Inferno, page 20
“I didna expect you both,” he said.
Rhi rolled her eyes. “You most certainly did.”
Phelan lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I just want to know why you didna tell me it was Con?”
“Everyone wanted to know who it was,” Rhi told him. “You think I kept Con’s name from you to protect him?”
“Did you?” Phelan demanded.
Rhi looked at Con for a heartbeat. “Maybe. It was also to protect myself. I didn’t like talking about the past, and not telling you it was Con allowed that. Everyone knew not to bring it up.”
Phelan released a long breath as his arms dropped to his sides. “You’re family. If this is what you want, then I’ll support you.” His gaze then shifted to Con.
There were no words exchanged, but Rhi saw the silent understanding pass between the males. She wanted to ask what it meant, but she didn’t.
“We should get back to the hall. Broc is trying to find Usaeil,” Phelan said as he walked between them on his way out of the cave.
Rhi looked at Con to find him staring at her. “Well, that went better than I’d hoped.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Usaeil’s Manor
Corann paced back and forth in his cell. He’d been caged like an animal for days, and his patience was wearing thin. He still couldn’t believe that Usaeil had taken him, though he shouldn’t have been surprised after what he’d witnessed on the isle with Gemma and Cináed.
He’d made use of the time he had to prepare those on Skye in case Usaeil ever came for them, but he hadn’t done enough. The way she had busted through his spells as if they were nothing showed him just how powerful she was.
Corann gingerly touched the knot on the side of his head that she’d dealt him when he attempted to stop her. She had laughed, gazing at him as if he were mud beneath her boots.
And that’s exactly what he was.
For too long, he’d been the Druid with the strongest magic on Skye. Even when he came across Fae now and again, he’d been able to keep up with them somewhat. He might be getting up there in years, but his magic wasn’t waning.
In all the time he’d led the Skye Druids, he’d never thought that Usaeil was so powerful. She’d hidden it from him, just as she’d hidden her true nature. He realized that now, though it was too late.
He had no idea what had happened to his people. Usaeil refused to tell him anything, and the grotesque beings she called Trackers didn’t talk to him, either. It had been hours since Corann had seen Usaeil. He wasn’t even sure she was in the house anymore. After she’d put him in her dungeon, she’d promptly killed Daniel, the Druid she’d taken from Skye before him.
Corann had made the mistake of trying to use magic against her. That’s when he learned that there was something about the bars around him that prevented him from doing anything. In fact, it made him no more of a threat than any other mortal walking around.
But he knew he wasn’t alone. There was another woman in the manor. He’d heard her yelling for Usaeil a few times. The female was a floor or two above him in the main house. She was obviously a prisoner as well, but there had to be a reason she wasn’t in the dungeon with him.
Or was she?
In order to best Usaeil, Corann needed to think like her. And Usaeil had proven that she liked to trick people into believing one thing when she was really doing the opposite. He stopped in the middle of his cell and lowered himself to the floor. Then he closed his eyes and listened to the house. It took him longer than it should have to hear anything, which proved how good Usaeil’s defenses were.
But sound did finally reach him. He might not be able to use magic traditionally, but he’d learned how to use it with his mind long ago. It allowed him to get the layout of the house. The main floor was above him, and then two more above that. Many Trackers roamed around. Some were in the house, but most were outside. There might even be more, but his senses didn’t reach that far away from the structure.
Corann returned his focus to the dwelling itself. He wanted to see if he could determine who all was in the home, including Usaeil. He began in the dungeon and discovered that he was the only one alive, though many souls roamed.
He wanted to aid them in finding peace, but that would have to come later. He continued up to the main floor but found only Trackers. He was nearly finished with the second floor when he came to a room that seemed empty, but he was sure that someone was inside.
It wasn’t a soul, but a person who was shrouded in some haze that he couldn’t penetrate. There was no sign that it was Usaeil, but he noted the room in his mind so he could return at a later time and try again.
