by Donna Grant
She stilled when she saw him lying motionless upon the debris. “Anson,” she called as she rushed to him.
The weight of her sword reminded her that it was still in her grasp. She used magic to make it vanish before she knelt beside the King. As far as she could see, there were no burn marks on his naked form.
So it wasn’t Dark magic that had made him lose consciousness. What then? It wasn’t natural that he was passed out during battle. Not when there were Dark to kill.
“Anson,” she said again and lightly slapped his face. “You need to wake up! We have to get to Devon. She’s in trouble.”
Rhi glanced over at the ash pile that was the remains of Amdir. The Dark deserved no less for what he’d done to the Dragon Kings—and what he’d planned to do to Anson.
She stuck her tongue out at the ashes. “Karma’s a bitch, and she delivered one hell of a punch to you, asshole.”
With a sigh, she turned her attention back to Anson. The longer they remained in the palace, the more Dark would find them. Besides, she was anxious to get to Dublin and make sure none of the Fae had realized who Phelan was.
The Dark would take great pleasure in hurting the half-Fae Warrior, and the Light … well, let’s just say that Usaeil wouldn’t be pleased to know that her brother had left an heir.
“Get up!” Rhi shouted and shook Anson’s shoulders.
* * *
Devon’s punch faltered, causing her to pitch forward. Right into the arms of a Dark. Thankfully, Anson helped her recover quickly by kicking the Fae in the balls using her leg.
So many orbs of magic flew past her. She couldn’t believe she had yet to get hit by one. Though, to be fair, Con took a lot of them for her.
Despite Anson directing her actions, she was still very much a mortal. And she had no desire to be touched by Dark magic again. There mere thought of it was enough to make her blood turn to ice.
With each kill, she grew bolder, more confident. Which was silly. It was all because of Anson. But for the first time since realizing there was magic in the world and people around her, she didn’t feel helpless.
And that was an amazing thing.
She would thank Anson properly later. For now, she enjoyed this badass feeling. She would have Anson train her when they returned to Dreagan.
It never entered her mind that there would be another outcome. She belonged with Anson. If need be, she’d fight to remain with him.
She withdrew the knife from a Dark’s chest and turned to look for the next attacker. Except, there was none. Her gaze moved to Con, and she smiled.
“This feels wonderful,” she said.
He didn’t return her grin. He had just one word for her. “How?”
“It’s Anson. I heard him inside my head, and then he took over my body.”
Con’s frown worried her. The King of Kings stared at her for a long time as if he were trying to figure her out. Devon grew uncomfortable. She wished Anson were beside her.
“How?” Con asked again.
She shrugged. “His power is possession.”
“I’m referring to you hearing his voice in your head.”
“I don’t know.”
A muscle in his jaw jumped. “We should find Anson.”
His gaze moved to look behind her before narrowing. She looked over her shoulder and saw the Dark approaching from every direction. Two against thirty or more. Not very good odds, especially for a mortal.
“We can do this,” Anson told her.
He couldn’t hear her thoughts, which she was thankful for. Luckily, he saw everything she did so he knew exactly what she and Con were up against.
At the front of the group was a Fae with long, black and silver hair. He stared at Con with such profound hatred that it almost became a visible entity between the two.
“The famed King of Kings,” the Dark said with a sneer.
Con’s nostrils flared. “You always did talk too much, Balladyn.”
“And you, never enough.”
Devon looked between the men. The other Dark appeared as though they were waiting for Balladyn to give the order to attack, and with the way he and Con were staring at each other, it could come at any second.
“There’s a lot of them,” Devon told Anson.
“Doona look at the group as a whole. You’re going to stand your ground and let them run over their dead, tripping. When the ones coming for you make themselves known, that’s who we’ll focus on. One at a time.”
“Together.”
“Together.”
Balladyn took a step closer, never taking his gaze from Con. “You made a mistake by coming here.”
“This isna my first time venturing into your … home.”
The Dark’s red eyes narrowed. “It’s going to be your last.”
“And you think you’ll be the one to stop me?” Con asked with a snort.
A sword appeared in each of Balladyn’s hands. He twirled them, grinning. “Damn right, I will.”
“What are you waiting for?” Con asked.
“Easy,” Anson said in an attempt to calm her.
Then Balladyn issued a loud shout. Devon watched as the Dark rushed toward her. She wanted to run, but Anson’s control held her steady.
“Trust me,” he said.
It wasn’t about trust, but the throng of killers coming right for her.
Anson’s voice reached her once more as he widened her stance. “I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
She swallowed, her heart pounding. She shoved aside a Dark and plunged her knife into another. There were bodies everywhere. She lost sight of Con in the chaos as the Fae tried to get to them.
With the Dark being so close together, they didn’t use the balls of magic, but it also made it more difficult for her to fight. Anson had her thrusting her blade at anything that moved.
At one point, he helped her wrestle a sword out of the grip of a dying Fae to give her two blades. One by one, she faced her enemy with success. The few cuts she sustained could barely be felt with the adrenaline and rush of fear flooding her.
While she held off a few Dark, it was Con who had the majority closing in around him. She caught a glimpse of Con as he battled Balladyn and five other Dark at once.
