Page 61 of The Mating Quest
The scorpion’s tail. That was most lethal. The chimera advanced toward Ethan, tail held upright. Moving around the chimera, Ethan blew a line of fire at the snake’s head, scorchingit.
The chimera backed away, mewling. Ethan shifted back to Skin and yelled, “Hold your positions for a moment, everyone, until I can disable itmore!”
Ilana did not. Screaming to divert it from Ethan, she rushed forward, Starsong at the ready. Whirling, acting on centuries of battle instinct, she danced out of reach of the dragon as it tried to blow flames ather.
The scorpion stinger came close, but she dropped and rolled, hitting her head. Ignoring the brief pain, she came up with an undercut beneath the tail as it attacked the air, looking for her. Like steel through butter, Starsong sliced off the tail. The tail continued to writhe, but the chimera was weakened, the fire pouring from the great dragon mouth growingfainter.
Ilana swung her sword and the dragon head parted from its shoulders. Sheshuddered.
“All clear,” she calledout.
As the others filed into the room, lighting the cave and showing the dead chimera, she felt a gush of pure relief. Ethan glared at her. She wiped blood from her forehead. “That was a terrific blow,huh?”
“Terrific? I told you to wait, damnit. Why do you always have to work alone? You’re not fucking invincible. You could have been seriously hurt or even killed,” Ethan yelled ather.
Her elation faded. She scowled. “And nothing happened, okay? So back off,wolf.”
How could she tell him that she couldn’t die? No, she’d fade and be transported to some freaking Fae community where she’d fall asleep like Rip Van Winkle. When she awoke, everyone who mattered would be long gone, either dead or moved away, thinking she had beenkilled.
She wiped her blade and sheathedit.
Ethan fisted his hands. “We’re a team, remember? No, you don’t remember. I was about to call for back up from the others when you decided to gosolo.”
He picked up his torch. “Next time you want to do that, I don’t care what the wizards or the goddess herself says. I want you gone from my sight and thisquest.”
Chapter 18
They tooka break in the cave, pausing to eat the snacks they’d brought. Ilana stood a distance from the group as they sat in a circle. Ethan’s words stillstung.
A sharp reminder that she was a loner, not used to working in a team. She’d tried to help, but made things worse. Although she was angry at him for chastising her, part of her knew he was right. This wasn’t her quest. Herbattle.
Chloe waved a sandwich. “Ilana, come eat. You have to replenish yourstrength.”
“Go on. I’mfine.”
“Ilana,eat.”
The stern order from Ethan almost made her walk away. Struggling to control her temper, she went to the pack of supplies, dug out a granola bar, tore it open and then returned to her position leaning against the cavewall.
Damn himanyway.
Chloe was chattering to cover the grim silence. “Lupines have to eat, especially Changeling shifters, when we shift into different forms. We expend so much energy. I know I’m starved after I turn into a different animalform.”
“What’s the most interesting form you’ve taken?” Lucas finished hissandwich.
“Probably an eagle. It was lovely, soaring up in the sky.” She sighed. “And the fishing was excellent. My eyesight was so sharp, even hundreds of feet above the lake. But it didn’t last long. My other animal forms never do lastlong.”
The granola bar tasted like cardboard, but Ilana forced herself to finish it. Time seemed to have stood still in this cave. Her internal clock warned the day was wearingoff.
Drust’s magick might be wearing off as well, and there was no way they could withstand a full bout of dragonfire.
“If you’ve finished with lunch and social hour, we need to move it,” she toldthem.
Instead of snapping at her for giving orders, Ethan nodded. “Let’s go. We can’t risk losing our dragon protection and we have at least another mile togo.”
“More like a half mile,” Lucas said cheerfully as he helped them clean up. “You’ll feel the changes in the cave when you approach the cave of thearachnids.”
They continued advancing deeper into the cave. The temperature began to rise. Sweat slicked her skin, pooled in the waistband of hertrousers.