On the third floor, he found the woman. She was furious, her anger rolling off her in waves. Again and again, she tried magic to bust down the door—Druid magic.
Corann almost tried to see if his mind could reach hers so he could speak to her, but at the last minute, he hesitated. There was something about the woman that sent warning bells off in his mind. When the female began to scream Usaeil’s name, he knew it was the same voice he’d heard before.
He opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Whoever the female was, she was incredibly powerful. Usaeil must want her for something, but what? At the sound of someone approaching, Corann lifted his chin and waited for the person to show themselves. It wasn’t long before Usaeil strode into his line of sight.
“Growing old is awful,” she said as she eyed him.
Corann shrugged. “It’s a part of life. Everything must die.”
“Not everything. Not me.”
“Even you.”
She smiled then. “How cute you are, thinking you know all about me. You even think you know the Fae.”
“I do.”
“You know what I allowed you to see, and none of it was real. There was no need for you to guard the Fairy Pools. I could do that with a spell.”
Resentment began to swirl, but he refused to rise to the bait. “Then why ask the Skye Druids to protect them?”
“I like to keep my options open.” Usaeil shrugged indifferently. “I wanted to make sure I had a relationship with some of the most powerful Druids on this realm in case I needed them. And it didn’t take much for them to agree. You either when it came time for you to rule.”
“I follow traditions.”
Usaeil laughed and tossed her silver and black hair over her shoulder. “You should’ve asked questions.”
“So you could lie again?”
“Mortals are so easily duped, but especially Druids, who believe they have a greater purpose. Do you know what your purpose was, old man?” Usaeil asked, barely able to contain her glee.
Corann wanted to get up because his back ached, but he didn’t move. “I doona care.”
“Sure, you do. You were brought to this realm by a Druid to cause the demise of the Dragon Kings.”
At this, Corann frowned. “You lie.”
“Actually, this time, I’m not lying. I have the woman responsible in custody. She comes from a realm where everyone is a Druid. When some were born without magic, she knew something was wrong. She searched for another realm with magic and found this one. That’s when she rounded up a bunch of you without magic and dumped you here.”
“I know this story,” Corann interjected. “The Dragon Kings allowed the mortals to remain since they had nowhere to go. They lived in peace for a short time before war broke out and the humans and dragons killed each other. The Dragon Kings sent their clans away, and the Druids went to Skye.”
Usaeil’s smile had grown as he spoke. “Ah, well, you see, the power you have didn’t come from those brought here. It was given to you by the magic of this realm. And while everything else was going on, the woman—her name is Moreann—found me.”
Moreann. Corann’s blood turned to ice in his veins. He knew that name. It had long been said by the Ancients, like a warning. It’s all they ever said to him. One name—Moreann.
“We made a pact,” Usaeil continued. “I agreed to help her defeat the Kings. Everything that’s been happening to the Kings has been because of her.”
Corann sneered at her. “You’re part of the Others.”
“That’s right.”
“I thought you wanted Con. Does that no’ go against your vow to Moreann?”
Usaeil shrugged but never took her gaze from him. “Things change. I changed. I decided I didn’t want the Kings gone. Instead, I’m going to unite the Fae. I’m Queen of the Dark, and soon, I’ll retake my throne with the Light, as well.”
“Someone took it?” he asked, forcing a smile because he knew it would infuriate her.
And he was right.
Usaeil’s red eyes narrowed. “You think that’s funny? You should see what I do to people I want to hurt.”
“You doona scare me.”
“I should,” she warned.
Corann held her gaze, refusing to budge. He was frightened, but he would battle against it. To give in was to concede victory to Usaeil.
She chuckled. “Moreann is the leader of her realm. She’s immortal, thanks to her magic. We could’ve been good allies, but she tried to rule me, and I’m not someone to be ruled. I’m someone who leads.”
“Is this how you lead? By slaughtering the Light and deceiving them?”
