Inferno, page 9
Fallon grimaced. “And you let them stay.”
“Aye. It was her first step in bringing us down and taking over the realm. Noreen, a Fae and previous member of the Others, came to us for help. She’s the one who told us that Moreann used some verra powerful spells to make herself immortal. My guess is that is one of the reasons the magic began fading on their realm.”
“It makes sense.” Fallon bent his leg and rested his ankle on his other knee. “You trust Noreen, I’m guessing.”
“She’s mated to Cain.”
“I see,” Fallon said with a nod. “If anyone would know Moreann’s secrets, it would be someone from within the Others.”
“Usaeil was part of them. The original Fae, actually, but she and Moreann had a falling out. Moreann is the one who took Usaeil’s body before Rhi could sever her head. That allowed the resurrection spell Usaeil put in place to revive her, which is how she’s still alive.”
Fallon ran a hand down his face. “Bloody hell.”
“With Noreen’s and Rhi’s help, we set a trap for Moreann. We would’ve killed her, but Usaeil showed up at the last minute and took her, besting our magic.”
“Since I know that dragon magic is the most powerful on this realm, then Usaeil must have had Druid magic mixed with hers.”
“Aye, I’m thinking a significant amount. The fact that she’s continuing to kill Druids tells me that the magic doesna stay. It must get depleted when she uses it.”
Fallon dropped his foot to the floor and sat forward. “She’d need a continuous supply of Druids, then.”
“And the stronger those Druids are, the longer the magic will last.”
“That must be why she decided to strike at the Skye Druids. We’ll help, but the Druids there are no’ keen on outsiders.”
Con drew in a deep breath. “Understandably. There is one who can help, however.”
“You mean Rhi. Shall I call for her? Surely, she’ll come if she knows it’s important. You did mention that she aided you recently.”
“Before you do, there is something else you need to know.”
Fallon got to his feet. “Is she all right?”
“Oh, aye,” Con told him. “Rhi is fine. She’s taken over as Queen of the Light.”
“Well, damn. I can say that I’m pleased by that news, especially after she disappeared. But I get the impression there’s more.”
Con lowered his gaze. “There is. Much more. Rhi is…” He stopped and made himself look at Fallon. “She’s rather … irate … with me.”
“Rhi has never really cared for you. I always assumed it had something to do with you interfering in things between her and her lover.”
“You could say that.” Con simply looked at the Warrior, letting Fallon come to the conclusion on his own.
“Shite,” Fallon said after a long moment. He ran his hand through his dark brown hair and looked away before his green gaze slid back to Con. “You were her lover?”
Con couldn’t find his voice, so he nodded instead.
“Now it all makes sense. Bloody hell,” he said, his voice heavy with surprise. “Do you no’ think Rhi will help?”
“She will because she cares. However, I think, given the circumstances, the request would be better coming from you.”
Fallon swallowed, disbelief still etched on his features. “It’s none of my business, but … why?”
It wasn’t any of his business. Con could tell Fallon that, and he started to, but then he didn’t. He turned his head to the side and looked at the floor. “I’ve recently told a couple of Kings, and I’m sure the others know by now. And I just told Rhi the truth today. It wasna Usaeil who ended things for us, though Usaeil likes to believe she was responsible.”
“You loved Rhi, did you no’?” Fallon asked.
Con’s throat tightened with emotion. He glanced at Fallon. “Verra much. It’s why I couldna break it off with her myself. I knew if I tried, I’d never be able to do it. She called me a coward for how I handled things. She’s right. I was.”
“I doona claim to be your friend, but we’ve had enough dealings over the years for me to come to know the person you are. Every decision you make, everything you do is for the Dragon Kings and Dreagan. If I had to guess, the decision to end things with Rhi was, as well.”
Con nodded slowly. “None of the others had mates. I could see the beginnings of jealousy, and I didna want to make an already impossible situation worse by flaunting my love in front of them.”
“So, you put aside your happiness.”
