Page 55 of The Mating Quest

“Yes.” He looked around the room. “Do you think this room sufficient for a female? It is modeled after a famous mansion onearth.”

Ilana sighed, for she truly did like Caderyn. Yet he was such a … guy… attimes.

“So you copied the house from someone else? It’s not you. Yourpersonality.”

“I wish to make her happy here,” hemuttered.

Wisely deciding against teasing him further about marriage, she nodded. “It is a very pretty and comfortableroom.”

Caderyn glanced at her. “There is a room I know you will appreciate more that is not sofeminine.”

They walked down the marble stairs to the first floor, down a long hallway to a closed door. Caderyn opened it. “The warroom.”

Ilana’s eyes widened as she went inside. Weapons upon weapons. Battle axes. Bows. Arrows.Cleavers.

“Allyours?”

Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, he nodded. “My collection over theyears.”

He talked like a Skin bragging about a wine cellar. “Exactly how old are you,wizard?”

Caderyn walked over to an exhibit of Japanese swords. “Older than you believe, littleone.”

She went to pick one up and her hand went straight through it. Panic filled her. “I’m aghost!”

“No. You are here in spirit form. Your corporeal body is back on earth, stillsleeping.”

Ilana felt more than a touch annoyed. “You brought me here as a ghost simply to give opinions ondecorating?”

“Do you like it?” he asked. “The rest of the house. Is it suitable for afemale?”

“It is pretty magnificent. Whoever you bring here will be impressed by this luxury, especially since you did it all for her.” She went to wink, remembered she was a ghost, andsighed.

Caderyn tilted his head. “Someone approaches. I must return you now. Thankyou.”

“Hey!” But before she could say another word, she forgot that dream and was slipping from that dream into another, where she entered a deep dark cave, filled with spiders. This cave was like no other she hadseen…

There was no end. Onlydarkness.

Caderyn hurriedto the great hall of his home, inwardly cursing. He knew he should not have brought Ilana here, but Danu bade him to find out. All the other wizards were occupied. Exceptone.

Xavier stood in the hall, yawning. In a white T-shirt, red checked flannel pajama pants and barefoot, his former apprentice gazedaround.

“What are you doing here?” Caderynasked.

Xavier yawned again and rubbed his tousled black hair. “I was napping, Ciara is sleeping and Sonia is sleeping. Something woke me and I felt a need to comehere.”

“Big day tomorrow? First day of Sonia’s school at the MitchellRanch?”

“Yeah. Ciara keeps assuring me she’ll be safe and she needs to learn with the children of Others, but I worry. Maybe that was what woke me up. I’m tired lately.Odd.”

“You need to drink the potion of the Blood Moonflower. Tis almost time.” Caderyn aimed him a sternlook.

The potion, which the wizards had to drink every six months, renewed theirimmortality.

Xavier’s nose wrinkled. “I know. Hate the taste. Sobitter.”

Caderyn knew why it tasted bitter to Xavier and not the others, but he kept this secret. Xavier wandered over to a clock, studying it. Then he touched it, and his eyeswidened.