by Donna Grant
“You doona have to do this,” Rhys said, pulling her attention from her thoughts and back to them.
Bernadette shrugged and forced a smile. “I’m the type of person who likes to solve problems. I also tend to be someone who always helps others. I’m not saying I’m not utterly terrified of what could happen, but even I see this is a unique chance for you all. Usaeil already has me in her crosshairs. I’m not getting out anytime soon. If I can get you any type of information, no matter how little that could help, then I want to make sure that happens.”
Ulrik’s smile was soft and kind. “You truly are one in a million, Bernadette. We can no’ thank you enough.”
“Sure, you can. Kill Usaeil.”
They all laughed, but it died quickly.
Suddenly, Eilish appeared in the house again. She held out her hands, which were filled with small electrical items. “Ryder sent these for us to install. He wanted to make sure that we caught everything.”
The Kings immediately went to Eilish and each took a piece from her hand, disbursing them throughout the house. As Bernadette watched, she realized that they were tiny cameras. She had to admit, that was smart.
It also took a huge burden off her not to have to remember every detail or word Usaeil said to her.
In less than twenty minutes, she was surrounded again. Eilish and Ulrik spoke softly to each other. Eilish then flashed Bernadette a quick smile and a wave as she left.
Ulrik turned his head to her. “The spells and wards used on you and the house will ensure that Usaeil willna be able to hurt you again. She will still be able to get in, though.”
“Because we need her inside,” Bernadette interjected.
Ulrik nodded. “Precisely. Ryder sent over cameras that we’ve hidden throughout the house. They will livestream to Dreagan, where we can see and hear everything in real time.”
“All right.” Bernadette rubbed her hands on her thighs and got to her feet. “I don’t know when she’ll show up again.”
Rhys snorted loudly. “It could be in the next second.”
Anson gave him a dark look.
“It’s all right,” Bernadette told Anson. “Rhys is only speaking the truth.”
“Bernadette.”
At the sound of her name, she turned to Ulrik. His face was serious, which meant that whatever he said next would be important. “Yes?”
“Our time is running out with Usaeil. We only have a few more hours. When those are up, you are welcome to make your way to Dreagan. We would be honored to have you.”
His words warmed her heart because she knew he meant every one of them. “Don’t worry about me. You all do what you do best.”
Ulrik gave her a nod and backed away. Rhys shot her a wink, while Anson bowed his head. It was Guy who walked to her and took her hands.
“Please make sure you come to Dreagan. Keltan wants you there, as do all of us,” he said.
She smiled up at him. “I’ll be there.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
Madrid, Spain
He’d never been at a loss for words before, but as Henry stared across the small table at Melisse, he found he couldn’t string two syllables together.
“Why are you here?” she demanded.
He sat back and rested his hands on his thighs. “Why are you here? Your accent is Scottish, so you aren’t a local.”
Her white eyes, ringed with black and speckled with silver, were steady as she stared at him. “I’m not pretending to be.”
Henry scratched his forehead and briefly looked away. “I don’t know what we’re dancing around here, but perhaps you should just come out and tell me.”
A silver brow arched regally. “Why should I be the one to do it? Just because I’m a woman?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Why were you in the house?”
He didn’t need to ask which one she was referring to. Henry stretched out his legs at an angle and crossed his ankles. “I came to see where the murder took place.”
“You aren’t with the authorities.”
“No, I’m not. Your turn. Why were you there?”
“I also came to see the place of the killing. Why did you want to see it?”
He lifted one shoulder. “I was drawn there. You?”
“Curiosity.”
Henry knew she wasn’t telling him the entire truth, but he didn’t point that out. Not now, at least. She didn’t trust him. Not that he could blame her. He didn’t exactly trust her either.
Well, that wasn’t true. There was something about her that he almost recognized. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was, but it was like he knew her.
That couldn’t be true because if he had met her before, he wouldn’t have forgotten. Her beauty alone would have been branded on his mind. So, what was it? What had drawn his gaze to her when he walked from the murdered Druid’s house?
“Who were the people with you?” Melisse asked.
Henry wasn’t surprised by the question. It was one he would’ve asked had he been her. “My sister and her husband.”
“Where are they now?”
“Gone.”
Melisse turned her gaze out to the road as people walked past. “You should leave.”
“Why?” he asked, frowning.
Instead of answering, she looked back at him. “It was nice getting to meet you, Henry North. You aren’t what I expected.”
The moment he heard his last name, he froze. He hadn’t told it to her, so she either had been following him for a while or … she had magic. Before he could ask her about it, she rose and turned to walk back the way she’d come.
Henry stood and jogged a few steps to catch up with her. “Melisse, wait.”
“Henry!”
The sound of his sister’s voice behind him stopped him cold. He turned and saw her and Nikolai running toward him. Henry glanced back at Melisse, but she was gone. He wanted to try to find her, but Esther and Nikolai wouldn’t have tracked him down if it weren’t important.
Henry returned to the table and tossed down enough money to pay for his coffee. Then he walked to meet his sister.
“We have to get back to Dreagan. Now,” she said breathlessly.
Henry looked at Nikolai to find the Dragon King on high alert, his gaze moving around, looking for threats. “What’s going on?”