“The Fae are cattle. It doesn’t matter if they’re Light or Dark, they’ll follow the strongest ruler, and that’s me. They’ve been left to their own devices for entirely too long. They need a strong hand, one that doesn’t give in to every whim.”
Corann lifted a brow. “And me?”
Once more, she smiled. “Ah, you’re just what I need to go up against Rhi. Do you know that meddling Fae has taken my throne as well as Con? But I got him once. I’ll get him again.”
“Con doesna want you. He loves Rhi and always has. Even I know that.”
Usaeil shook her head. “You’re wrong. Con just doesn’t realize what I’m offering.”
“And you’re going to change his mind?”
“Yes.”
“By killing Rhi?”
Usaeil’s face brightened. “Exactly.”
Corann didn’t bother to tell her how that was going to backfire. First, he wasn’t sure if Usaeil could defeat Rhi. The Light Fae was deceptively powerful, and he suspected Usaeil was not aware of that. As for Con, if Usaeil did somehow manage to take Rhi’s life, then there wasn’t a place in the universe that Usaeil could go that Con wouldn’t track her down and get his revenge.
“What of Moreann?”
Usaeil rolled her eyes. “What about her?”
“Do you think she’ll sit back and let you change her plans?” He suspected the female he’d found in the manor was Moreann, but he wasn’t going to tip his hand just yet.
“Oh, she won’t be bothering anyone. Actually, I doubt she’ll live much longer.”
“Is that so? You plan to attack her, as well?”
Usaeil squatted down so that she was eye-level with him as she looked through the bars. “Trying to prod information out of me, are you? Well, let me save you the trouble. Moreann is my prisoner. She actually believed that she could keep me chained and locked away, but I showed her. Now, it’s my turn to get my vengeance, and it’s going to be beautiful. It’s almost too bad you won’t be here to see it because it’s going to be epic.”
“What about the Druids here?”
Usaeil pulled a face. “What do I care about the Druids? Or mortals, for that matter? The only ones who will occupy this realm are the Fae and the Dragon Kings. The Fae will finally give the Kings their children. We’re going to save the Dragon Kings.”
There was no doubt in Corann’s mind that Usaeil was completely off her rocker. But he had no idea what he was going to do about it. The fact was, his time was most likely limited. So, if he was going to think of anything, he needed to do it soon.
Usaeil smiled as she cocked her head to the side. “You’ve had a good life. Too bad it’s over.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
“You’re still standing,” Ulrik said as Con walked up beside him in the great hall of MacLeod Castle.
Con glanced at his friend and saw the barely contained smile. “Verra funny.”
“I was referring to Rhi putting you on your arse, no’ Phelan,” Ulrik leaned over to whisper.
On the other side of Ulrik, Rhys, Banan, and Kiril snickered. And they weren’t the only ones. Few Warriors weren’t grinning, their heightened senses having picked up Ulrik’s words.
Con leaned close to Ulrik and said, “I definitely recall Eilish setting you on your arse a time or two.”
Ulrik’s smile was wide as he turned it on Con. “That’s what makes her so damn wonderful.”
“Aye,” Con said, thinking of how perfect Rhi was for him.
She had released his hand when they returned to the castle, and he found himself fighting not to reach for her. Having her in his arms the night before had been amazing. Not only had he felt at peace, but his mind was also able to clear in a way that he hadn’t been able to do in eons.
Now, Rhi stood across from him in the hall, talking to Isla and Aisley. He couldn’t take his eyes from her. Con couldn’t help but think of all the wasted years recently, all the times when he could’ve gone to her, when he should’ve told her the truth about everything and tried to win her back.
Why had he waited so long? But he knew the answer. The only thing he’d ever feared was living without Rhi. He’d done it because, in the back of his mind, he’d always thought there might be a day when they could find each other again.
When she returned to Dreagan, he’d known there was a good chance he’d lost her forever. And he couldn’t take the step that would give him a definitive answer—even if that answer might have been yes. There was a greater fear inside him that she would reject him.
