Free Dragon Magic: Book 3: Prophecy of the Dragons by E. J. Krause

hated him. She didn't even know if he had a mate. He had to, right? Wasn't that a part of being a dragon? She thought about looking it up in her brain's encyclopedia, but when the doorbell rang again, she decided she could do that later.
    Fillmore gave her a nod when she pulled the door open, followed by a slight grin. "Looking ravishing, Alexandria." She rolled her eyes, and moved to close the door when he stepped forward and blocked it. "Hold on, I have something for you." He held up an envelope with her name on it. "Supposedly you're expecting this."
    Andi frowned and took it from him. "Yes, I am." Though she hadn't realized it until this instant. What was it, anyway? Not that she'd open it in front of him.
    His creepy leer disappeared from his face, and he said, "Your parents and I rarely saw eye to eye, but their passing does honestly sadden me. And thank you and Benjamin for righting the wrongs that were done to dreams. I have no idea what they were doing to…"
    "To whom?"
    He shook his head. Was he fighting back tears? Before she could find out, he looked back up at her with his creeper-face fully intact. "Never you mind." He stepped back onto the front porch. "Remember, my offer still stands. If you ever want to spend a few hours with a real man rather than your boy of a mate, you need just ask."
    Andi groaned and slammed the door shut in his face. His laughter trailed away as he headed down the front walk. She looked back out the peephole, but he was already gone. Was all of his yuckiness an act? Had she seen his real self? She sighed, shook her head, and then didn't give it another thought as she opened the envelope.

Chapter 13
     
    Three bolts of energy spun around the room, zipping in and out of their tight spirals every few laps. Andi stood next to Ben, trying to keep an eye on all three. Nervous energy seeped from her, and Ben guessed his calm kept it from escalating. He didn't bother tracking the streaks around the room as he and Felix had already locked eyes, daring the other to make the first move.
    This wasn't the first time Felix had run this trial. It was a test of his mind's nimble control over magic. At some point in the next few moments – though Felix had waited ten minutes once – all three bolts of dark energy would dive inwards and try to race past Ben's defenses. Ben had passed this test once, but that time Felix had thrown a single bolt. All the other times, Ben had either been singed or had eradicated the bolts before they started their attack. According to Felix, that premature strike could often be as bad or worse as defending too late.
    Without any sort of hint, the bolts shot in. Before they'd moved even six-inches, Ben eradicated them, also without moving a muscle. All three bolts dissipated into nothing.
    "What happened?" Andi asked.
    "It seems I didn't stand a chance," Felix said.
    Ben shrugged and leaned over to kiss Andi's forehead. "You've supercharged me, babe. Especially since we've been training together. I feel unstoppable."
    "Made you humble, too," Felix said. Andi laughed at that, and Ben felt his face heat up.
    "I didn't mean anything by it," he mumbled, which got Andi to laugh even harder and Felix to chuckle.
    "I know," Felix said. "You're only speaking the truth. And here's another truth: I believe you're ready to face the resurrection trial."
    Ben raised his eyebrows, and confusion flashed off Andi. They hadn't discussed that yet, but she'd be up to speed soon enough. "So? What do we do?"
    "That's up to you," Felix said. "Let your powers reach out and find how to get there. If you can't figure it out, you're not ready."
    "Figure it out, huh?" He closed his eyes and pushed his powers into the multiverse. Felix said something, but he didn't pay it any mind. At this point it was probably something snarky anyway. The line to the proper dimension opened, and Ben didn't say anything. He grabbed both their hands, and they were there.
    "Welcome," a raspy voice, one that sounded