Page 98 of The Mating Quest
Dakota buried her face into her hands. “Ilana, why didn’t you tell usbefore?”
Snarls and growls followed. Several of the Lupines approached, looking ready to snap her in half. She forced herself to stand her ground, glaring at them. Tristan flicked out his fingers, creating small dancing globes ofenergy.
Ethan growled and stepped before her. “Stop it. Leave her be or I’ll tear you apart with my bare hands. This is private business between Ilana andmyself.”
“Not private if Gideon dies,” Darius shouted. “Do you have any idea what a demon with his powers can do? What kind of hell Gideon’s mate, Alia, will suffer with her husband cast forever intoshadow?”
Tristan flung the energy balls at the angry Lupines, who yipped as the globes slammed into them. “Enough! All of you, except for Aiden, Kyle, Ethan, Ilana and Dakota, out. Nia, please, can you calm themdown?”
Nia herded the angry males out of the room, her no nonsense attitude refreshing. The woman threw Ilana a pityinglook.
For once she didn’t mind the pity. Thecommiseration.
The wizard gave Ilana a stern look. “Ilana, explain to everyone now what happened andwhen.”
So this was it. The moment of reckoning. She ran her fingers through her half-woven braid, releasing the hair. “I think it was Gideon’s talisman, but I didn’t realize what it was at thetime.
“It was about 200 years ago, when I went to the Winter Kingdom for help. I found a pack of ogres living in Oregon who were enslaved and being abused. I sensed Dark Fae magick. I tried to free them…but lacked sufficient magick. The bond holding them was too strong. So I tried to plead with the Winter King, but he refused to grant me an audience. His aide, Cormac, told me to return the following day and maybe, only maybe, the king might see me. Cormac seemed nice… wanted to helpme.
“That night, I camped out in the forest near this stream that divides the Winter and Summer Kingdoms. I was about to fall asleep when something called to me with the sweetest, purest music. I followed it and found… this small red feather, a fairyfeather.”
Ethan said nothing. She still couldn’t look athim.
“I knew it was powerful, felt this jolt of pure magick. I used some ferns to touch it so my hands could not absorb more magick, and then buried it.Deep.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment, then she finally looked at Ethan. No one else mattered. Not Dakota, nor Aiden, and not evenTristan.
OnlyEthan.
“Please believe me. I didn’t want it falling into the wrong hands. The magick in it… I sensed it was a conduit, a direct line to one of the wizards. It was not for me touse.”
Ethan spoke quietly. “Was this before or after you became lovers withCormac?”
Dakota gasped. She ignored it, focused on his face. “Before. I didn’t trust anyone in that kingdom with the knowledge. After… we were lovers and I gained his powers. I realized how foolish I’d been with Cormac, but I knew I’d make the right decision about not telling anyone about the fairy feather. Then Caderyn told me Gideon killed him so I didn’t have to worry about Cormacanymore.”
Her voice trembled. “Please Ethan, believe me. I never intended for this tohappen.”
He hesitated and finally said, “I don’t know if I can. You wanted to steal the lock of Caderyn’s hair Brianna guarded, Ilana. Now I find out you harbored the location of Gideon’stalisman.”
“Which makes you a suspect in my book,” Kyle put in, growling. “Maybe you wanted all that power foryourself.”
Tristan’s dark brows drew together. The Silver Wizard flung an energy ball into the empty fireplace. It exploded and Ilanajumped.
“Tristan, if you’re going to fling magick around like that, please refrain from destroying my fireplace. I like that fireplace,” Aiden said in a drollvoice.
“Aiden, Kyle, out.” Tristan’s voice brooked nodisobedience.
The alpha sighed. Glanced at her. Mouthed, “Good luck, kid,” and left withKyle.
Ilana stared at the fireplace, wishing Tristan would fling magick at her and she’d shatter on impact. Or the earth would open and swallow her. “After Cormac died I thought everything would beokay.”
Tristan narrowed his gaze. “Gideon should have shattered his body to the four winds. He did not, and buried Cormac in respect to his position to the Winter King. Gideon’s fairy spies reported to me that Cormac has been resurrected by the Dark Lord of the underworld and is now a zombie. He found the talisman and fled to the Dark Kingdom until he can fully drain the Crimson Wizard’spowers.”
“A fucking zombie who unearthed Gideon’s feather and is now using it to kill him and empower himself.” Dakota stood up and went to Ilana. “How could you be so damn gullible? I really liked you! I thought you were a strong, courageous woman and I admired you. You’re nothing butweak.”
Now she looked directly at Dakota. “Yes. I made a mistake and I am sorry for dragging you into this and putting you intojeopardy.”
Dakota fell silent, visibly shaken. Ethan put an arm around her. But Ilana knew there was no returning to what theyhad.