With that rejection, he wouldn’t have been able to continue on. He would’ve died, leaving the Kings to find someone else to fill his role. And no matter what Merrill and Varek said, Con knew there were plenty of other Kings who could fill his shoes. Ulrik was one of them.
Rhi suddenly looked his way. She paused mid-sentence, her brows drawing together as she shrugged at him.
“You’re frowning,” Ulrik told him.
Con wiped his face of emotion and gave her a nod. Rhi returned to her conversation while Con made himself look away. Everywhere his eyes landed, he saw the Warriors and Druids staring at him.
He shifted, uncomfortable with their gaze, but he should’ve expected it. He was the infamous King who had sent his mate away. They couldn’t understand it, but he didn’t expect them to.
Larena came to him with a smile. “I’d like to apologize for everyone staring. It’s beyond rude.”
“It’s fine,” Con told her. “They’re trying to make sense of it all.”
“So am I,” the female Warrior confessed.
Fallon gave her a dark look as he admonished her. “Larena.”
Con caught Fallon’s attention. “It’s all right. Really.”
Their conversation was halted when Broc walked down the stairs. He didn’t look at anyone until he reached the hall and went to stand beside his wife, Sonya. The Druid immediately clasped her hands around one of Broc’s.
“Please tell us you have good news,” Fallon said.
Broc’s deep brown eyes met Con’s. “I can find nothing on Usaeil or Moreann, but I’m no’ surprised about the Druid. I’ve never met her, so that can factor into the scenario.”
“And Corann?” Isla asked.
Broc swallowed. “I sense him, so I know he’s still alive, but I can no’ pinpoint his location.”
“That’s good that he’s alive, right?” Evie asked everyone.
Rhi shrugged as she exchanged a look with Con. “Yes and no. It could be because Usaeil is waiting to use his magic.”
“He’s alive,” Con said. “We’re going to take that as a win for the moment because we all need it. Broc, you said you can no’ pinpoint the location, but what about the area? Is he still in Scotland? Or somewhere else?”
Broc’s lips twisted ruefully. “I get the feeling he’s far away.”
“Usaeil wouldna keep him in Scotland,” Ulrik said.
Con shook his head. “I was hoping she might try, thinking we’d look elsewhere.”
“I can keep trying,” Broc announced.
Sonya nodded as she looked up at Broc. “And I’ll continue talking to the trees. They should eventually tell me something.”
“They’re keeping it from you for a reason,” Con stated. He drew in a breath and released it as he looked around the room. “Before this, the trees would warn you of any harm coming your way, right?”
“Aye,” Sonya replied.
Con flattened his lips. “None of you are hearing from the trees, wind, or stones because they’re protecting you.”
“We’ve battled strong Druids before,” Marcail announced.
Ulrik shifted his feet. “That you have, but what’s coming is worse. I agree with Con. I think everything is trying to protect you. Whether that’s to keep you out of things altogether or no’, you can no’ go against that.”
“We shouldna be here while you fight Usaeil and Moreann,” Ian said.
Rhi walked into the middle of the room. “Perhaps you should. There’s no doubt that all of you are strong separately, and together you’re near unstoppable. However, we’re still figuring things out. Stay here and remain vigilant for Usaeil. Have an escape planned if she shows up.”
“To Dreagan,” Con added.
Rhi gave him a nod. “Yes, to Dreagan. Until then, remain here while we continue sorting things out and coming up with a plan.”
“We should be a part of that plan,” Phelan interjected.
Con looked at the Warrior. “You will be if you’re needed, trust me. It’s going to take all of us.”
Fallon sighed loudly. “I doona like it, but it appears as if we doona have a choice. We’ve always had an advantage with the trees, wind, and stones talking to the Druids. Without that, we doona have anything.”
“No’ true,” Broc said. “You have me, and I’m going to keep searching for Corann.”
