Dragon's Lair by Denise Lynn

white, orange and purple candle wax point to a scrying ritual.” She touched the red spot in the middle. “Obviously whoever did this was doing so for a female.”
    Alexia knew that much by the wax—red for a female, black for a male. “Didn’t they need some personal effect?”
    â€œWas your car locked?”
    â€œNo.” They all looked at her like she’d just admitted to a crime, so she explained, “The lock broke a few months ago and I haven’t gotten around to getting it fixed yet. Nobody breaks into cars back home.” Apparently that assumption was wrong.
    Danielle shrugged. “Then access to a strand of your hair would have been easy.”
    â€œYeah, but why go to the trouble of performing a ritual out in the open? They could have been caught. Wouldn’t it have been easier to use an altar somewhere private?”
    Braeden asked, “Where was your car parked?”
    â€œAt the museum, near the college.”
    â€œIt’s nearly Halloween.” Sean added, “This time of year, who would think twice about some student burning candles on top of a car?”
    â€œBut we’re talking about a small town in the Midwest. It’s not exactly a hotbed of wizards and witches.”
    â€œYou’d be surprised,” Danielle muttered under her breath. “It doesn’t need to be a hotbed, just takes one—”
    â€œOne who wants the manual,” Braeden finished his aunt’s sentence.
    Danielle touched the melted wax, then shook her head. “But I don’t see how this particular ritual would have helped. It was most likely repeated at an altar, with a crystal ball, bowl or mirror.”
    â€œThen what was the point of doing this to my car?” Alexia chipped off some of the wax with a fingernail.
    â€œTo let you, or us, know you would be followed.”
    Braeden asked, “If you didn’t meet the person, did you ever talk to who wanted to hire you?”
    Alexia glanced at the wax and shivered. “Not on the phone or in person. But yes, we did…chat, so to speak.”
    Danielle’s sharp gasp drew everyone’s attention. “You let down your guard to a stranger?”
    â€œNot on purpose. But it didn’t matter, he slipped through quite easily.”
    â€œOne of the Learned sent her here.” Danielle gasped and raised a hand to her chest as if protecting her heart. “You’ve brought danger to us all.”
    â€œThat was probably the idea to begin with.” Braeden put an arm around his aunt, pulling her close. “But don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”
    â€œFine? How can you even think that? They killed your parents. They’ll not rest until they rid the world of Drakes. You know that, Braeden.” She pointed a shaking finger atAlexia. “Get rid of that woman once and for all. She’s nothing but a curse personified.”
    Alexia had to hand it to Danielle—her theatrics had greatly improved over the years. Or was it theatrics? Was Danielle going overboard out of guilt? Or to cover her steps. When it came to spells, potions and invading someone else’s mind, there was no one better than Danielle Drake.
    â€œShe can’t stay here, Braeden. Surely you see that. Look at what’s happened at Mirabilus. She’s nothing but trouble. We’ll all end up dying.” Danielle slid a measuring look toward Braeden. Was she baiting him or gauging his reaction?
    â€œYou’re seeing things that aren’t there.” Sean’s tone was sharp.
    Danielle tore out of Braeden’s embrace to confront Sean. “You may not have honed your powers, but they do exist. Have you forgotten the things that have happened to this family? The things she’s done to this family? I haven’t. I want her gone. Now.”
    â€œDone.” Alexia opened her car door, then looked at Braeden. “Sorry to have bothered