“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
Fallon shook his head. “You’re a better man than I am. I wouldna have been able to do it, but I can see why you did. I’d have wanted to do the same thing. Except I wouldna have had the strength to do it.”
“I’ve carried the truth for too long. And the secret. Actually, all of the Kings have. I know Phelan has asked multiple times.”
“He’s even asked Rhi, so if he wants to get mad, he’ll have to be angry at her, as well. I’ll handle Phelan.”
Con frowned as he said, “You doona have to. I’ll listen to everything he wants to say to me. I understand that he thinks of Rhi as his sister.”
“Fuck me.” Fallon ran a hand through his hair again. “I know how much Rhi loved her King. Now that I know it was you, and I look back on the moments I saw the two of you together, it was right there the entire time.”
Con chose to remain silent. What was there to say?
“You two will get back together,” Fallon stated with certainty.
Con blew out a breath. “I’m afraid no’. She feels I betrayed our love and her.”
“You were doing what you believed was right.”
“That doesna matter. I love her. I’ll always love her, but there is no chance for us. I’ve known that for a while, but I’ve no’ wanted to admit it. Now, I have no choice.”
Fallon swallowed and gave a nod of acceptance. “We might need the Kings on Skye.”
“Then we will be there.”
It was something to do, other than thinking about everything with Rhi. Though Con knew he’d have to see her again.
Maybe that was the very reason he was going.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Rhi spread out her hands in front of her, palms down, and looked at the horribly chipped nail polish—or what was left of it. She should take it off, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Nor could she seem to get her nails done again.
She wasn’t sure what was wrong with her, but she didn’t like looking at her nails. Maybe because it reminded her of how silly she used to be, thinking about what design she’d get, or what colors to use instead of more important things.
A tremor went through her when she heard her name being called from a great distance. She recognized Fallon’s voice. The leader of the Warriors didn’t call for her. If he was saying her name, then it must be important.
She looked around her rooms. Her mark was on them now. And with the spells she’d put in place, it didn’t matter if she was at the Light Castle or not, she’d know if Usaeil ventured too close. But she wasn’t going to just disappear as Usaeil had done again and again. She opened the door to inform the guards that she was leaving once more, only two new guards stood there.
One was a female who reminded Rhi of herself. The other was a male she couldn’t help but notice had a thing for the female. For just a moment, Rhi thought about chatting with them, but she realized the folly of it at the last minute and instead told them that she would return shortly. The Queen’s Guard, as well as the Light Army, knew to remain on high alert until things with Usaeil were finished once and for all.
Rhi used her magic to jump to the location where Fallon’s voice had come from, but she made sure to arrive veiled in order to see who all was there. It took her half a second to realize that they had brought her to the Isle of Skye. She spotted Isla and Hayden, as well as Evie and Malcolm, along with Fallon and his wife, Larena, the only female Warrior. With them were Con, Rhys, Kiril, and Banan.
She ignored Con, who looked her way. He’d always been able to tell where she was, veiled or not. She had once found it endearing. Then again, that had been when they were together. Now, it just irritated the hell out of her.
Rhi moved to stand in front of Fallon and lowered the veil. “Quite a gathering you’ve got here.”
“I’m glad you came,” Fallon said. “We need your help.”
Rhi quirked a brow. “Is that right? What could be so important that the Warriors, Druids, and Dragon Kings would call for me?”
“Usaeil,” Con replied.
She paused before sliding her gaze to the right to meet his black eyes. While she wished she was past everything she’d recently learned from him, she wasn’t. And seeing him now, hearing his voice, wasn’t helping matters at all.
Unfortunately, she had no other choice but to talk to him—as she had for years.
“How?” she demanded.
Isla was the one who answered. “The Ancients brought me. They said the Druids needed protection.”
“That’s crazy. It would take an idiot to think they could get past the magic of the Druids here to hurt one.”
“Two, actually,” a woman said as she walked up. She had long, red hair and green eyes. “One is Corann.”
