Page 15 of The Mating Quest
She undid her braid and washed her hair, scrubbing the sticky lemonade from it, remembering Ethan’s look of amusement as he’d dumped it all overher.
By the time she dried off and dressed in a clean T-shirt and denim jeans, leaving her long hair loose to dry faster, she checked the wall clock and was stunned to see it was approachingeleven.
Tristan would be here soon and she needed to get this over with. The less time spent with the ruler of all Lupines, the better. Caderyn was the only wizard she trusted a tiny bit and even he wasunpredictable.
Ethan’s office was probably where the Silver Wizard would meet them. But as she turned down the labyrinth of corridors, Ilana realized she waslost.
She’d ask for directions, but doubted anyone would aid her. Unless it was off theproperty.
Just as she was about to head back to her locker to find her cell phone, the alpha himself appeared in the corridor, blocking her way. Ilanastartled.
“Damn wolf, are you always soquiet?”
In the faint light she saw his mouth quirk. “I am a hunter, and hunters are always silent. I figured you would get lost after your shower, so I came to escort you back to myoffice.”
They walked without words back to his office. Ethan opened the door for her and put a hand on the small of her back as if to escort her inside. She stiffened and quickly sidled away from histouch.
A heavy sigh emitted from him as he closed the door and leaned against it, regarding her. “I intend you no harm, Ilana. Not now. We should declare a truce, seeing as we need to worktogether.”
“Temporary truce, wolf. I don’t trust you any more than you trust me.” Mainly because she didn’t want those pain in the butt wizards lecturing her orworse.
“Deal,” heagreed.
He held out a hand, and with reluctance, she placed her palm in his to shake. His skin was warm and calloused, his grip strong but not overbearing. Ilana went to pull free, but he held on, turned her hand over to examine her palm, the two deep gashesthere.
“Strong, scarred hands for a female,” he murmured. “What are you, Ilana Simmons? What have you experienced to carry marks like this? Even my strongest fighters lack battle scars such asthese.”
I’ve roamed the earth and fought wicked things that would give your strongest fightersnightmares.
“Are you a fortune teller? Stop reading my palm. You won’t like what you see from my past.” She jerked her handaway.
Ethan looked impartial. “We all have secrets, Ilana. Things that shaped us, made us who weare.”
“Mr. Philosopher. Is that why Caderyn wants you to help find these items? Are you going to woo them out from hiding with your wisewords?”
Sarcasm always soothed her behind, provided a thick barrier between her true feelings and the world. Most people backed off. But Ethan with his cool blue gaze didn’t seemaffected.
Abruptly he turned and headed for his desk. “I’ve got a plan on how we can proceed. It’s all writtendown.”
“No doubt,” she muttered, but relieved he changed the subject. She didn’t like being subjected to hisscrutiny.
They said wolves had amazing senses that could sniff out lies. Her lies were woven from partial truths, but she didn’t want him revealing her layers andsecrets.
“The first talisman we’ll set out to find will depend upon what each wizard tells us. The easiest one will be first. Soon as we find it, and my sister bonds with it and then destroys it, she will leave. It will reduce our numbers and make it easier totravel.”
“But if the talisman empowers your sister, she can be an asset in providing protection,” Ilana pointedout.
“My sisters are not assets,” Ethan growled. “Besides, after she comes into her newfound powers, each sister will be apprenticed to that wizard to learn how to use those newfound magick. It’s dangerous to have that much power unless she knows how to useit.”
How ironic the words, and real the truth. For she’d known the same after obtaining her dark powers. “Raw power in the hands of an innocent isdeadly.”
The suspicious look he threw her indicated he knew she spoke fromexperience.
They were interrupted by the office door opening, and his sisters came inside. His sisters Brianna, Ava, Chloe, Dakota and Ella sat at the conference table. The women resembled each other with their dark hair, curves and fair faces. They wore floral dresses and pretty heels, but for Ella, who was dressed in elegant black linen trousers and a white silkshirt.
Ilana resisted the impulse to check her outfit. She ceased being feminine hundreds of years ago. Being attractive only got one introuble.
Ethan certainly did come from a good-looking family. The familiar pain shot through her as she wondered what her own family had looked like. Was her mother dark-haired as well, and did she give Ilana her blueeyes?
