by Donna Grant
Guy shrugged and exchanged a look with Sophie. “If Usaeil is dead, I see no reason you could no’ keep them. Though, I will say it isna my decision alone to make.”
“Of course,” Bernadette said.
She started toward the sofa, only to have Sophie hurry over to help. Once she was seated, Bernadette reached for the blanket she always kept near and covered her legs.
“Think about what we said,” Sophie begged.
Bernadette smiled sadly at them. “We don’t have that kind of time, and both of you know that. I appreciate you giving me the option, but we all know I need to make the decision now. If Usaeil did make me ill, then she’ll be dropping by soon. I’ll do it. It helps me as well as everyone at Dreagan.”
“I’ll let the others know,” Guy said.
Sophie gave Bernadette a bright smile. “You’re not in this alone. I hope you know that.”
Bernadette laughed softly and shrugged. “I’m going to believe I am. It’s easier that way.”
Sophie put a hand on her arm and squeezed. “If you start to feel bad in any way, call me. I won’t write down the number, but all you need to do is look up the clinic. It’s the only one near Dreagan. I’ll get your message and be here as soon as I can.”
“I promise,” Bernadette said.
Guy then said, “I’ve told the others. We can no’ ward your home because it would alert Usaeil that we’ve been here, but I am putting up a border that will tell us if any Fae shows up.”
Bernadette swallowed, hoping she made the right decision. “Will you come if she shows up?”
“Nay,” Guy said. “It just lets us know when Usaeil comes to you.”
“So that I can then tell you what she wants,” Bernadette guessed.
Sophie licked her lips and dropped her arms to her sides. “We want you to help us, but we’re not going to demand it. What you choose to share is up to you.”
Bernadette was taken aback by the doctor’s words. “You could easily make me do whatever you want.”
“We’re no’ Usaeil,” Guy said, anger tinting his statement.
Gone was his easy expression. In its place was a face hardened with determination and resentment.
“I didn’t mean to imply that you were,” Bernadette said hastily. “I’m merely pointing out that you could make me tell you everything.”
Sophie walked to stand next to Guy. “We’re your friends, Bernadette. We have a common enemy in Usaeil.”
“We have to go,” Guy said.
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than a stunning woman with black hair and greenish-gold eyes appeared. She smiled at Bernadette then clicked silver finger rings together before the three of them vanished.
Bernadette put her hand over her eyes and tried to come to grips with everything that had happened. She was sure she’d made love to Keltan. That hadn’t been a dream. What had happened between falling asleep on his chest and waking in her bed was another matter altogether. And she might never know the answer.
The one thing Bernadette did know was that Keltan wasn’t there. She had no reason not to believe what the Dragon Kings told her, but when she was trying to sort out the truth from fiction, everyone was a potential enemy.
It would be easy to think that the Kings were manipulating her. They’d had ample opportunity. Her entire time at Dreagan could have been nothing but a ruse.
But she knew that wasn’t true.
The only one who had used her was Usaeil. The queen had controlled Bernadette for a year, causing her to do things she never would have done otherwise.
Even when Keltan had the chance to use his magic on her after the lecture, he hadn’t. He’d done nothing but talk. No, the only enemy Bernadette had was Usaeil. Sophie was right, they would get more done by working together.
Bernadette moved her hand and happened to catch sight of her desk. Everything was gone from it except her pen and some dark spots on the instrument. No doubt that was blood.
Usaeil had been in control for a long time. Now, it was Bernadette’s turn.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“You did what?” Keltan bellowed as he glared at Guy.
“It wasn’t just him,” Sophie hurried to say. “I was there and a part of talking to Bernadette.”
Keltan looked away from both of them. He felt Ulrik’s gaze on him but didn’t turn the Silver King’s way. Ulrik wasn’t the only one staring. So were Darius and V.
“She’s up and walking around, by the way,” Guy stated sarcastically. “You know, if you’re interested at all.”
