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She held her hand out, and a thread of magic wrapped around her finger. “I feel it. It’s druid and dragon magic. How does it work?”
“Only a mated couple can unbind this ward. It takes the combined magic to release the trap.”
Her eyebrows arched. “Trap? What does it do?”
“This entire tunnel will twist and collapse. Have you ever wrung out a towel? It looks something like that.”
She blinked. “That sounds painful.”
“It’s a death trap. Literally. Not even a dragon can survive it. We must release the ward to pass,” Kell said.
“How? We aren’t mated and I am not at full power.”
“You are my mate, and I can draw on your magic if you allow it. Magnus used the same technique with his mate to set the ward. It is an effective countermeasure for a dark dragon, as they have no means to combat this spell.”
“Okay. Do whatever you need to do,” Alana said.
“Your magic is naturally bound. Release it into my care.”
“How?”
He smiled. “The words don’t matter. It is your intention. Specifically, that you trust me with your power.”
She held her hands out. While she wasn’t sure if she needed an action, it felt more natural. “I am the seeker and mate to the dragon, Kell. Unbind my power so he may release this ward and assist our temple. We are together in all things. The dragons and druids are entwined. Our destiny is their destiny.” As she spoke the words, she knew they were the same as the previous dragon leader. The voice that exited her mouth had the undertone of another. The tunnel shuddered before it opened up, enlarging so it was the same size as the one they stood in.
“Well, that was...” Her magic surged and her vision wavered. Heat surrounded her before Kell pulled her into his arms and a bubble appeared around them. Her breath came in short gasps. “What... is... happening?”
Kell gritted his teeth. “Your power is trying to bind with mine. I thought your birthday was tomorrow, but you are at full power. Your declaration should not have had this effect.”
Alana could see the tendrils of power wrapping around Kell. “I can’t stop it.”
“Pull it back. It is getting stronger. Our magic is destined to be together, and I cannot hold this shield for long,” he hissed as the muscles in his neck strained.
She focused inwardly. Looking for the source of her magic. She found it deep in her soul and realized she was being affected by an outside source. The dragon claw was close, and it boosted her power. “It’s the claw. It’s affecting me. It’s tuned to druid magic.”
“Our magic is twining. This is only supposed to happen in the presence of the bonding crystal. I am unsure how to stop it.”
Alana’s thoughts moved to her past. She couldn’t guarantee Kell’s safety, despite his assurances. She had been warned what would happen if she allowed another male near her. How many times had Breggar promised to kill any man she showed an interest in? Kell was not a man, but she had let him worm through her defenses. This was for his own safety, though.
The dark dragon that haunted her nightmares would know if she bonded with another dragon. The magic he used was still a dragon rune, and she had no misconception of what it would do if Kell’s magic connected with it.
“Adara, help me!” Her vision blurred as the cave walls wavered and dissolved.
CHAPTER17
Alana sucked in a breath, only to learn she did not possess lungs in the strange ancient room. One candle flickered on the wall while the others remained unlit. A large leather-bound book sat on a stone altar in the middle of the room, but it was too dark for her to make out the strange script on the spine. Large tapestries hung on the walls. Pictures of an era lost in time. It looked like the room in the temple that Mara visited, but it lacked the welcoming presence the others had described.
“Adara?” she whispered.
The shadows seemed to move before Adara formed before her. She had met her before at the camp, but she had looked young and vibrant then. The avatar she used to interact with the druids looked worn and hollow. She could see the walls behind Adara’s form as if she lacked the power to complete her form. “Yes, child.”
“How am I here?” Alana asked.
“I have a connection to the dragon caves in Scotland. I needed a conduit to tap its power. It will not sustain me for long. You must return to the caves in Colorado and call me with the dragon’s claw and your circle. Those artifacts are not safe anywhere else.”
“I didn’t bring the circle with me. I didn’t think I could reach you here.”
“In truth, I did not realize Magnus infused these caves with such spells. When you leave, these caves will be dark for all time. All remnants of the past will corrode.”
