Page 99 of The Mating Quest

His alliance was clear – with family. With hissister.

Tristan gave Ilana a stern look. “You became lovers with a Dark Fae and he knew where you buried the feather. You didn’t have to tell him, Ilana. Dark Fae senses enable them to read Others. Cormac knew you had a secret. Tell them what happened after you became lovers. Did Cormac send tendrils of gray smoke drifting into your face? Did the smoke make you feel dizzy? That’s how Dark Fae get people to confess to secrets and truth. Cormac would have stolen the talisman when he was alive if Gideon had not executed himimmediately.”

Ilana’s breath caught. Damn this was so tough, admitting what a fool she’d been. It hurt her pride, but worse, it hurt others. “I thought the smoke was to torment me…” She looked away. “Cormac did many things to me. I thought it was part of his deviantnature.”

“When he beat and whippedyou.”

Dakota’s breath caught. Ethan stared at her. “What?You…”

“She hides her scars well.” Tristan sounded almost taunting. “Even from herlovers.”

Before she could utter another word, Tristan flicked his fingers and her sword belt split, the sword and belt hovering in mid-air. Then her jacket ripped in half, along with her shirt. Ilana threw him a pleading look, but the wizard looked merciless. Fabric parted and her face flushed with embarrassment. She wanted to sink into thefloor.

Dakota gasped. “Dear goddess,” Ethan’s sisterwhispered.

Ethan came over, touched one of the many scars. Ilana jerked away as if he were the one wielding the whip. Not Cormac years and yearsago.

Ethan turned her around. His shocked gaze met her wounded one. “Ilana, I saw you naked. You never had scars, not likethis.”

“Ilana learned to disguise them through Fae glamour, one of the powers she acquired,” Tristansaid.

The wizard snapped his fingers and her shirt and jacket repaired itself and the sword belt as well. But the real damage wasdone.

She threw back her shoulders and glared at all of them. “Show’s over. Unless you want to see more. My breasts? My legs? Should I do a strip act for all of you togloat?!”

For a moment no one spoke. Then Tristan growled. “We’re wasting time while Gideon fades into Shadow. The wizards are prohibited from resolving this. Youmust.”

Gathering what was left of her tattered pride, she faced all of them. “I made a mistake centuries ago. A huge mistake and for that Iapologize.”

She turned to Dakota. “Especially to you, since this was your quest and your talisman. But don’t worry. I learn from mymistakes.”

And sleeping with your brother was the sweetest mistake I’ve ever made, but that won’t happen again,either.

“Do you?” Tristan askedsoftly.

Ilana glared at Tristan. “I’ll repair the damage. I’ll go into the Dark Kingdom to get the talisman from Cormac. I don’t need your help to getthere.”

Tristan said nothing, only looked at her with a faint gleam of satisfaction in his darkeyes.

“I’m coming with you,” Ethanannounced.

“I’m doing this on my own. I’ll find Cormac, kill him, bring the feather it toDakota.”

“You can’t. Cormac is too dangerous,” Ethansnapped.

“Yeah, well, what do you care what happens to me?” She locked gazes with Ethan and felt her heart break all over again. “Screw you, Ethan Powers. You made your choice. You chose to not believe me. And I never want to see youagain.”

She brought her forearms together so the armbands touched, chanted the words she’d learned centuries ago, the words that opened a portal to the Dark Kingdom. The last thing she saw before vanishing was the look on Ethan’s face, as if he never wanted to see her again,either.

Chapter 27

Ethan couldn’t breathefor a moment. Ilana was gone, and he’d forced her hand. He smacked a hand on his forehead. How could he be so fuckingstupid?

He knew her. Knew her pride, and the vulnerability she’d displayed in bed. And he’d driven heraway.

Straight into tangling with a zombie DarkFae.

Dakota tugged at his arm. “We have to go afterher.”