Page 110 of The Mating Quest

So this is how my lifeends.

The wizards were prohibited from loaning their powers to each other, even during a crisis. They’d all, but for Caderyn, paid the price for saving Tristan from the ShadowLands.

There is no hope forme.

A knock sounded on the open door. Nikita entered the bedroom. Gideon picked at the covers with his left hand. He glanced up, sent her a telepathicmessage.

My tongue is vanishing. Whoever has the talisman is intent on tormenting me. Do not inform Alia. I wish her no further distress. She must focus on filling my role as the Crimson Wizard and she cannot do that if she thinks I am slipping furtheraway.

Nikita nodded, smiled, bearing a silver tray on her hands. On the tray was a steaming bowl of soup. At least his olfactory senses still worked, for it smelleddelicious.

She set the tray down and picked up the bowl, stirring it. “I thought you’d like hotsoup.”

Her voice was cheerful. He mentallysighed.

Niki, I cannot swallow. Thank you but it isuseless.

Nothing is useless. Just tasteit.

She brought the spoon to his lips and he opened his mouth. As soon as the soup touched his skin, he felt a flush of power. It jolted him, as if someone shoved him hard, but then he feltstronger.

Gideon managed to swallow and his eyeswidened.

It’s chicken soup. Medicinal.Niki’s eyestwinkled.

He could feel his tongue again! Gideon opened his mouth and stuck his tongue out at her. Shelaughed.

“Now you are acting likeKeegan.”

She fed him more soup, and he felt himself grow stronger, not only in magick but mentally. Maybe it was hisimagination.

Her gaze softened. “I infused the soup with my magick. We will do anything we can to help you fight this, and I have no qualms about donating part of my powers, since the men cannot without severeconsequence.”

She set down the bowl as Lacey came into the room, two dragon scales on another silver platter. “Take off your shirt, wizard,” she said a little toocheerfully.

He raised his brows but obliged. She whistled. “Nice chest. Good physique. Not as nice as Drust’s, but I can see why Alia is crazy aboutyou.”

To his embarrassment, he felt himself flushing. Well, at least that was a part of his body stillfunctioning.

Winking, she picked up the scales. “Leanforward.”

As he did, wondering why he was so trusting with these women when he’d seldom trust others, Lacey placed the two scales on his shoulderblades.

Power and pain rushed through him, burning hot and yet soothing. So much good magick. He tried to control himself, but cried out, his head bent as hegasped.

“Don’t fight it,” Lacey said quietly, her hand on his shoulder. “Let it flow throughyou.”

“It’s dragon magick and far different than your Fae magick, so your body will struggle to accommodate it more than my shifter magick,” Nikitaadded.

Working through the pain and the pressure, he breathed deep, as he had the day Danu made him the Crimson Wizard. Finally the pressure eased, and so did thepain.

Lacey and Nikita beamed. “Go look at yourself in themirror.”

He didn’t want to tell them that the ceiling used to have a mirror, but he and Alia painted it to resemble the night sky in the Faekingdom.

Gideon flung back the bedcovers and both women turned their heads. Hegrinned.

“I’m decent. I’m wearing trousers,” he advisedthem.