“We’ll explain on the way to the chopper,” Nikolai replied.
Henry fell into step beside them. Just before he turned the corner, he cast one more look back to where he’d last seen Melisse.
The three of them walked fast through the streets. Each time Henry wanted to ask them to tell him what was going on, there were too many people near. None of them could take the risk of someone overhearing anything they said.
It wasn’t until they met Lily at the chopper that Henry finally got to hear what was going on.
“We’re gearing up for war,” Nikolai stated.
Henry had been looking outside, but he jerked his head around as they ascended. “What?”
His sister nodded. “Apparently, this thing with Bernadette and Usaeil has progressed significantly.”
“Aye, but it’s really Rhi,” Nikolai explained. “She dreamed about Bernadette’s house and went to visit. She got there after Usaeil had used a blood spell.”
Henry shook his head. “Wait. What? A blood spell?”
“Something Druids use to locate someone. Fae are no’ able to just find someone, no’ even with their magic,” Nikolai said.
Henry took in that bit of new information. “I gather that Usaeil found Bernadette.”
“Not exactly.” Esther then proceeded to fill him in on everything that had been happening with Keltan and Bernadette.
“Bloody hell,” Henry murmured when she finished. “It’s amazing she’s alive.”
Nikolai nodded. “Verra.”
Henry looked to the front of the chopper and Lily. No wonder everyone had been in such a rush to find him. They all wante
d to get back to Dreagan.
“That’s not all.”
He slid his gaze to his sister. “What else is there?”
Nikolai released a long breath. “Rhi returned to Bernadette’s place and spoke with her and Keltan.”
“What is it about Bernadette that keeps drawing Rhi?” Henry asked.
Esther gave him a pointed look. “That’s something I’d really like to know.”
“That’s no’ the point now.” Nikolai took Esther’s hand and brought it to his lips to kiss. “It’s no’ just the timetable Usaeil gave us that’s running out. Rhi intends to attack her. Rhi said that we can pretend to bring her in to Usaeil, but if we doona, she’s going after the queen herself.”
“Fuck.” Henry ran a hand through his hair.
Esther nodded. “Exactly.”
And they had wasted time looking for him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I shouldn’t have taken the time alone in the city. I thought I had a few hours.”
“So did we.” Esther gave him one of her sisterly smiles. “Lily is getting us home quickly. The Kings aren’t heading out immediately.”
Nikolai twisted his lips. “It’ll be soon, though. Ulrik called everyone back so we could finalize plans. I’m guessing we’ll be headed to the Light Castle by morning.”
“So soon?” Esther asked with a frown.
Henry turned his face away from them. He was worried about the battle, but like his sister. It might be different if he were actually going to war with the Kings, but that wasn’t his path.
However, all the new information he’d gotten on Usaeil might help them locate where she’d been hiding. At the very least, he might be able to find Con.
His thoughts moved to Melisse. Henry wished he’d gotten to talk to her more. She was hiding something. Then again, so was he. It wasn’t as if he could come out and ask her if she had magic.
The fact that she was interested in the murdered Druid’s house was interesting. Though there were humans who were curious about such things. They usually worked for the authorities, but a few followed such things as a hobby.
Melisse didn’t look like a hobbyist. And if she weren’t, then there had to be another explanation for her being at the house. Did he want to dig into that? Especially when he had so many other things on his plate—including learning his new abilities?
Henry swallowed and glanced at his sister and Nikolai to find them both watching him. “What?” he asked.
“What are you thinking so hard about?” Esther asked.
He shrugged nonchalantly. “We have a lot going on.”
“There’s something you aren’t telling me,” she insisted.
Nikolai put his arm around her and drew her close to him. “Sweetheart, your brother is working through accepting his role as JusticeBringer as well as keeping track of the Dark Fae and trying to locate Usaeil. Let the man keep some secrets.”
Esther narrowed her gaze on Henry. “Fine, but I want you to promise that if it’s something bad, you’ll come to me.”
“We’re a team, sis,” he told her.
“That means you have to tell me what’s on your mind.”
Henry glanced at Nikolai, who was gazing at his boots. “Really? Do you tell me everything? Or do you go to Nikolai?”
“You walked right into that one, lass,” Nikolai said before he kissed Esther’s temple.
She rolled her eyes. “Bloody hell.”
Henry laughed and reached across the way to playfully slap at her leg. “I promise I’ll tell you if it’s something important.”
“Good.” She flashed him a wide smile.
He returned it while noticing how Nikolai couldn’t take his eyes from her. Henry wondered how bad the war would be. The Kings hadn’t gone into a battle like this with mates before. No one knew what to expect, especially the women.
It was no wonder Nikolai was staring at Esther. This might be the last time they could joke and laugh for a while. Henry hoped to hell he was wrong, but Usaeil had blindsided them too many times for him not to think she might do it again.
Esther yawned and closed her eyes as she rested her head on Nikolai’s shoulder. Henry met his brother-in-law’s gaze. He saw the Dragon King’s worry. Henry gave him a nod, a silent promise that Esther would be looked after. Always.