Keltan swung his head to Guy and met his gaze, their anger clashing and filling the room.
“Enough,” V said as he walked between them. He looked at Guy first before turning his attention to Keltan. “We told you to be there, but you refused. Perhaps if you had been, you could’ve spoken to her about this.”
“She can still change her mind,” he said.
Guy crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s the best move, and you know it.”
“Keltan,” V said to get his attention. “Bernadette is recovering nicely. You can stop worrying.”
His brows shot up on his forehead. “Stop worrying? Are you daft? She’s going to try and play Usaeil. If anything, we’ve put Bernadette in more danger.”
“I doona think so,” Ulrik said before anyone else could speak.
Keltan didn’t hold back his loud sigh. “Bernadette is one of the most honest people I’ve ever met. I’m sure she can lie, but is it good enough to fool Usaeil?”
“There’s also the fact that we can no’ protect her,” Darius added.
Keltan nodded as he glanced at Darius. “Especially that. We’re handing her over to Usaeil.”
“She knew the risks,” Guy said.
Keltan threw up his hands. “How could she? She just learned that Usaeil used her. Bernadette has no concept of the lengths Usaeil will go to in order to get revenge. I want Usaeil as badly as any of you, but I’m no’ willing to put an innocent in the crosshairs to achieve it.”
“Bernadette might not know what Usaeil is capable of, but Bernadette isn’t stupid either,” Sophie said. “Her life was turned upside down by Usaeil, and the one thing Bernadette doesn’t want is for that to happen to someone else.”
Keltan looked to Ulrik. “Bernadette doesna deserve to be put in harm’s way, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”
“Actually, it was Usaeil who did that,” Ulrik replied.
Keltan knew Ulrik was right, but he still didn’t like hearing it. “That doesna mean that we have to do it, as well. Look what Usaeil did just to get Bernadette back to her home.”
Ulrik nodded. “I saw the blood on the pen. The fact that Usaeil used blood magic confirms just how important Bernadette is to her.”
“I willna have Bernadette hurt.”
“What do you suggest then?” Darius asked.
Keltan had no clue, but he’d come up with something.
“We can no’ use dragon magic,” V said.
Guy shook his head. “Usaeil will be looking for that.”
“Same with Fae magic,” Sophie added.
Ulrik lifted his chin. “There’s a chance we could use Druid magic.”
Keltan shook his head. “She knows some of us have mated Druids.”
“Aye, but she’s also using Druid magic. I’d ask the Warriors, but they can no’ do spells. They can only use the magic the primeval gods inside them grants them.”
Guy twisted his lips. “The Druid magic could work.”
“Maybe Keltan is right,” Sophie said. “Maybe someone else should go talk to Bernadette and lay it all out for her.”
Everyone looked his way. Keltan snorted. “You think I doona want to see her? I do, but I willna. Usaeil will be looking for a Dragon King to show up.”
“Aye, she will,” Ulrik replied with a bright smile.
Keltan frowned at him. “Why are you smiling?”
“Like you said, Usaeil will expect
us to make an appearance. If we doona, then that looks strange, and she could begin to suspect that Bernadette is lying to her.”
V slapped his hands together and rubbed them eagerly. “I can no’ believe none of us thought of this.”
Keltan blinked and shook his head. “Thought of what?”
“It’s a way for us to check in on Bernadette without giving anything away,” Ulrik explained.
Keltan ran a hand over his jaw. “It can no’ be me.”
“It has to be you,” Sophie said.
Darius smiled at his mate. “She’s right. You were the one who went to the lecture. It makes sense that you would visit her again.”
“All of you assume Usaeil knows I was at the lecture. And if she knows that, then she knows I spoke with Bernadette.”
Guy shrugged as he crossed his arms over his chest. “It doesna matter if Usaeil knows or no’. You should still go. You spent the most time with Bernadette. While neither of you will be able to come out and say what you want, you know her better than any of us. You will be able to pick up subtle nuances one of us might overlook.”
