Page 4 of The Mating Quest

“Why are you crying?” Ethan asked, a note of distress in his voice. “You nevercry.”

Fisting her hands, she wished she could wipe away the tears. Damnit, she hated weeping, and before these wizards, and Ethan? Tears made her look diminished, weak, like a sillyfemale.

Suddenly Ethan trembled behind her with fury. “Stop it, wizard. If you intend to kill her, do it, but stop hurtingher!”

Caderyn removed hishand.

“I did not hurt her,” the Shadow Wizard said in a soft voice. “I merely gave her the touch she longs to obtain. You may release hernow.”

For a moment Ethan held her, then his hands opened, as if he were reluctant to let her go. Ilana yanked her arms away. She didn’t need this alpha showing pity to her. Or anyone showing her pity. Damn the Shadow Wizard for making her cry. She scrubbed away the tears, and rubbed her cheek, the one Ethan had scarred. The deep marks had vanished aswell.

Caderyn glanced at Tristan. “You may leave. I shall handle this. Unfreeze thecrowd.”

The Silver Wizard’s dark gaze shot over to her, and Ethan. “Goodluck.”

He snapped his fingers and the crowd unfroze, the scene turning normal. Ilana wondered what the Skins would think of the immense wizard standing in their midst, looking like a fierce, medievalwarrior.

Caderyn seemed to read her mind. “I glamoured myself and all the Skins can see is a man in shorts and a shirt. I look like every otherman.”

“I doubt it,” she muttered. The powerful wizard could never look like anyoneelse.

Behind her, Ethan bristled. “Now what, wizard? She wanted to assassinate my sister. I will not tolerate it any longer, no matter how many times youinterfere.”

The Shadow Wizard gave him a level look. “Mind your tongue, young one. We will talk. Nothere.”

He pointed to a sleek boat moored to the dock. “There. Your watercraft, Ethan. Let us all go for a ride. Tis safer on the water, away fromspies.”

Spies? Ilana’s dread increased. If the mighty wizard feared eavesdroppers, perhaps time was runningout.

Scowling, Ethan folded his arms. “She tried to kill one of mine and you want to take her on ajoyride?”

“I didn’t try to kill her.” She blew out an exasperated breath. “If you’d stop being all macho he-wolf on me, I could explain for the millionth time, but you neverlisten.”

“Oh?” He arched his dark brows. “You call sticking a knife into her back your way of makingfriends?”

“Listen butt face,I…”

Suddenly a hand plucked her, and Ethan, off the ground by the neck of their shirts. Caderyn carried them like two wriggling kittens across the dock, and tossed them onto the deck of Ethan’sboat.

“I tire of your bickering. You may not waste any more of my time. Bed each other and release your frustration when I am not present,” he growled, and jumped onto theboat.

Ilana sputtered as she clambered to her feet. “Go to bed with him? Not in yourlifetime.”

“I have no sexual frustration,” Ethan snapped, standing and dusting off hisshorts.

A small smile touched Caderyn’s mouth. “Me doth thinks you both protest too much.” Then he sighed. “Ah that Will Shakespeare. There was a truepoet.”

He considered. “This is your watercraft, Ethan, but I need your full attention, so I shall summon a captain to driveinstead.”

“Hey,” Ethanprotested.

The wizard snapped his fingers and a short balding man wearing a white shirt, shorts and a captain’s hat appeared before the wheel. The newcomer had a slight belly over his white belt. He salutedCaderyn.

The man looked vaguely familiar, like a character on a late night television comedy re-run she sometimes watched when she was trulybored.

“Ready Skipper?” the manasked.

Ethan narrowed his eyes. “Who the hell areyou?”