Rhi looked at him in confusion.
Balladyn took a step to her and touched her cheek. “I want you with a desperation that saps my very breath. I’ve waited thousands of years for us to be together. I want you to come to me, sweet Rhi. It’s your decision.” He wiped at the corner of her eye and the tear that gathered. “No more tears. Tell me why you called me.”
Ever since Balladyn had told her he loved her, she wondered how she had ever missed it. It was there in every action, every look. Every word.
No wonder he had hated her so fiercely when he turned Dark. That love turned to hate, and somehow, back to love again.
If she continued to think about Balladyn and his claim of love, she would forget why she called him. Rhi pushed aside her tumultuous feelings and focused on the task at hand.
“You said you would do anything to have me, right?” Rhi asked. If she was going to get her answers, she had to use his feelings against him.
Balladyn lowered his hand to his side. “I would.”
“What if I was taken by someone?”
His face went hard, rage barely leashed shone in his eyes. “Are you talking about the Reapers?”
“What if I was? Would you come after me?”
“Nothing would stop me from finding you,” he stated angrily.
She glanced at the ground, feeling her follower’s eyes on her again. Was he enjoying all that he saw? “Then you can understand what a King is going through looking for Lexi.”
Balladyn blinked, his face going blank in a heartbeat. He took a step back as he looked at her in confusion. “You want me to betray my king?”
“I want you to help me,” she implored. “You were at Dreagan. I was told you carried Lexi out. You know where she is.”
For long moments, Balladyn stood staring at her. Finally, he released a breath. “It’s a place a King would never expect to look.”
Rhi felt the tension ease from her shoulders. “I should’ve known Taraeth wouldn’t bring her to his palace. It’s too obvious.”
“Why do you continue to help the Kings, pet?”
She shrugged, wondering why there was no heat in his words. Rhi knew how deep his hatred of them went. “Probably the same reason I know I can come to you for help.”
“I’m Dark, pet. Or have you forgotten?”
Rhi looked into the face that had been a major part of her life. She walked to him and rested her hand on his cheek as she met his gaze. It wasn’t hard to look past the red eyes and remember the Fae who had stood by her side for so many years.
She needed to remember the monster he had become in order to keep from throwing her arms around him. “How can I ever forget? You tortured me. You tried to take my Light.”
“Is this why you let me touch you? You were using me to get information?” he asked furiously.
Rhi dropped her hand and shook her head as she turned away. She took a few steps and stopped, wrapping her arms around herself. “No. I intended to ask you first thing, but then … you touched me.”
“I can’t tell you where the mortal is being held. Even if I wanted to.”
“I know.” It had been a long shot, but she thought maybe Balladyn could help.
“Taraeth would know it was me. We’re the only two who went there. He’d kill me.”
Rhi nodded. “I understand. There’s someone else I can ask who will find her.”
Balladyn was suddenly in front of her. His grip was tight on her upper arms as he looked at her as if he couldn’t decide whether to kiss her or strangle her. “You’ve always twisted me about.”
His head lowered and he placed a hard kiss against her lips. He held her there, breathing in deep, before he released her and stepped back.
“The mortal was a gift to a Dragon King,” he said. He touched her face with such longing that it took her breath away.
Then he was gone.
Rhi whirled around looking for him. She clutched her stomach, more confused than ever before. He had given her the information, but she wouldn’t allow him to die because of it.
She teleported back to Dreagan Manor and appeared in the foyer where Fallon was talking to Larena. When the leader of the Warriors noticed her, Rhi said, “I need Broc.”
Without a word, Fallon was gone. Rhi looked up as she heard a crash above her. She took a moment and glanced around the manor. It was quiet, as if everyone was afraid to breathe. The tension in the manor was off the charts.
Rhi walked toward the kitchen and peeked inside to see the females sitting around the table talking in whispers. The strain on their faces spoke volumes.
She veiled herself and teleported to Con’s office. He stood staring out the windows appearing as calm as he usually did. His office, on the other hand, was a different matter entirely.
The crash she heard was him. Papers littered the floor. His sword lay on his desk after he’d cleaved a chair in two. The crystal decanter and glasses were shattered.
“I know you’re here,” he said.
Rhi unveiled herself. The sarcastic remark she had been about to make died on her tongue. “What happened?”
“You must be the only one who hasna seen it.”
“Seen what?”
Con pointed to the laptop on its side on the floor without turning around. Rhi picked it up and set it on his desk. She saw a video filling the entire screen.
“Play it,” he urged.
Rhi hit the play button. In moments, she saw Kellan flying around Dreagan. It just got worse from there as she saw herself, Malcolm, Shara, and more Dragon Kings. By the time the video ended, she couldn’t find words.
“Everything I’ve done to protect us erased in a single night.” Con’s voice held a barely restrained fury. “Every eye in the world is trained on Dreagan now. I had to pull the Kings off patrol because there are planes and helicopters flying over us since our restricted airspace has been revoked.”
Rhi closed the laptop softly. So this is what the Dark had been about. “What are you going to do?”
“I’ve two choices.” Con turned to look at her. “We can leave. Or we can fight.”
Rhi walked to stand before him and lifted a brow. “Fight. This is your realm.”
He studied her a moment, his face giving nothing away. “And the attention on us?”
Rhi rolled her eyes. “Always so dramatic. You might have enemies, King of Kings, but you also have allies. I shouldn’t have to remind you to use them. Now, pull your head from between your ass cheeks, and get moving.”
She didn’t wait for him to speak, but teleported back to the foyer where Fallon waited with Broc.
CHAPTER
FORTY-ONE
Lexi sat on the bed against the headboard with her knees tucked. The room had everything she needed. Except her freedom.
The shadow had brought her up here before giving her a shove inside. Lexi spun around to get a look at his face, but the door closed, lock turning, before she got that chance.
As soon as she spotted the windows, she ran to them and looked down. She was on the third floor. From her view, she could see miles of open land before her. All she had to do was get free.
Lexi prepared to jump from the window. Only when she attempted to open it, it wouldn’t budge. She even threw a stool at it in order to break the glass, but the stool didn’t put a dent in it. It was the same for the small window in the bathroom.
She was well and truly locked away.
With nothing more to do, Lexi took a long shower. When she got out, there were clothes and a tray of food on the bed.
She briefly thought of refusing the food, but if there was ever a chance of escape, she was going to need her strength. She devoured everything while she began to plot.
* * *
Thorn stood outside the manor and stared at the sky as dawn broke over Dreagan. They were grounded. Every Dragon King was prohibited from shifting and taking to the skies.
It happened once before during the war with the mortals. The Kings had taken to their mountains and slept. All of them except Con. He had remained awake and protected Dreagan.