Page 56 of The Mating Quest

Fully awakenow.

“There’s an energy here, dear heavens. An energy… it went straight to mychest…”

Your heart, Caderyn thought.So I am right, but I knew it. A bond that strong cannot be fullybroken.

“Made me feel filled with immense joy and yet tremendous sorrow.” Suspicion filled his gray-blue gaze. “What’s goingon?”

The clock chimed two a.m. “That is what is going on, my friend. It is past midnight and you need to be in your home with your mate and child. Big daytomorrow.”

Xavier touched the clock again, his face sad. “I can barely feel it now. It’sfading.”

“There is much energy in this new home. I copied several objects from earth, from a mansion I admired. Perhaps that is what youfelt.”

“Probably.” Xaviershrugged.

“Your fears about Sonia are a father’s fears, but she will be fine. Trust me,” Caderyn assured. “Your daughter can conjure snakes, alligators and other dangerous creatures. I would worry about the other children, nother.”

The Crystal Wizard beamed. “She is a little scamp. But Danu’s fairies will keep her inline.”

“You should return home now,” Caderyn toldhim.

“Okay, back to bed. Thanks for covering for me tomorrow while Ciara and I get Sonia settled into the newschool.”

“No problem,’ he said a little toocheerfully.

Xavier brightened. “No problem? You are picking up on the contemporary slang. Next thing you’ll have social media accounts, maybe even post vids on TikTok.”

“Over my dead immortalbody.”

Laughing, Xavier vanished. Caderyn went to the clock and touched it, his fingers tingling. Very faint. But he was an ancient, able to pick up traces of residual energy more than Xavier. Still, Xavier had feltit.

The goddess suddenly appeared before him. Caderyn acknowledged her with a bow of his head. “That was too close,” he toldher.

Danu looked thoughtful. “Indeed. I shall have to weave a stronger spell of protection around Xavier. They must stay apart. Thank you for doingthis.”

The goddess vanished. Caderyn released a troubledbreath.

For the clock was one Ilana had touched with her spirit fingers. Xavier must not find out she was here. Not now. Discovery at this stage wasdangerous.

Caderyn shuddered at thethought.

Chapter 17

No amount of coffee,or the sweet cinnamon pastries for breakfast, could erase the sourness in her stomach the following morning. Her bruises and cuts from the previous night had healed, and so hadEthan’s.

Ilana stood outside the cave, one hand on her dagger. She was glad she’d worked off the excess energy in last night’s fight, for the four scowling dragons at the entrance looked itching forbattle.

Wiser heads, Ethan’s really, ruled here. She followed his lead. Hismission.

I’m the expendablebackup.

Clouds scuttled past the mountain, ringing it with gray fog. Cold air rushed past them, but thanks to the pill Drust gave her, her body temperature was normal and she could breathe easily. Well, as easily as she could, considering there were four wary dragons looking at them as if they were the next menuitem.

And they headed into a cave filled with spiders. Ilana shuddered. At least she’d worn her specially reinforced leather vest, pants and leatherjacket.

Chloe stood before the dragon at the entrance, a green dragon named George whose scales started to gray. Probably stayed there as a ceremonial thing. She recited the answers to all the questions about Drust, thanks to Skylar’s instruction and the green-gray dragon steppedaside.

Ilana drew in a breath. “I’ll gofirst.”