Page 48 of The Mating Quest
And you thought I didn’t needrefreshment?
Do you?Drust sounded amused in herhead.
It seemed like an hour later when the mountain range grew wider, and taller, the peaks dusted with snow, the valleys green and filled with crystal clear water. Instead of flying lower, Drust angled higher. She saw what looked like dots gathered on the summit of a tall mountain, a plateau where no trees grew, only tundra and wildflowers. The wizard flew closer, to the mountain’sedge.
A climbing rope hung off the summit, and yet she suspected no Skins had ever hiked this far. It sang of old and fiercemagick.
Drust dipped suddenly and she slid off his back. Cursing a blue streak, Ilana reached out, mentally pulled the rope to her hands. Grabbing it, she swung along the granite rock wall, but instead of smashing against it, she envisioned herself stopping two feet away.Safe.
She looked up and realized she had an audience. Dragons. Dozens of them peering down ather.
You did that on purpose,Drust.
I wanted to see what you could do. Let them see what you could do so there would be nosurprises.
Swallowing hard, realizing the time at the Mitchell Ranch would be a picnic compared to this, she climbed upward, ignoring the cuts on her palms from grabbing the rope in a panic. Her pack and sword bounced against herback.
A hand reached out, pulled her upward to herfeet.
She looked into the face of a man who did not lookpleased.
Drust landed on the summit, and the dragons, and the man bowed their heads. He swept out his wings and then transformed into Skin and his usual attire. The other dragons landed as well and as their riders climbed off, shifted back intoSkin.
Drust stroked his well-trimmed short beard. “This cave is where you will find the dragon’s scale talisman intended for me. Because my family is extended, and the circumstances surrounding this talisman are rather unique, she allowed me to transport you here. But now I must leave. My family will render aid, or not, in myabsence.”
Holding out a hand, he beckoned to Lacey. With a worried look for Ilana, Lacey whispered, “Goodluck.”
To her, not Chloe, whose task was to retrieve theartifact.
Sliding a hand around his mate’s waist, Drustvanished.
They were left standing before the yawning cave entrance, surrounded by dragons. Red dragons. Silver, black,green…
Despite herself, she felt a touch offear.
A tall man with black curls spilling down to the collar of his gray polo shirt, angular features and blue eyes stepped forward. His right pinkie was a stub, and an intriguing silver dragon tattoo curved up his neck and snaked down, vanishing into the polo shirt. Next to him was a women with brown curls pulled into a ponytail, a light dusting of freckles on her pert nose and cheeks. She wore a white tank top and her long legs were encased in blackjeans.
“Sebastian Kane,” the man said, drawing the woman forward. “Great-grandson of Drust, the Coldfire Wizard. Consort and mate to Princess Jewel d’Ariel d’Auberge auRhagos.”
“Otherwise known in Skin as Skylar,” the womansaid.
They smiled at Ethan, Chloe and Dakota. “Welcome to the cave of Drakon,” Sebastian said, but he had no such welcome for her, nor asmile.
“Why are all of you here?” Ethan asked, arms crossed over his chest. “To prohibit us from obtaining the talisman? It is for Drust we dothis.”
“We are invested in this, for Drust.” Sebastian swept a hand out, indicating the assembled dragons. “We are all his family, or his loyal subjects, prepared to aid you in thisquest.”
“Or deter you from it if you wish to use the dragon scale for your own dark purposes.” This from Alex, standing on Sebastian’s other side. Alex, who had been so friendly, and now lookedmenacing.
At her. Only at her, not Ethan, Chloe, and notDakota.
All these damn dragons looked menacing. Like Lupines, they had an uncanny sense of smell, and ability to sensedifferent.
Unlike Lupines, they could breathefire.
Alex narrowed his eyes as he stared at her. “My mate, Emma, would have been here as well, but she is at home, expecting our child. Well? Do you have anything to say, IlanaSimmons?”
She considered. “Um,congratulations?”