But Henry had another fear. Esther might be mated to a Dragon King who made her immortal. Therefore, she could live forever and never get sick as long as her mate was alive and well. Yet if Nikolai died in battle, Esther would die, too.
Henry’s mouth fell open as he realized another reason Usaeil had taken Con.
“Aye,” Nikolai whispered.
Henry leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands. If Usaeil somehow managed to either turn Con to her side or use magic on him, then he might very well fight each of the Kings. And since Con was King of Kings and the strongest of them all, the odds were in his favor.
It took several moments before Henry was able to lift his head and look at Nikolai. Obviously, his brother-in-law hadn’t told Esther any of that, and neither would Henry. Esther would have her own weight of worries to carry. She didn’t need any more. Henry would carry this for her.
He glanced at Esther to make sure she was asleep, then asked Nikolai, “Is there a plan?”
“To win,” the King replied.
Henry should’ve known that would be the answer. “How worried is everyone?”
Nikolai looked away and swallowed thickly, which was answer enough.
“I would gladly go into battle with all of you,” Henry said.
Nikolai slowly turned his face to him. “And we would be honored to have you beside us.”
“But I’m useless.”
The King shook his head. “You are the JusticeBringer, Henry. You and Esther are a force that the Druids have no’ encountered in ages. The two of you together are just now figuring out your strengths and learning your way. That needs to be protected. And so does Dreagan. We need you there with Eilish, Shara, Esther, and Denae to fight whoever and whatever attacks. Because Dreagan will be attacked.”
Henry sat back and nodded. “We will hold Dreagan for you.”
“We know,” Nikolai said with a smile. “Some Kings will remain behind because Dreagan must always have Dragon Kings there.”
“Do you know who is staying?”
Nikolai glanced at Esther and shook his head. “No’ yet. That’s being decided once we get home.”
Which meant Henry would need to be close in case Esther learned that Nikolai would be going to fight Usaeil.
“Henry. You need to know that you are my brother. You are a brother to everyone at Dreagan. The fact that you doona have magic means nothing to us.”
Henry blinked, shocked and astounded by Nikolai’s words. “Thank you.”
“You are one of us. Now and always.”
When Henry looked out the window, he felt peace he hadn’t in a very long time.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Things could go wrong. Keltan understood that fact. Hell, every person who went to war was cognizant of that, but this was different. This was nothing like the Fae Wars, where the Kings protected the humans.
This was the Kings fighting for themselves—something they hadn’t done since the clash with the mortals so long ago.
“You look worried,” V said as he walked up next to him in the cavern.
Keltan looked out over the crowd of Dragon Kings. “Are you no’? You and Claire have a lot to lose.”
V’s lips flattened at the reminder. “Am I sorry that Claire is carrying my bairn? Nay, I’m no’. Do I know that the odds of us losing that babe are great? Aye, I do. I want my mate, and I’ll do whatever it takes to break the hold Usaeil has over her and my child. Everyone at Dreagan has a lot to lose, Keltan. My pain willna be greater simply because I’ve found my mate.”
Keltan didn’t point out that V and Claire hadn’t gone through the ceremony yet, so Claire, like Eilish, Sabina, and Gemma was still very
much mortal.
Just like Bernadette.
Keltan took a deep breath to control the bellow inside him at the thought of her being alone.
“You’re a fool.”
Keltan jerked his head to V. “Excuse me?”
“You’re a bloody fool.”
Keltan blinked, trying to think why V would say such a thing. “About?”
“Bernadette. Are you so afraid to love that you can no’ see what is right before you? Everyone else can see it.”
Keltan didn’t know how to respond. His first instinct was to refuse that he felt anything for Bernadette, but that was a lie. He’d already admitted to caring about her. But … love?
“Love doesna make you weak,” V continued. Anger sparked in his ice blue eyes and dripped from every syllable. “It makes you stronger.”
Keltan could argue that. “Stronger? You think you’re stronger when you’re worrying about Claire and the babe she’s carrying thanks to Usaeil? You think you’re strong having your mind split between the battle and the safety of your mate?”
V’s eyes went cold as he faced Keltan. “Like I said, a bloody fool. I worry no’ just for my mate and our unborn child. I worry for every soul living here, including your dumb arse. I worry about Con, about our dragons, about the future. Worry is always there, but I doona let it rule me. If I’m one of those called into battle, I will trust that the Kings who remain behind to guard Dreagan and the mates will do their job. And if I’m asked to stay behind and defend Dreagan, I will do it knowing that those fighting with Usaeil will do their best. That’s what we do. Because we’re Dragon Kings.”
“Even you have to admit that Claire will always be on your mind,” Keltan argued.
V gave a slight nod. “Always. She’s in my heart, which means, she is forever with me. But I know in order to defeat our foe, I have to focus. Just like every King who has a mate. Just as you will.”
Keltan frowned as he snorted. “Me?”
“Tell me you’re no’ thinking of Bernadette. Tell me you doona wish she were here.”
Keltan looked away, unable to deny V’s words.
V let out a loud sigh. “Regardless of what Bernadette did that brought our attention to her, she is more than making up for it. There isna a soul on Dreagan that doesna realize that.”