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“It depends. It can vary from dragon to dragon, but typically, the full process lasts about two to three months,” I told her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “You’re into it a bit already, and it won’t end completely once you have your first shift, but things are progressing as they should. That’s a great sign.”
“I suppose. I just don’t like the idea of being at the whims of my dragon.” She gestured to her back. “I mean, I had no idea. It just felt like a backache.”
I chuckled. “For good reason. Look, I don’t want you to worry about your shift. It may feel overwhelming now, but once you get the hang of it, you'll have full control over your abilities.”
She nodded slowly, biting her lip as she considered my words. I knew she was strong, but grappling with this new reality was testing her limits.
“Come on,” I said gently, rising to my feet and pulling her up with me. “Let's go check on Sofia and get some dinner going. It'll help take your mind off things for a little while.”
Mariah nodded again, and we made our way back out into the living room.
“Everything okay?” Jax glanced between the two of us.
“I have wings,” Mariah said, turning around and pulling the shoulder of her shirt down far enough that the tops of them showed.
“Oh, damn.” He jumped to his feet. “That happened just now?”
Mariah nodded. “I thought it was just a backache.” Then she laughed, which gave me some small relief.
“Looks like someone is ready to come out and play soon.” Jax grinned. “Now, that is something I’m looking forward to.”
“Where’s Sofia?” I asked.
“She was acting fussy, so I tried to give her some food. She wanted none of it, so I put her in the portable crib,” Jax said. “She was out immediately.”
I placed my hand on Mariah’s lower back. “Let’s go tuck her in.”
We walked down the hall to Sofia's room. Just as Jax said, she was fast asleep in her crib, her tiny chest rising and falling with each breath. Mariah's eyes softened, full of love as she gazed down at her. The bond between them seemed stronger than ever.
After gently kissing Sofia, careful not to wake her, we headed to the kitchen, where Jax now sat at the counter with his laptop open in front of him. His fingers flew across the keys, his expression tense.
“Back at it already?” He was working tirelessly these days. “Want to take a break for dinner?”
He shook his head, so focused on his screen, he didn’t even look up. “I’d rather work through dinner to be honest. I feel like I’ve got it.”
I turned back to Mariah, noting the concern in her eyes as she watched Jax. I knew she was worried about him—about all of us—but right now, we had to focus on gaining any advantage we could. Jax knew what he was doing. Hopefully he’d also know how to take a break soon.
“That’s great news. We’ll get dinner started, then.”
I pulled out some pots and pans, and set them on the stove while Mariah chopped some vegetables we’d picked up at a grocery store on the way here. Stir-fry and rice was one of her favorites. The familiar rhythm of cooking together seemed to help soothe her nerves, and before long, the food was sizzling away, filling the air with delicious scents.
We served up three plates, but Jax gave us a regretful look. “I hope you don’t mind if I take this to my room. I think I’m onto something and need to really stay focused.”
“Whatever you need,” I said.
“Just don’t work too hard, Jax,” Mariah said. “Please.”
He turned and gave her a wink. “Are your maternal instincts kicking in? Don’t worry about me. Seriously. I know my limits.”
She didn’t look convinced as he took his plate and headed to his room with his laptop. “What is he working so hard on?”
“I imagine he’s working on our plan to attack Tomas where it hurts the most: his bank accounts. He's managed to hack into some of Tomas’s accounts and freeze some of his assets, but there’s so much that it’s taking a while to find what will really make an impact. It's only a matter of time before Tomas catches on.”
“And then what?”
My heart beat faster as I thought about the answer to that question.
“Well, let’s just say that if dropping these hints of where you are doesn’t draw him out of wherever he’s hiding, he’s going to show his face once we hit him in his pockets. Either way, we’re getting closer.”
