Torched

by Donna Grant

  He closed his eyes and fell into the memories of that long-ago time that seemed as fresh as if it had just happened. “Their screams were like music. We burned everything they owned so that the sky was darkened with black smoke. And we slew thousands. At first, they tried to fight back, but soon, they were running for their lives. We made headway, but the Kings who sided with Con worked against us.”

  “How?”

  His eyes opened, and it took him a second to remember that he wasn’t fighting the mortals. He turned toward Eilish. “Some of the Kings commanded their dragons to stand guard against the humans and to only fight other dragons. I came upon a village where Kellan’s Bronze dragons were standing sentry, waiting for our attack. But the humans attacked them before we got there.”

  “I don’t understand,” Eilish said, her brow knitted deeply. “Didn’t the dragons fight back?”

  “Kellan had commanded them to protect the humans only.”

  “So the dragons … stood there and let themselves be killed?” she asked angrily, shock filling her features.

  He gave a nod of his head. “When I saw the carnage and the dragons writhing upon the ground as they slowly died, I ordered my Silvers to make sure no’ a single human from that village lived. No man, woman, or child.”

  When Eilish turned her head toward the fire, he continued. “Eventually, one by one, the Kings aligned with me returned to Con, each of them asking me to stop the war. I didna understand. This was our realm. We’d allowed the humans to remain. We welcomed them and gave them homes. In return, they had wiped out three different dragon clans, the smallest of our kind. We were dragons! We had magic. It would’ve been so easy to remove the mortals once and for all, and then we could’ve returned to normal.”

  She set her drink on the floor and clasped her hands in her lap before looking at him. “What was their reasoning for standing against you?”

  “That we’d made a vow to protect the mortals, and that we couldn’t punish all for the sins of a few. My argument was that we should’ve been watching over our own first and foremost. The dragon clans that were wiped out as food for the humans can never be replaced. They’re gone. Forever.”

  Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. “I’m sorry.”

  He shook his head and turned his back to her to look out the window. “Even with only my Silvers, we made headway removing the mortals. Until Con and the others used their magic to create a dragon bridge.”

  “What’s that?” Eilish asked.

  “A way for dragons to travel from one realm to another. Con sent the dragons to another realm without visiting it first. He still has no idea if the dragons are alive, or if they were taken to a place where they were killed off. The bridge only goes one way, which is why none of the dragons have returned. They need the Kings’ magic to recreate it, and Con couldna risk no’ being able to return.” Ulrik felt the band around his chest tighten and begin to suffocate him. “This was our home.”

  He cleared his throat, tamping down the tidal wave of emotion that threatened to choke him. “All but four of my Silvers obeyed Con. I watched in horror, first as the dragons disappeared over the bridge, and then as my Silvers were trapped and magic used to force them to sleep. Then Con turned his attention on me.”

  Ulrik heard the chair squeak as Eilish rose. Her shoes clicked softly on the wooden floor until she reached the wall before him. She turned to lean back against it and met his gaze.

  “You don’t have to continue.”

  “But we’re getting to the best part,” Ulrik stated and met her gaze. “This is where Con, the man I thought of as my brother, the dragon I would’ve gladly died for, bound my magic. Oh, but he didna do it alone. The other Kings added their magic to his so that it overtook me, and I couldna fight it. I was condemned to walk this wretched place in a form I despised for eternity because Con wouldna reverse his ruling. But that wasna all. While I was still dealing with the fact that I couldna shift into a dragon, Con banished me from Dreagan.”

  Ulrik was thankful that it wasn’t pity he saw in Eilish’s green-gold eyes. He didn’t think he could handle that. Instead, he caught a glimpse of anger and shock.

  “Where did you go?” she asked softly.

  If he didn’t like to think about his banishment, he loathed remembering those centuries in the cave. But it was too late. His story had taken him there, and he couldn’t shut off his memories now.

  “I wandered,” he said. “While the Kings found their mountains and slept, I walked until I found a place where I would never encounter a mortal.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “Where was that?”

  “On a verra high mountain that was covered in snow. No human could handle the temperatures or the thin air. There was a cave, and that became my home for … a long time. It was also the place where I went mad.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Letting Go

  The magic that filled the stones and grounds of MacLeod Castle was a much-needed boost for Rhi. She’d taken Con’s advice and took some time for herself after she learned of Balladyn’s order for the Dark to target humans.

  But what did she expect of the new King of the Dark?

  A lot, actually.

  He’d been her brother’s best friend, her friend, and eventually, her lover. She’d also foolishly believed she could turn Balladyn Light once more. That wasn’t to be. The darkness had a firm hold of his soul.

  Since Rhi’s mind was still reeling from Balladyn’s actions, learning that Usaeil plotted to kill her, and the queen being the one who’d instigated ending Rhi’s affair with her Dragon King, it was no wonder Rhi felt pulled in multiple directions.

  She wanted to stop Balladyn, mostly because she was hurt by his actions.

  She also wanted to confront Usaeil about everything. The Light Queen was an absent monarch nowadays, but Usaeil no longer cared about the Light. Not to mention Usaeil tricking Con, lying to her, and wanting both her and Balladyn killed.