Fuck. Guy was right. And Keltan wasn’t happy about it. If he were honest, he would admit how badly he wanted to see Bernadette. The problem was he didn’t think he would be able to keep his hands off her.
In between worrying about her sudden and inexplicable illness were memories of their stolen hours making love. Keltan felt responsible for her because he had promised her that she was protected at Dreagan. That’s all it was.
The strange feelings inside him were tied to his concerns—and maybe a little with the fact that he had enjoyed sex with Bernadette.
Enjoyed. Keltan inwardly shook his head. He’d had an amazing orgasm. There was no way he could forget that when he was with her. But he’d have to. For her safety. He’d told her that he would keep her safe, and that’s exactly what he was going to do.
“When do you want me to go see her?” Keltan asked.
Ulrik released a breath. “Tomorrow. Give her some time to recoup after today.”
Keltan turned on his heel and walked to the door. “I’ll drive down there today and scope out the city.”
“Smart,” V said. “It’s what we’d do.”
Keltan made his way to his room and changed clothes before he threw together an overnight bag. Then he walked down to the garage. He bypassed the sports cars and supercars owned by others at Dreagan and went to his favorite mode of transportation: his motorbike.
He pulled the keys from the pocket of his leather jacket and put the backpack on. Then he threw a leg over the gray-and-black BMW R1200GS. After he started the engine, he put on his helmet and gloves and revved the throttle.
He glanced up to see Ulrik standing in the garage. Keltan gave him a nod before taking off. He had no issues driving a car, but there was something truly freeing about riding a motorbike.
For him, it was the closest thing to flying in his true form that he’d found. To some of his brethren, they could achieve that by being in a helicopter or plane, but Keltan disagreed.
Only a motorcycle allowed him to move the machine similarly to how he moved his own body when he took to the skies. It was a poor substitute, but it was something.
Though he wasn’t in a hurry, Keltan opted not to take the scenic route to Glasgow. He drove straight there as fast as he could, the pavement flying by beneath him. He only stopped for petrol before he was back on the road again.
In less than three hours, he made it into the city. The Dragon Kings had houses in all parts of the world. Even in Edinburgh. But that wasn’t the case in Glasgow. Keltan didn’t mind. In some ways, he blended in better by staying in a hotel.
Keltan made his way to Mar Hall outside of Glasgow. He’d always enjoyed the gothic architecture of the estate. He checked in and booked one of the suites that gave him a great view of the Kilpatrick Hills.
He stayed long enough to remove his backpack and check out the room. Then he returned to his motorbike and headed into the city. He had Bernadette’s address, but that wasn’t where he went. There were places he needed to check before he went to see her.
Any Fae—Light or Dark—who saw him would expect such actions. He was going to give everyone exactly what they anticipated, even though it was killing him not to go directly to Bernadette.
It was even difficult for him to steer clear of the section of town where her cottage was. He drove through the city streets and stopped off at a few pubs. He ordered drinks, but never drank them. He was looking for Fae or any sign of Usaeil in the area.
To his surprise, he found very few Fae in the hours he searched. One section at a time, he cleared Glasgow until he reached Bernadette’s neighborhood.
He parked the bike and decided to walk the streets on foot instead. He checked every face he passed. Though he was aware that Usaeil could use glamour without the Kings discerning it, he still prepared himself for each person he encountered to be her.
After forty minutes, he found a café and ordered some food. He ate a few bites but mainly pushed it around on his plate. His unease grew when he didn’t see even one Fae.
He opened the mental link and said, “Ryder.”
The Dragon King answered almost immediately. “I’m here. What is it?”
“You need to tell Henry that I’ve only spotted three Fae in all of Glasgow. Two Light and one Dark, and all three disappeared when they spotted me.”
“Damn,” Ryder said. “That’s odd.”
“Aye. I’m in Bernadette’s neighborhood now.”
