Page 57 of Dragon My Crazy

Me:Tried to scry. Found them. They’re together. Going to open a portal and bring them through.

Then I was digging into the pockets of my tool belt. I focused on the scene in the water, then ripped open the pouch and aimed it against the bookcase, willing the portal to open up inside the cage.

I held my breath as the portal swirled open in front of me. Dizzi looked back at me through the portal, her eyes wide. Except that the portal hadn’t opened up inside the cage, it opened up justoutsideof it.

Ugh! So close!

But those three feet meant she couldn’t walk to safety.

Dizzi moved quickly, gathering Melly into her arms. The goblin girl had bruises on her face and a split lip.

“He left the key on the table,” she whispered. Her eyes darted to the side like she thought someone was going to walk in. “Hurry. He’s going to be back soon.”

If I moved fast, I’d be able to grab the key, free them, and step right back through the portal before Leroy got back. I took a deep breath and stepped through, bracing for the disorientation that often came with portal travel.

I stumbled out into a cold, damp cavern, right into the bars.

Dizzi was there instantly, reaching out to me through the bars and steadying me. “The key is right there. Hurry!”

I focused my magic, telling it to keep the portal open. I hoped this worked.

Then I stumbled over to the table and grabbed the keys, which were on the world’s ugliest keychain of a busty woman bending over. Eww! What horrible taste! Then I was back and opening the cage door. I’d just taken Melly from Dizzi’s arms when my luck ran out.

“What the fuck is happeni—”

Leroy glared at me from where the cave opened out into a corridor. But when our eyes met, the anger in his eyes changed to something far worse. Greed and fascination, and I realized he could see my magic in full now.

I wasn’t going to let him anywhere near me.

I exchanged a look with Dizzi. “Ready?”

“Go!” she replied.

And we both leaped into the portal. But Leroy’s arms were already moving, throwing a spell. Whatever it was, it hit the portal just as we jumped through. The world around us shook and shattered; the sound of the portal tearing like a physical thing echoed loudly in my ears… and then, there was nothing.

Chapter 26

Emmett

Elanawasgoneagain.

I paced the main foyer of my castle, phone in hand again, as I read and reread her message.

Elana:Tried to scry. Found them. They’re together. Going to open a portal and bring them through.

I should’ve answered those calls. I should’ve read her message right away. But instead, I’d told myself I needed to concentrate on looking for my daughter, and that the message could wait, the phone calls could wait.

Five minutes. That was how long I’d waited.

I should’ve landed immediately. Now I was missing both my childandmy mate. I’d failed them again.

I read the hastily written message again, frustration growing. There wasn’t enough information in those few words.Wherehad she found them? Inside the mountain? Or in the woods? What had happened?

I’d found one of Sena’s old magical spell books open inside the witch’s casting room, but as always, I couldn’t read any of it. She’d always put privacy spells on both her books and journals. It had pissed Leroy off royally when he realized he couldn’t access any of her knowledge after her death. Certain that the spell would fade eventually, I’d kept her things the way she’d left them. The words on the page were still gibberish to me, but Elana had clearly been able to read them. It must be because the castle had chosen her.

My heart had filled with joy when I first realized what had happened. It was one more reason for Elana to stay here with me. The castle—or was that the remainder of Sena’s spirit?—had known she was the right woman. But what use was that now that she was gone?

I’d found the remnant of a foil-wrapped spell in the room. According to the word written in thick green marker, it hadbeen a portal spell. The spell must’ve worked, because Elana was gone. But what had happened after?