Devon wondered where Rhi was. They could use the Light Fae’s help right about now. Surely, she should’ve already found Anson.
With a cry, Devon went down on one knee. Pain shot up the back of her leg. She heard Anson’s voice say her name as he had her roll out of the way and stand up.
She came up between two Dark intent on her death. She raised her right arm and used the sword to block the downward stab of the Fae. With her left hand, she shoved the knife into the Dark’s gut and yanked it out with a grin.
Pivoting, she faced the other Fae, using her sword to parry and attack. In her mind, she saw all the moves Anson had shown her since he’d taken over her body. It wasn’t long before she began to guess what he would have her do next. Then, she was anticipating the movements.
He made sure to keep her injured leg away from her attackers. That became more of an issue with each of the Dark who died. The ground was littered with bodies, but it also opened up the area so that the remaining Dark could use magic.
And they didn’t hesitate.
Devon chanced a quick look at Con to find him and Balladyn still going at it. During all of it, Con was fighting—and destroying—other Dark. She couldn’t understand why he didn’t just kill Balladyn.
Her gaze returned to her assailants. They surrounded her, each looking at her as if she were a prize. Time seemed to slow. A bead of blood dripping from her blade to land on the floor was loud, even to her ears.
“Devon,” Anson said.
There was something in his rushed voice, a note of concern and distress that sent a trickle of unease winding through her. What did he see that she didn’t?
She was about to ask when a Dark came at her from the side. Almost simultaneousl
y, another rushed her from the front. With smooth movements, Anson sent her lunging with the sword before dropping to one knee to slice the other Dark with her blade.
The two fell dead. She had no time to rejoice as more attacked.
“Devon!”
Anson’s voice sounded farther away. Her limbs grew heavier, and her body more clumsy. She misjudged a lunge and found her sword stripped from her fingers.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Anson grabbed Rhi’s hand before she could slap him again. His cheek stung from her many hits, but that wasn’t why he let his fury show.
“She’s going to die now,” he said through clenched teeth.
Rhi’s forehead creased in a frown. “What are you talking about?”
“Devon. I had possession of her body as she and Con fought the Dark. Including Balladyn. I have to get to her. Now!”
It was the mention of the Dark’s name that made Rhi jerk out of his hold. “What are we waiting for, then?”
Anson jumped to his feet. Rhi didn’t say a word as she grabbed his wrist. In the next instant, they were standing in an area with large columns and dozens of dead Fae. He ignored them and hastily searched for Devon.
When he found her still standing, he thought his heart might burst from his chest. She was still alive. He couldn’t believe it.
“Anson!”
Her voice was still in his head. No longer was he controlling her body, but the connection remained. He didn’t question how it was possible. When it came to magic, it couldn’t be explained. All he knew was that the woman who held his heart was also linked to him mentally.
He saw a Dark creeping up behind her. Anson didn’t hesitate to rush the Fae. With his hand wrapped around the Dark’s neck, Anson squeezed until he felt the bones crush beneath his fingers.
Devon spun around, her knife raised. Their eyes met, and a smile broke out across her face. “You’re here.”
“Always.”
He wanted to tell her of his feelings, of how he couldn’t live without her. But now wasn’t the time. They were surrounded by death and blood.
Anson took her hand in his and looked around to make sure all the Dark were dead. More would be on the way soon. A look toward Con showed that Balladyn was the only one left standing.
He didn’t understand why Con hadn’t killed the Fae. There were plenty of opportunities. It wasn’t until Anson saw Rhi standing off to the side staring at the Dark that it hit him. He hadn’t imagined his earlier sighting of Rhi and Balladyn.
“Stop,” Rhi said when Balladyn and Con broke apart. She stepped between them. “Enough.”
By the look of murder in Balladyn’s eyes, he had no intention of ceasing. Until Rhi put a hand to his chest and said his name.
Anson couldn’t believe the instant change in the Dark. For a brief moment, they saw a glimpse of what Balladyn had been like as a Light Fae. It made Anson wonder what might have become of the couple had Balladyn not fallen into the hands of the Dark.
Balladyn released a breath and nodded. His gaze then lifted to Con. There were no words spoken, but then again, none were needed. Balladyn hated all Dragon Kings for what had been done to Rhi. The fact that the Dark could love so deeply changed the way Anson viewed him.
“We should leave before more come,” Anson said to the group.
Devon’s hand tightened in his. “Agreed.”
“Rhi,” Con said.
She turned her head to the side. “Give me a sec. I can’t leave Balladyn like this.”
“I’ll be fine,” Balladyn said in a clipped voice.
Anson frowned when he saw Rhi look to her left. There was no one there, but she looked at the spot as if someone were. He was about to ask what she saw when Rhi took a step back from Balladyn and dropped her hand.
“Let’s go,” Rhi said.
They quickly followed Rhi to the doorway. Right as they stepped through, Anson looked back at Balladyn. The Dark was staring at them. Then something lifted Balladyn and tossed him against the wall, knocking him out.
Anson didn’t have time to see who had attacked Balladyn because once they’d stepped through the doorway, Rhi teleported them to Dreagan.
