling what my purple fire could do to a place like this. A place ofrest.
Isaac nodded. “I cannot have you experimenting with magic this powerful on the land and bringing the hunters. Your dragon is close to the surface. She doesn’t like the new flood of power. If she is going to come out, betterhere.”
This freaking hippie was a mind reader! How the heck did he know all that? I knew better than to ask him. But he was right. My mother’s necklace was different. It wasn’t like the staff, anchoring me to the Earth. It was like a freaking beacon, funneling untold amounts of magic through me, AND anchoring me to the Earth—but only a little. My dragon was uneasy with the amount of magic buzzing around my body. I needed to test it out here and make sure it didn’t force her toshift.
Inodded.
“Wait.” Logan grabbed my arm. “Is itsafe?”
