“That she isn’t. In your quest for revenge, you lost me another Dragon King!” Taraeth bellowed.
Balladyn watched as Taraeth shifted his left shoulder and touched the nub that was left after a human female, now mated to the Dragon King Kellan, cut it off.
“Rhi will be ours,” Balladyn replied.
Taraeth snorted. He gazed at Balladyn icily. “For months you’ve been unable to find her. She eludes you at every turn. I thought you said you knew her.”
“I do,” Balladyn said between clenched teeth.
“Apparently not. You thought you could turn her Dark. Since she’s not here with us, you obviously failed.”
“I doubt that. You didn’t see her.”
“She leveled your compound!” Taraeth exploded, his Irish accent thick with his fury. “By herself, no less. What aren’t you telling me about her?”
As if Balladyn would divulge such information. “Nothing, sire. I pushed Rhi to the brink, and her rage took over.”
“While she wore the Chains of Mordare? Do you think me a fool?” Taraeth’s red eyes blazed as he leaned forward on his throne. “Tread carefully, Balladyn. You might be my favorite, but I’ve had many before you.”
Balladyn watched as Taraeth ran a hand through his long hair that was more silver than black. The more evil a Dark committed, the more silver threaded through their black hair.
The strength of Rhi’s magic was no one’s business, most especially Taraeth’s. The king wouldn’t appreciate knowing Balladyn was conspiring against him. Then again, not even Rhi knew her full potential. Balladyn, however, did. He’d glimpsed it within her while torturing her. Once she was fully Dark, the two of them would be unstoppable.
Not even the love she held within her for that imbecile of a Dragon King would survive once she was Dark.
Balladyn could hardly wait. Nothing had gone to plan, but he knew with a surety of his black soul that Rhi would be his. When she returned, she would come to him. She was always meant to be his.
“I removed the Chains of Mordare from Rhi,” Balladyn lied. “I wanted to see how the rage changed her.”
Taraeth sat back slowly. Ever the one to consider all sides, he asked, “Did she exceed your expectations?”
“Unequivocally. She’s a Fae we should pursue wholeheartedly.”
“And this has nothing to do with the fact that she left you on the battlefield for me to find and turn Dark?”
Balladyn was used to telling this lie, so he didn’t hesitate to shake his head. “I was meant to be Dark. I’ve known that since I let it inside me. I thank her for leaving me to you.”
“Is that so?”
How many more times would Balladyn have to kiss Taraeth’s ass? It was becoming a chore that enraged him each time. “Of course.”
“And your promise to hand me a Dragon King?”
“I’ve not forgotten that promise, my king. It’s one I intend to carry through at all costs.”
Taraeth chuckled. “My, how you hate them. I think you despise the Kings more than I do.”
“I do,” Balladyn replied in a low voice.
“Kiril was in our midst for months in Ireland. Most recently, we learned of the hidden doorway for us to get onto Dreagan undetected and find the weapon that will end the Dragon Kings. Yet we can’t even get near the doorway. How is it we keep failing? We have to have that weapon!”
Balladyn bowed his head. “We’ll have it.”
“Just as I’d hoped you would say.”
That’s when Balladyn realized he’d stepped right into whatever it was Taraeth wanted him to do. He fisted his hands at his sides as he thought of the precious time spent away from his search for Rhi.
“Aren’t you curious?” Taraeth asked with narrowed eyes.
“I’m merely waiting for your instructions.”
Taraeth stood, the sleeve of his left arm hanging loose with nothing to fill it. “There’s a meeting I need you to attend in Inverness.”
“So close to Dreagan?”
The king shrugged. “Take as many Dark as you wish. There will be those from MI5 there as well as our … friend.”
Balladyn scrunched up his nose. “He’s not a friend.”
“Nor is he an enemy. For now. He’s the one giving us information on Dreagan. Without him, we’d never have known the location of the secret doorway to get onto Dreagan.”
“The Dragon Kings have now secured that doorway. We can’t get near it thanks to Iona Campbell taking over as guardian of the Campbell land. Not to mention she’s mated to Laith.”
“I don’t need to be reminded of the humans binding themselves with the Dragon Kings,” Taraeth said tersely as he came down the four steps to stand in front of Balladyn. “The enemy of our enemy is our friend. Remember that during this meeting.”
Taraeth walked around him before striding away. Balladyn turned to watch the thirty-foot double doors open of their own accord as Taraeth neared.