Inferno, page 32
“I’m all right,” V said in a soft voice.
Con moved to stand beside him. “Are you?”
“Will we be hurt if Claire loses the babe? Aye. Will we be devastated if the bairn is stillborn? Without a doubt. But we’ll still have each other.”
Con turned his head to look at V. “Claire might no’ survive this. I’ve watched some human couples be torn apart by such tragedies.”
“We’ve talked about how we’ll handle things if the worst happens.” V blew out a breath and shook his head before he looked at Con. “I worry about Claire pulling away if the bairn dies. I can get through it if I have her, but if I doona…”
“I understand. Did you tell her this?”
V nodded slowly. “We spoke about it while you were at the Light Castle. She said she didna want to wait until after the bairn before we mated.”
“Is she fearful for her life?”
“I doona think so. I believe it’s more to show me that no matter what, she wants to be mine forever.”
Con drew in a breath. “Claire is strong. You’re strong. If the two of you can lean on each other, then you’ll get through this. And if a miracle happens—”
“Doona,” V interrupted him, his face lined with anxiety. “I can no’ allow myself that hope. I need to prepare for the worst.”
“I understand.”
V sighed loudly. “Good.”
“While I’m glad you shared this, that isna why I sought you out.”
That’s all it took for V to face him, his gaze clear. “What do you need?”
“An idea came to me earlier. I’ve been mulling it over, and before I went to Rhi with it so she could put the idea before the Fae, I wanted to talk to you.”
“It’s about our dragons,” V stated, no anger in his voice.
“Aye. Rhi has proposed that with the Fae Realm healing, the Fae could return there to live. I’ve not said we’re kicking them out, nor has anyone asked what we want to do. I left it open on purpose.”
V’s smile was slow as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You want to ask the Fae if our dragons can live there.”
“Exactly. We’d be able to get to and from there easily. It would keep our dragons close, and the relationship with the Fae would be crucial for both them and us.”
“You’re right. There’s just one catch.”
Con’s lips twisted ruefully. “We need to find the dragons first.”
“They could all be dead.”
“I doona want to think about that.”
“I can no’ help but think about it. It’s been a verra long time. Because of that, if they are alive, they could now be somewhere they doona wish to leave in order to start new again.”
“Or they could be somewhere that’s no’ ideal and we give them a place that is.”
V’s brow furrowed. “With the Fae.”
“They can no’ come here, and we can no’ take the human mates away from their world.”
“Nay, we can no’.” V dropped his arms and blew out a long breath. “If you can convince the Fae to accept this plan, then I’ll look for the dragons.”
Con started to turn away and then paused. “No matter what happens with the bairn, everyone at Dreagan will be here for you and Claire.”
“I know,” V said and faced the Silvers once more.
Con left the cavern and walked around the manor. The house was more alive than ever. It was large enough to hold all the Dragon Kings and then some. And, if need be, they could add on to the manor.
That is if all the Kings and their mates continued to live here. There was plenty of room on Dreagan land for each of them to have a home of their own, much like the Warriors and Druids had done at MacLeod Castle.
The manor was still the heart of Dreagan, and it always would be. Con found himself back in Dreagan Mountain, this time walking the many tunnels. He recalled the first time he’d come to the area and had felt the magic. He’d known then that this was where he wanted to be.
From that day on, Dreagan had been his home, the place where he knew he would rule the dragons and raise a family of his own. He no longer knew for sure if he might have a family. It was enough that he was about to claim his mate. At one time, when he’d chosen the Kings over her, he’d believed that he had lost Rhi forever. Now, in a twist of Fate that he’d never seen coming, she was his once again.
He touched one of the dragon carvings he had cut into the stone while building the manor. It seemed like it just happened yesterday, but in reality, it was lifetimes ago. So much had changed since then. He had changed.
And yet, so much had stayed the same.
He walked to the back entrance of the mountain and stood looking out at the sky that was even now darkening for the coming evening. The rain had abated, but he could smell more on the way.
So many times, Con had stood in this exact spot, waiting for his brethren to return. Each of them had endured heartache that had brought them low, and had somehow found the strength to keep going, to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Ulrik, his best friend and the brother he never had, was the one who had suffered the most. No one would ever truly understand how much it had taken out of Con to not only bind Ulrik’s magic but also banish him from Dreagan. The war with the mortals had left scars on all of them.
Every King had a story to tell regarding those they’d lost, the horrors they witnessed, and the weight of watching the dragons cross the dragon bridge that took them away from this realm. Con still remembered when he nearly told the Kings to follow their dragons over the bridge. Because what was a King without their clan?
Many Kings healed as much as they could when they took to their mountains and slept the centuries away. But not Con. He’d raged alone, doing anything and everything he could not to go mad from loneliness and second-guessing every decision he made.
Days passed and turned into weeks, then months and years. Before he knew it, a century was gone, then a millennium. It was all a haze as he struggled to face each new day.