  Then there was the wooden dragon. The mix of both Druid and Fae magic worried Rhi. There was something at work here, something that spoke of a sinister, ominous threat.

  Since Rhi had offered to look into the magic within the totem, she returned to MacLeod Castle to see if Isla knew anything else. Unfortunately, everyone was asleep.

  Rhi contemplated waking the Druid, then decided against it. She walked into the room where the occupants of the castle usually gathered and found a laptop. She curled up in a chair and set the computer in her lap before opening it.

  The screen brightened to a blog called The (Mis)Adventures of a Dating Failure. Since the mates at Dreagan had already introduced Rhi to the blog, she decided to read the most recent entry.

  Loneliness Is A Cruel Bitch

  All my life, I’ve truly believed that there is one person for each of us. From my earliest memories, I’ve longed to find the man meant for me.

  Some might roll their eyes at such a statement, but it’s true. You could ask my parents if you don’t believe me. I knew he was out there somewhere. I just had to get old enough to be able to find him.

  It’s like a … missing piece of me. As if I searched in a life before and couldn’t find him. And I’m looking again.

  I fear I’ll not find him this time either.

  With my other posts, I retold tales of my horrible dates and how I keep putting myself back out there. This time, I’m going to write about something else. Being alone.

  I’m in a melancholy mood today, so perhaps that’s the reason. I probably shouldn’t be writing this at all, but here I am, typing away.

  I’m not glum because I had a bad date, but because I spent the evening with my best friend and the love of her life.

  Seeing them together reaffirmed that there really is someone out there for each of us.

  But it also amplified the fact that I am utterly alone.

  While most of my other friends settled for whoever they were dating while in their twenties and married, every one
of them is now divorced—most with children.

  I feel like the culture dictates that when you’re in your twenties, and you’ve dated someone for a bit, the next logical step is marriage. But neither one stops and wonders, “Are you The One for me?”

  Instead, they get married, have a kid or two, and then divorce, fighting over bills, items they acquired before and during their marriage, and the kids.

  Divorce is an epidemic. I don’t want to be a part of that. In fact, I’d rather wait until—notice I didn’t say if—I meet the man who is my other half. If that means I’m alone, then I’ll deal with it.

  It’s not the greatest thing in the world. Sometimes, the loneliness eats at my very soul, but I refuse to settle for anything less than the man who will love me with his whole heart.

  Meanwhile, I’ll continue on my dates, as awful, embarrassing, and horrid as they might be. If nothing else, they’re entertainment for you, and maybe even an example of what not to do.

  But when you’re feeling low and wondering why not go out with the guy/girl who keeps flirting, hoping you’ll give in, just remember—your instinct has already put them in the No column for a reason. They aren’t The One.

  You’re waiting for that individual because we all deserve to find our other half. Be patient and hopeful. It’s what I tell myself every night when I crawl into bed, and every morning when I open my eyes to a new day.

  Until next time!

  Rhi softly closed the laptop, her mind drifting to a place she didn’t want to go, but she couldn’t seem to stop it. She understood the blogger perfectly, but her dilemma was different.

  Because she’d already found the man—or rather, dragon—meant for her.

  Events had torn them apart and kept them separated. Rhi used to hope that they would one day find themselves rekindling their love, but that hope had long since flared out for her.

  She’d mistakenly believed she could find happiness with another. And she had, for a short time. As much as she cared for Balladyn, she wasn’t in love with him. The fight that severed their relationship made her realize that if it hadn’t been this argument, it would’ve been something else.

  They weren’t meant to be together. Balladyn wanted her to rule beside him, and she wouldn’t become Dark. He thought they could reign over both the Light and Dark, and she knew that was just wishful thinking.

  She wanted him to become Light again, but it was very clear that was no longer a possibility.

  They each wanted the other to be something they weren’t. Relationships like that were doomed from the beginning. It was better that it ended now. She’d never wanted to hurt Balladyn, but by taking him as a lover, she’d done just that. She’d wanted some joy in her life, and in exchange, she’d caused a beloved friend pain.

  If she couldn’t have the Dragon King who she loved with every fiber of her being, then she would have to be alone. The pain of unrequited love was something she’d endured over the past several thousand years. She could continue to bear it because she knew what it was like to find true love.

  Rhi set aside the laptop and rose to her feet. She’d chosen what to focus on, and it was time to move forward with that. With one last look around the room, she teleported to the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye.

  She walked along the path that hundreds of hikers who came to see the spectacular waterfalls and crystal-clear water took every day. The sky was cloudless with millions of stars blinking in the night.

  What none of them knew was that the Fairy Pools were actually a place the Fae used to communicate with the Druids. The breathtaking beauty of the water and the mountains surrounding it only added to the magic and mystery.

  Rhi glanced down as she continued toward the mountains. In some places, the water settled into a calm, pristine area where it was so clear you thought the bottom was inches away when it was actually over twenty feet deep. Other places were almost like rapids with the water flowing quickly and violently. The numerous waterfalls enhanced the entire experience.