“Any sign of Usaeil?”
Keltan snorted. “I wish. I hate that we can no’ see her glamour. She could be anyone.”
“Which means you need to watch your back.”
“Why do you think I searched the city these past hours? If she’s here and watching, she’ll have seen me.”
Ryder blew out a long breath. “I know you doona agree with Bernadette helping us, but I think it’s a verra courageous thing she’s doing. We’ll keep her safe. Somehow.”
“That’s the same thing I keep telling myself, but we both know that’s a lie. She’ll be alone for the most part. We have no idea what Usaeil will do or say to her. Or worse, what the queen will force her to do.”
“About that,” Ryder interjected. “Ulrik, Eilish, and Shara have been brainstorming ideas. I think they’ve come up with something. Be on the lookout for them.”
“They shouldna come.”
“Right. You tell them that,” Ryder said with a laugh. “I’ll send your message to Henry, though he’s no’ at Dreagan at the moment. Still, he’ll want to know.”
“Thanks.”
Keltan severed the link before he tossed down enough money to pay for his meal. He was keenly aware of the time ticking down on the deadline Usaeil had given them to deliver Rhi. But one issue at a time.
He walked outside and breathed in the night air. He was counting down the hours until he could see Bernadette again. He looked one way, then the other. All he spotted were mortals. He’d thought he’d find numerous Fae milling about since Usaeil was there. Or maybe that’s why none of the Fae were in Glasgow.
Keltan was pretty sure the Light didn’t know what Usaeil was up to, but there was a good chance that some of the Dark did. Especially if Balladyn, King of the Dark, had informed his people. There were reasons Balladyn might keep that to himself, though.
Usaeil had spies at the Dark Palace, and if Balladyn wanted to go against the queen, he’d have to keep things secret for as long as he could.
Keltan fisted his hands. He was tired of waiting on this battle. It was time that it happened. For better or worse, the tension had been brewing long enough. It was so bad that even the humans could sense it. They looked around furtively as if waiting for something to jump out at them.
“Your time is coming to an end,” Keltan said, speaking about Usaeil.
And he planned to be right there with his brethren, fighting to end the queen once and for al
l.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
The next morning, Bernadette stood beneath the spray of the shower so long that her fingers began to turn pruney. She didn’t care, though. It felt too good.
Her mind drifted, thinking about Keltan’s kisses, his hands on her body, and the way he’d so easily pleasured her. It was all she could think about, actually.
Not even contemplating Usaeil or the fact that Bernadette was going to attempt to deceive the queen entered her mind. She was utterly, completely filled with thoughts of Keltan.
And it hurt her more than she cared to admit that he hadn’t been there when she woke.
He must have had his reasons, though. At least that’s what she kept telling herself. Not that she would ever get to hear what that reasoning might be. She was under no illusion that she would see Keltan again, even if the Dragon Kings had allowed her to keep her memories.
That thought bothered her more than the idea that she could lose her life while going up against Usaeil. It was silly, really. She knew very little about Keltan, but she knew that she liked being with him. And she enjoyed how he made her feel when they were together.
She was no great master of reading people, but she got the sense that he had been nothing but honest with her from the very beginning. And she, in turn, had given him the same honesty.
It was so refreshing, that it might very well be the reason she was infatuated with him.
Bernadette shook her head, rolling her eyes at herself. It was just like her to start to have feelings for a man she couldn’t have. To make matters worse, she couldn’t even get angry thinking Keltan had used her—because he hadn’t. If anything, she had used him.
She leaned forward and put her forehead on the shower wall. There was too much going on. She needed to stop thinking about Keltan and get her head straight for when Usaeil came because she knew the queen would come very soon.
And it would take everything Bernadette had to try and outwit and outsmart Usaeil. In truth, she wasn’t sure she could do it, but after what the queen had done to her, she was absolutely going to try anything to get back the self-respect she’d lost. Even if that meant going up against a powerful supernatural being.