Those were the darkest of times for him. His thoughts had been bleak, his rages violent. If it weren’t for the spell that kept the Kings from feeling anything for the humans, he knew he likely would’ve killed every one of them, wiping the realm of their existence for good.
But he continued to live, continued on—for his brethren. He’d promised to lead them, to give them a place they could call home and live. And that’s precisely what he’d done with Dreagan.
He’d watched the first of the Kings, Hal, find his mate. Then, one after another, the Kings fell in love, expanding their family, opening it to include mortals, Druids, and Fae. Con might have had his doubts about taking humans as mates, but they had stood beside their Kings and Dreagan with more strength than Con had given them credit for.
Three more Kings were mating tonight. He was happy for them, even if he was thinking more about his own ceremony than theirs. Though, who could blame him? He’d waited an eternity to claim Rhi as his.
“I thought I’d find you here,” Ulrik said as he walked up beside Con.
Con grinned at his friend. “We’ve come a long way.”
“Aye. All thanks to you.”
“I can no’ take all the credit. Each King had a hand in this, even you.”
Ulrik snorted and crossed his arms over his chest as he widened his stance. “I did more damage than anything. If you hadna stopped me, I would’ve killed all the humans. I wouldna have come back from that.”
“I know.”
“You know what I’ve never understood?”
“What’s that?”
“Why did the magic no’ chose another King when I attacked the mortals? My heart wasna pure that day.”
Con shook his head, his lips flattening. “You’ve always been purer of heart than anyone I’ve known, and I think the magic knew that. You were betrayed. You retaliated.”
“I didna act like a King.”
“If the magic truly thought that, then it would’ve pushed another silver dragon to challenge you, but none did. That tells me everything I need to know.”
Ulrik twisted his lips and looked out over the land. “I had to walk that path. It’s what brought me home to Dreagan and allowed me to find Eilish. I accept and understand that.”
“We all have a path to walk. Me, included.”
Ulrik’s gold eyes slid to him. “The magic was right in choosing you as King of Kings. You’re the best man I know.”
Con lowered his gaze to the ground as he smiled at the compliment. “It’s good to have you home.”
“It’s good to see you happy,” Ulrik replied with a smile.
Con looked at him and laughed. “It sure is.”
“There’s something else I want to know.”
“What’s that?”
“Where do you get the jewelry you give the mates?”
Con jerked his chin to the silver cuff on Ulrik’s wrist. “Take me to my mountain, and I’ll show you.”
“Easy enough.”
No sooner had Ulrik touched him than they were in Con’s mountain. He started walking through the tunnels with Ulrik following him until he came to a small chamber off to one side. A chest rested on the floor. Con kneeled beside it and opened it to reveal a mass of glittering jewels in all shapes and sizes.
“Bloody hell,” Ulrik said in a shocked whisper.
Con glanced at him with a smile. “Dreagan is sitting atop a plethora of gems just waiting to be found. The years I was alone, I found some. Others I … picked up here and there.”
“You mean you took them from the mortals,” Ulrik said with a laugh.
Con shrugged and lifted a diamond the size of his palm. “I never stole anything. For the longest time, they would toss aside the gems, not seeing the beauty in the rough stones.”
“But you did.”
“As dragons always do.”
Ulrik smiled, nodding. “Now I know where the stones come from, but what about the jewelry itself?”
“Let’s start with V. As the King of Coppers, finding a gemstone of that color isna easy. I could give Claire a band of copper. Perhaps hammered as a bracelet. But I doona think that fits her.”
“Then what would?”
Con searched until he found a nearly five-carat copper zircon gem. He pulled out the round stone and held it up for Ulrik to see. “This. As a necklace, set in rose gold.”
Ulrik’s brows shot up. “That certainly suits Claire more than hammered copper.”
“Aye. Then I simply create what I see in my mind.”
Con closed his eyes and used his magic to craft the rose gold necklace with the zircon.
“It’s beautiful,” Ulrik said and took the finished necklace from Con.
He created a velvet box and handed it to Ulrik to put the necklace in. “Take care of that while I search for Annita’s gift.”
“Here it is,” Con said in triumph a moment later as he held up the cluster of druzy that sparkled. “I’ll put this in a ring for Annita.”
After he created it, Con handed it and another velvet box to Ulrik.
For Noreen, Con couldn’t decide which of the navy stones to give her. He held up the lapis lazuli as well as a dark sapphire for Ulrik to see. “I’m leaning toward the lapis for Noreen.”
“The sapphire is beautiful, but I, too, think the lapis. Another ring?”
Con shook his head and split the large stone in half with a thought. “Earrings with platinum wire wrapped around them.”
“Aye. I can see Noreen wearing them.”
Con handed the earrings and box to Ulrik and started to close the lid, but he hesitated. He’d thought to craft Rhi’s gift later, but he wanted Ulrik’s opinion.
“What is it?” Ulrik asked as he set the third box on the floor next to him.
Con licked his lips. “Rhi’s gift.”