Upon arrival, the manor was alive with people. Con took a second to heal Devon’s injury while Anson looked around at the Warriors with their Druid wives. Before he had time to ask what was going on, a pair of jeans was shoved into his hands. Anson jerked them on and turned to Con.
“What’s going on?”
Con let out a sigh. “There’s a lot I need to fill you in on.”
Not wanting to be parted from Devon again so soon, Anson took her hand and pulled her after him as he followed Con up the stairs to his office.
Sebastian was already there. He turned from the windows and shook his head of long, pale brown hair. “The plan didna work. Only a few Dark took the bait. The Warriors didna need to move from their hiding places.”
“That’s probably a good thing. We’ll need that element of surprise later,” Con said as he held out his hand and a dress shirt appeared. He put it on as he came around his desk and sat. He looked at Anson and motioned to the chairs as he said, “I sent a group to Dublin to draw out the Dark so we could get to you at the palace.”
Sebastian’s lips twisted ruefully. “I was looking forward to killing some Fae.”
“It’s coming,” Con said.
Sebastian looked at Con before he gave a nod to Devon and Anson and walked from the room without another word. The door closed behind him.
Anson waited as Con sat silently for several long minutes. Whatever it was that had to be said couldn’t be good. Though he wanted to hear it, he also wanted time alone with Devon.
“It’s difficult to know where to begin,” Con finally said. “First, Asher had a run-in with Ulrik in Paris at the World Whisky Consortium. Ulrik shifted.”
Anson nodded. “So he wasna lying.”
“Excuse me?” Con’s gaze was intense as he pinned Anson with a dark look.
Anson ran a hand over his face. “I spoke with Ulrik at the palace. He told me he didna have anything to do with Kyvor or the Druid.”
“You believe him?”
“I do. He also told me that he had all his magic. Then he said that Devon was special.”
Her head whipped around to him. “What does that mean?”
“I think Ulrik knew I’d be able to possess you to help you fight. Maybe he also meant the mental link. I doona know.”
Devon smiled, her blue eyes softening. “I don’t care how it happened. I’m just glad it did.”
“I care,” Con said. “What else did Ulrik say?”
Anson lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “I asked him to find Devon. I thought the Dark had taken her. He tried to break the chains holding me, but he wasna able to.”
“That’s the last you saw of him?”
“Aye. Right before he touched a silver bracelet and vanished.”
Con leaned back in his chair and swiveled it to the side so one arm rested on the desk. “To attack Asher and Rachel, only to help you and Devon. Strange.”
“It is,” Anson said.
“And he can teleport.”
Anson shrugged. “Apparently. What else happened here?”
“I already told you, I sent Dmitri to Fair Isle after Faith found the dragon skeleton.”
Anson nodded. “How did that turn out?”
Con blew out a breath. “When the bones were dug up in the cave, Faith found a wooden dragon and brought it back with her. We didna know it at the time, but it was filled with mie, drough, Light, and Dark magic.”
“How is that possible?” Anson asked.
“That’s what Rhi was trying to figure out at MacLeod Castle with the Warriors and Druids. The wooden dragon was carved in my image.”
Shit. This was incomprehensible. And very bad. “If it was filled with magic, what does it do?”
“Alter whoever touches it. For a Fae, they pass out from the anger. For a King, it turns
us against mortals to the point where even I wanted to kill them all.”
“And humans?” Anson asked.
Con gave a perturbed shake of his head. “Faith tried to kill Dmitri. It was what could’ve happened with Ulrik and his woman all over again.”
“That’s no coincidence.”
“Nay. It isna.”
Anson sat forward and rested his forearms on his knees. “All of this combined with a Druid who is able to alter someone’s mind and project herself.”
“There’s more.”
More? He couldn’t be serious. Anson slowly sat back and waited. Devon remained silent, taking it all in. The fact that Con wasn’t asking her to leave meant that he accepted her as part of the family.
“The rumors were true,” Con continued. “I did take a lover.”
Anson shook his head as it dawned on him who it was. “Tell me it isna true. Tell me you and Usaeil are no’ together.”
“We’re no’ anymore.”
He couldn’t believe Con would take the queen as his lover. Then he looked over at Devon. She held his heart, but it had been tough telling her who he was and hoping she accepted him.
With the queen, Con didn’t have to worry about any of that. So in that regard, Anson could see why Con had turned to Usaeil. Though it didn’t make it any easier to swallow.
“You’ll see this soon enough.” Con pulled open a drawer and took something out. He then reached over the desk and handed Anson a magazine.
Anson took it to see a fuzzy photograph blown up to cover the entire page. Con had his back to the photographer, but there was no doubt it was him.
“At least they didna get your face,” Anson said and handed the magazine to Devon.
Devon gasped. “This woman, this famous actress is really a Fae?”
“The Queen of the Light,” Anson corrected her. “Usaeil.”
“Oh, my God,” Devon murmured.
Con’s lips flattened. “Usaeil wanted to announce our relationship to all of you and the Light. I refused. She didna listen, telling me that once we were wed, all of you would then choose a Light for your mates. She’s convinced the Fae will be able to give us children.”