“This is Rhona,” Isla said. “She’s the one who showed us the last place Corann and Daniel, the other missing Druid, were seen.”
Rhi had known that Usaeil was killing Druids, but she’d never dreamed that Ubitch would come to Skye and break the bonds that she herself had formed thousands of years before. Then again, Rhi should’ve seen this coming.
“I underestimated her again,” Rhi said.
Rhys crossed his arms over his chest. “We all did. Just as we’ve long thought that those at MacLeod Castle were safe. We can no’ assume anything anymore.”
“We’re doing what we can to strengthen the shield around the castle, as well as putting up new wards,” Fallon said.
Con then added, “We’ll also add in our magic, if you’d like.”
“Absolutely,” Larena said with a nod.
“We’re going to need to help each other,” Evie replied.
Suddenly, everyone was looking at Rhi. She lifted her chin. “You don’t need to ask. Of course, I’ll help.” Her gaze then returned to Con. “There is someone else we should ask.”
“Great,” Rhona scoffed. “Get ahold of anyone you can think of to help put a stop to Usaeil. Whatever loyalty we held toward the Fae is now gone.”
Con stepped forward, blocking Rhona’s path when she started to leave. He didn’t threaten her, simply stood in her way. Then, in a calm voice, he said, “Your pact with Usaeil is broken. It isna broken with the Light Fae.”
“If they couldn’t contain Usaeil, then why should we continue guarding the Fairy Pools?”
Rhi was shocked by Con’s move. She hadn’t thought he would defend her people for anything. Just one more thing she’d been wrong about today.
She cleared her throat to get Rhona’s attention. “I know you’re upset. Every Druid on Skye is upset. So are we. Otherwise, none of us would be here. We want to help, and we’ll stop Usaeil. I nearly had her last time, but she got away. I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
“Fine,” Rhona said with a shrug. “I make no promises, however. If someone can take Corann, then they must be extremely powerful.”
Rhi knew Rhona was right. Corann didn’t display his power, but it was there. Someone with that kind of magic didn’t keep such a strong community of Druids together unless he had the wherewithal to do it. Corann wasn’t just intelligent, he also had immense power, just the kind of Druid Usaeil would need.
“Using the power of the Skye Druids is how she got to Moreann,” Rhi mumbled.
Kiril’s lips flattened before he said, “Aye.”
“We think she might be gathering several so she can take whatever magic she wants when she needs it, instead of hunting,” Banan said.
This couldn’t be happening. Usaeil should be dead, her wicked deeds finished. Why was Rhi failing time and again when it came to Usaeil and Moreann? But now wasn’t the time to think about that. She needed to focus on stopping Usaeil and finding the missing Druids. The Skye Druids needed Corann.
Rhi turned her head to Rhona. “I assume the Druids have set up barriers around the isle to stop Usaeil.”
“We have,” the Druid replied.
“It won’t work.” Rhi looked around at the others. “She’s too strong. The only thing we can do is have spells that will alert us if she’s here. I have them up at the Light Castle.”
Larena grinned as she glanced at Fallon. “I do love the way Rhi thinks.”
“Should the Druids take down the spells to stop her?” Isla asked.
“No,” Rhi and Con said in unison.
Rhi didn’t look toward Con as she turned to Isla. “Let Usaeil think that’s all there is. If no spells are there to stop her, she’ll suspect a trap. We can even begin to spread the word that Skye is closed to anyone with magic who isn’t a Druid.”
Malcolm’s blond brows drew together. “Why? Could a Druid no’ have taken the others?”
“Not someone like Corann,” Rhona answered. Her head swung back to Rhi. “I think that’s a great idea. We can get that going immediately.”
“Do it,” Rhi urged her. “And if any of us come here, we need to make sure we’re no’ seen.”
Rhona nodded in agreement. “The roads and ferries are already being watched. We’ll make sure we see the Warriors and Druids leave. None of the others on the isle know the Dragon Kings or Fae are here.”