“About that,” Ulrik said. “I and the other Kings have a request.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
The hours flew by. Rhi had kept herself busy helping Annita, Claire, and Noreen choose how to wear their hair and finish getting ready. No one had asked if she was going to the ceremony, because everyone knew that only the Kings and the mates were allowed. Rhi wasn’t sure how she felt about breaking the rules this time when she hadn’t thought twice about it in the past.
Maybe it was because Con had asked her when he hadn’t allowed anyone else to break them before.
“You all right?” Annita asked her.
Rhi smiled. “I’m just thinking about tomorrow.”
“Your ceremony is going to be glorious. I wish you’d shown us your gown,” Noreen said.
Rhi felt all eyes on her. The three women had opted to get ready together instead of in separate rooms. She smiled and coyly said, “Tomorrow night will be here soon enough. Let’s focus on these three ladies tonight.”
And just like that, Rhi ensured that there would be no more talk of her upcoming ceremony.
There was a knock at the door and then she heard Con’s voice. Rhi’s heart picked up as she turned when someone opened the door for him. Their gazes met, and they smiled at each other.
Con cleared his throat and looked at the three women about to become mates. “It’s nearly time. I’d like a few moments alone with each of you, please.”
One by one, the women left the room. Rhi followed Jane out and paused beside Con. He bent and gave her a quick kiss. She looked back at the three women and shot them a wink before she went to Con’s bedroom.
She snapped her fingers, and a gold and black twenties-inspired flapper gown with rhinestones and fringe covered her. She completed the look with a pair of black Valentino stilettos with gold studs.
Rhi left her hair down and parted it to one side so that it fell in waves around her. She added a gold rhinestone headband to complete the look. She teleported downstairs in time to see Claire, Annita, Noreen, and Con descend the stairs.
Con winked at her. The moment everyone was out of sight, Rhi veiled herself and teleported into the cavern. She kept to the side away from anyone and watched as Claire entered first, followed by Annita, and then Noreen, with Con bringing up the rear.
Rhi had witnessed several mating ceremonies. She didn’t listen to the words this time, nor did she look at the couples. Her gaze was on Con as she thought about the next night and the two of them standing here.
It would feel like an eternity before their time came. They had already waited for so long, what was a few more hours? At least that’s what she’d thought at the time. Now, she wished she were up there right now with the rest of them.
All too soon, the ceremony was over. Claire winced when her dragon eye tattoo appeared on her left shoulder. Annita bit her lip, and Noreen sucked in a breath. And, just like that, the three women were now immortal, living for as long as their Kings did.
Con’s voice boomed through the cavern, announcing the newly mated couples. As everyone congratulated them, Con looked right in her direction. She smiled, even though he couldn’t see her, because that’s what he did to her.
She jumped to the party area and waited for everyone to arrive. It didn’t take long. In fact, Con was one of the first to enter. He drew her into his arms and held her close.
“I couldn’t help thinking about us tomorrow night,” she confessed.
He chuckled and pulled back to look at her. “I had a difficult time remembering what I was supposed to do and say because of the same thing.”
They shared a laugh and began to sway as the music started up.
“Is this what you want?” he asked.
She nodded, still smiling. “Definitely.”
“Good.”
“And you?”
“Without a doubt.”
She rose up and gave him a kiss. “Our time will be here soon enough.”
“You look gorgeous. You could wear that tomorrow.”
Rhi shot him an appalled look. “Bite your tongue. I’ve got something even better.”
“Better than that?” he asked in disbelief. “I doona believe it.”
“Just wait.”
“I doona think I can.”
She giggled.
“We could do it now. Everyone is here,” he suggested.
Rhi considered it, then caught sight of some of the Kings whispering as they glanced in Con’s direction. “We can’t do that.”
“Why no’?” he asked with a frown.
“Because you’ve gone out of your way to make each of the ceremonies you performed for the Kings and their mates special. They want to do the same for you.”
“For us,” he corrected with a smile.
Rhi nodded. “Us. We can’t take that away from them.”
“I suppose no’.”
“But we don’t have to remain here all night.”
Con’s black eyes heated with desire. “Just what I wanted to hear.”
“Your chamber?”
“Our chamber.”
She smiled. “Our chamber?”
“Aye. And fast. I need inside you now.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
“I don’t like this.”
Melisse looked at Henry as they walked through the back entrance of the mountain just as the sun came up. “I said you didn’t need to be involved.”
“As if that was going to happen,” he retorted sharply.
She halted and turned to face him. “I told you I’m not here to hurt Con.”
“I want to believe you, but since you won’t tell me what you are doing here, I’m not leaving you alone.”
“You know I can make you, right?” she stated.
His hazel eyes were unwavering as they held hers. “Then do it,” he dared.
“I don’t want to.” And she didn’t. But she also didn’t want him there just in case things went … badly. Because there was a really good chance they could.
“Then stop threatening that. This is my home. The people here are my family. Esther might be my blood relative, but everyone else is my friend, which makes them family. I won’t allow you to hurt anyone.”