  Just when you thought you had reached the source of the water, you realized it continued toward the mountains.

  A figure came out from behind a large boulder with a staff in his hand. Rhi halted and stared into the wizened face of Corann, the leader of the Skye Druids. He had a long, gray beard that fell down his chest, and equally long, gray hair. And he never went anywhere without his walking staff. All he needed was a long robe to replace his khaki pants, plaid flannel shirt, and old boots, and he could’ve passed as Gandalf.

  “Hello,” Rhi said as she approached the powerful Druid.

  “It’s been many years since I last saw you, Rhiannon.”

  She winced at the use of her full name. “Yes, it has. How are you?”

  “My bones hurt,” he replied tartly before walking to a set of rocks that were perfect for use as a seat. He sat, said bones popping as he lowered himself. “But you doona want to know of such things. What has brought you here?”

  Rhi took the other rock. “When did the Skye Druids begin to keep records?”

  “When we learned to write.” He frowned. “Why?”

  “What about before then? When information was passed down through stories?”

  He moved his staff between his legs and rested it against his shoulder. “We wrote down those stories later. What is this about?”

  “I’m getting there,” she told him. Rhi licked her lips. “I suppose you’ve read all the records of your people.”

  “Several times over, in fact. What do you wish to know?”

  “When did the Druids settle on Skye?”

  He stared at her a long while, stroking a hand down his beard. “No’ long after the dragons left.”

  Her heart leapt in her chest. She’d always wondered if Corann knew about the Dragon Kings. Now, she had answer.

  “Be at ease, Rhiannon. I bear them no ill will.”

  She lifted her gaze to the sky. “So you know everything?”

  “I know my ancestors’ side of things. They came here to escape the humans who began hunting anyone that defended the dragons—and especially the Dragon Kings. It didna help that my ancestors began to display magical abilities.”

  “Oh, hell.”

  His eyes crinkled at the corners as he grinned at her response. “Aye, lass. I had a verra similar reaction, though I do believe my words were much harsher. My ancestors eventually went back to the mainland in secret and traveled to Dreagan, where the Dragon Kings once gathered. The stories tell of a great magic that kept everyone out.”

  “Your ancestors figured out where the Kings went.”

  He bowed his head. “They knew it would only be a matter of time before they reemerged, but no one expected it to be thousands of years later.”

  She leaned forward so that her arms rested on her knees. “I need to know if any Fae ventured onto this realm when the dragons were leaving?”

  “I never read of such an event during that time period,” he replied with a growing frown. “Then again, my ancestors were just coming into their magic and learning the ways of such gifts.”

  “But they had already divided into mies and droughs, right?”

  His mouth turned down in a frown. “Unfortunately, that happened almost as quickly as the magic appeared. It never takes long for those dark of heart to find evil.”

  She couldn’t help but think of herself and the darkness that had been prominent within her since Balladyn tortured her when he thought her responsible for him becoming Dark.

  “You seek a specific event,” Corann said, bringing her thoughts back to the present.

  Rhi nodded and tucked her hair behind her ears. “Recently, an archeologist found a dragon skeleton.”

  “That’s no’ possible,” Corann said in surprise. “The Kings destroyed them. My ancestors wrote about it.”

  “It was on Fair Isle. A White dragon was trapped with magic.”

  Corann leaned forward, his shrewd, black eyes holding hers. “Lass, we all know there
is nothing stronger than dragon magic. Even the lowest dragon is more powerful than you and me combined.”

  “But what if it was a Light and Dark Fae and a mie and drough who combined their magic?”

  He slowly straightened, shock filling his face. “Depending on the magic each held, it could happen.”

  “It did. They killed the dragon and masked it for many millennia until Faith, whose family is descended from Fair, found it. But beneath the skeleton was a wooden dragon, an exact replica of Constantine.”

  Corann got to his feet with speed that belied his age. His face was lined with worry. “It’s no coincidence that they carved the dragon in the image of the King of Dragon Kings.”

  “But what does it mean?”

  He began to walk away. Over his shoulder, he asked, “Are you coming?”

  As if she had anywhere else to go.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Nothing could ever quite prepare someone for being flabbergasted. And that’s exactly what Eilish was after Ulrik’s statement.

  She blinked at him. There was no doubt in her mind that he was speaking the truth. This was no jest. He really had gone insane. And that … took her aback.

  As far as she knew, once someone went mad, there was no coming back from it. Then again, she was discovering that she knew very little about the Dragon Kings.

  “I’ve surprised you,” Ulrik stated.

  She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “You wanted to do that.”

  “So I did.”

  “Why?”

  His gold eyes slid away from her a moment. “I doona know.”

  “You’re not insane now. That means you somehow got past it.”

  Long, slim fingers raked through his thick, onyx hair that hung to his shoulders. “Aye. All I thought about every day, all day was getting revenge. It’s what made me lose my mind, and also how I found it again.”

  She’d known Ulrik was nothing like Mikkel painted him to be, but Eilish was discovering that Ulrik was much more than she had ever imagined.

  He fascinated her, intrigued her.

  Enthralled her.