Page 11 of The Mating Quest
She brightened. “Rats are kindacool.”
“A rat in a room filled with hungryfelines.”
“Oh.” Didn’t sound so great afterall.
Ignoring them both, Ethan tapped his gold pen against the paper. “We need to question in depth Tristan, Gideon and Drust. Individually, and alone. This is where we’ll need your help, ShadowWizard.”
“Guess you don’t really need me now.” Ilana headed for thedoor.
“Ilana, stay.” Ethan scowled. “Danu ordered you on thisquest.”
“Fine. But if you’re going to question the all mighty and all powerful wizards of the Brehon, do you mind calling your dogs off my case? Or are they going to tail me everywhere Igo?”
Ethan nodded at Mark. Slowly, with glares for her, they filed out of the room and closed the door behindthem.
The Shadow Wizard stared off into the distance. “My duties call me. I shall send Tristan to you at midnight, Ethan and Ilana, so you may question him. But know this. Tristan and the other wizards have little time, so be efficient. You have no time to waste if you wish to gain these items that could be used againstus.”
Caderyn faded from theirgaze.
Tapping the gold pen on the tablet, Ethan looked at her. “Much as I don’t trust you, we will have to work together. Have a seat and let’s brainstorm what we need toask.”
She chose to sit on the conference table, near her dagger. Heglared.
“In this office, we are civilized and usechairs.”
“I think better like this,” she drawled, dangling her legs and swinging them back and forth. “Caderyn says it suitsme.”
Ethan tilted his head at her. “What is the Shadow Wizard to you? I thought the Crystal Wizard was the guardian of Mages likeyou?”
Ilana stared out the window. How could she explain to this wolf that Caderyn had begun as her guardian, but then perhaps six hundred years ago she learned from other Mages that Xavier had been handed the responsibility to judge and guard her kind? All except for her. Each time she cried out to Xavier for help, he neverresponded.
In desperation, she called to the Shadow Wizard for aid. In turn, he taught her tofight…
“I’m a special case,” shemuttered.
“Yeah, you are.” But his gaze was notunkind.
An hour passed, or perhaps two, when he glanced outside. “It’s growing late, and dinner will be served. I suggest we take a break and eat, and after dinner, consult with mysisters.”
She slid off the table. “Sounds good. I’mstarved.”
“We don’t have boiled toads or cooked eye of newt here for your pleasure,” Ethandrawled.
Her mouth twisted. “I only eat those on full moons, when I sacrifice chickens while dancing naked around abonfire.”
His gaze gleamed as if he’d like to witness her dancing naked. Then he jerked a thumb to theright.
“Dining hall’s down there, to your right. Dinner is served from 6 to9.”
Tilting her head at him, Ilana frowned. “Don’t youeat?”
“I have work. This farm doesn’t run byitself.”
With that he reached for a fat sheaf of papers and began shuffling through them Ilana got the hint and left, closing the door behindher.
She found a restroom, attended to her business and carefully washed her hands. Staring at herself in the mirror, she ruefully noted the tiredness around her eyes. Blue eyes, blue as the changing colors of the diamond Danu wished her to seek. Odd diamond then, for the color was really blue-gray, sometimes turning grayer than blue at certainmoments.
Nothing was in her control anymore. She hated that, but if she managed to do this quest and aid the Wylding sisters, she’d finally go to her eternal reward. Maybe there she’d find the peace lacking in this world. The justice shesought.