“It needs to remain that way,” Rhys said.
A muscle ticked in Fallon’s jaw. “Where is the best place to meet?”
“Here. This is my property, and I own another ten acres,” Rhona told him. “I live alone, and I like my privacy, so there’s no one else around.”
Rhi listened intently, pleased that things were sorting themselves out at least somewhat. “That is all well and good, but there’s still the fact that we need to find Usaeil. We couldn’t locate her after her body was taken from the Light Castle. How are we to find her now?”
“You’re the key to that,” Con said.
Rhi smiled, understanding what Con was saying. “Then it’s time I make my new reign something that will reach her ears.”
“You shouldna be alone,” Rhys said.
Rhi shot him a dark look. “If I die, then you know who killed me. And you’ll know where to find her.”
“The Light throne,” Banan replied.
Rhi then looked toward Fallon. “I’d offer my magic at MacLeod Castle, but she’ll recognize it. It’s better if Usaeil believes my attention is elsewhere.”
Fallon smiled at her. “I understand.”
“What about Moreann?” Hayden asked.
Con’s lips twisted. “I wish we had an answer for her, but we doona. Wherever Usaeil is, Moreann is. Whether they’re joining forces, or Usaeil intends to kill the mie, I couldna tell you.”
“Maybe it’s time we ask Broc to look for them,” Malcolm said to Fallon.
Fallon nodded. “It couldna hurt.”
“We should all set out to search for them,” Rhona said. “Eventually, one of us has to find them, right?”
Kiril made a sound in the back of his throat. “I sure the hell hope so.”
“I don’t want to leave,” Isla said into the silence.
Rhi looked toward the petite Druid and smiled. “For this to work, you have to, because your husband isn’t going to let you remain without him.”
“Damn straight, I’m no’,” Hayden replied before he kissed Isla’s forehead.
Evie cleared her throat. “Then we should head back to the castle. If we need to return, Fallon can get us here quickly.”
“How do I contact you?” Rhona asked as she looked between them all.
Rhi was the first to answer. “Just say my name. I’ll come immediately.”
Con held out his hand, palm up, and a mobile phone appeared. He handed it to Rhona. “There’re two numbers in there. One is a direct line to Dreagan. The other rings MacLeod Castle.”
“Thank you,” the Druid said. She shot everyone an apologetic look. “I wasn’t very friendly at first.”
Hayden held up his hand to stop her. “We understand, lass. Your home was invaded, people you know and care about taken. Any of us would’ve acted the same.”
“I don’t know what we’ll do if Corann doesn’t return,” Rhona added.
Isla smiled at her. “You’re the only Druid who stepped up. It makes me think you’d be a good candidate to take his place.”
“Not me,” Rhona said with a shake of her head. “It’d have to be someone else.”
Isla and Evie said farewell to Rhona before they began the trek back to their SUV with Hayden and Malcolm. Fallon and Larena then said their good-byes and teleported away.
Rhi spotted Ulrik’s silver cuff on Con’s wrist. He and the other Kings spoke briefly to Rhona and then gathered to leave. Just before he disappeared, his gaze landed on her.
It took Rhi a second to get herself back under control, and to realize that Rhona was still there. She looked at the Druid and said, “We’ll defeat Usaeil. One way or another. Be strong and keep the community together. As Corann would do.”
“I will,” Rhona promised.
Rhi then jumped back to the Light Castle. She needed to make a big splash to get Usaeil’s attention.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It really wasn’t going to get any better with Rhi. Con would have to come to terms with that. Only he wasn’t sure he could.
Then again, he doubted he’d be around long enough for it to be an issue.
He strode up the stairs after returning from Skye. Unfortunately, the Kings who had accompanied him were following him now. So much for being alone. At least none of the others were stopping him.
As soon as he walked into his office, he came to a stop. His gaze moved around the room, touching on each of the Kings there. Ulrik sat behind Con’s desk, leaning back in the chair with his ankles crossed on the surface.
