Smoke and Fire: Part 4

by Donna Grant

  It couldn’t be the weapon the Dark sought that Con hid, because it wasn’t kept there. Not to mention there was no way she could get to Con’s mountain.

  That left one possibility—Esther.

  Ryder turned to his friends. “She’s going after Esther.”

  “We’ll come at her the other way,” Dmitri said as he nudged Anson.

  The two each took a tunnel, one to the right, and one to the left. Ryder looked at Thorn and kept following Kinsey.

  “You’re no’ Ulrik,” Thorn said.

  Ryder kept Kinsey within his sights. “Perhaps. But I think I know exactly how he felt.”

  “Why Esther?”

  “Because she gave up a name,” Ryder said. “Kinsey hadn’t wanted to be there when we interrogated Esther.”

  Thorn came even with him as the tunnel widened. “Why did you bring her?”

  “Con wanted it, and I thought if Kinsey was allowed to see how we questioned others she might lose some of her fear.”

  “No’ to mention we let her be a part of cling her name,” Thorn added.

  The more Ryder thought about it, the more of a fool he felt. It was the worst feeling—nearly as bad as when he watched his dragons fly across the dragon bridge to another realm.

  “We’re going to stop her and figure this out.”

  Ryder glanced at Thorn. “Doona bother trying to make the situation better. Nothing can do that.”

  By the time they reached where Esther was being held, Ryder was prepared to knock Kinsey out. When they turned the corner, Kinsey and Esther were already in hand-to-hand combat.

  Thorn rushed to Henry who was laid out on the floor. “He’s alive,” Thorn said.

  At least there was that.

  The sound of footsteps approached as Dmitri and Anson finally reached them. Anson gave a shake of his head while Dmitri circled around the women to get behind them.

  Ryder watched the fight for a moment. He expected Esther to be a strong fighter because of her training, but Ryder was shocked to discover that at times Kinsey was better than the MI5 agent.

  Esther was fighting for her life while Kinsey acted like a robot. No hit Esther landed seemed to cause Kinsey any pain, while Esther winced and groaned when Kinsey landed her hits.

  Kinsey landed a particularly bad hit in Esther’s stomach that caused her to bend over gasping for air. Ryder was about to send his power into Kinsey to weaken her and take her down when Esther let out a scream and clutched at her head.

  The same thing Kinsey had done.

  Thorn was by Ryder’s side in a moment. “That’s no’ a coincidence.”

  “Never is,” Ryder said.

  Esther grew quiet. A moment later she straightened and looked at Kinsey with the same flat stare that Kinsey had.

  “What did they do to them?” Anson asked.

  That was something they had to know. As well as everyone involved, because it was obvious Ulrik hadn’t done this alone.

  “If we let them continue fighting they’re going to kill each other,” Dmitri said.

  As soon as Kinsey rushed Esther, Ryder focused his power on her, weakening her. But it wasn’t enough.

  Dmitri used his power of thought cancellation on Kinsey. It stopped her immediately. Ryder then weakened Kinsey even more, causing her legs to give out. She crumpled to the floor, but her gaze was still locked on Esther.

  “Kinsey willna stop,” Thorn said.

  Anson jerked his chin to Esther. “We doona know when she’ll be triggered again.”

  “We need Hal.” Though any of the Kings could use their dragon magic to make them sleep, Ryder wanted to make sure they remained that way for a long period.

  He sent Hal a quick message. Luckily, Hal was one of the Kings guarding the mates so it didn’t take him long to reach them. He rushed into the cavern and glanced at Ryder.

  “Make them sleep,” Ryder told them.

  Dmitri was staring at Kinsey, who was still attempting to get to Esther. “Deeply.”

  Hal walked to each of the girls and touched them, sleep gas forming around them. When he gently laid Esther on the ground, he turned to Ryder and stood. “What happened?”

  “We’re trying to figure that out,” Thorn said.

  Ryder waited for Thorn or Dmitri to tell Hal and Anson of Kinsey’s betrayal, but neither spoke of it. Ryder wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or not.

  Because he was going to have to tell all the Kings.

  There was a sound behind them as Henry began to wake. He pushed himself to his hands and knees and sat on his haunches. He looked around him. “I’m guessing I missed something.”

  It was Dmitri who said, “You could say that.”

  “How bad?” Henry asked.

  Ryder blew out a breath. “Bad enough.”

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  Paris, France

  Con poured another glass of cabernet sauvignon, watching the red wine fill his glass. Before him sat a meal fit for a king with actual gold plates, crystal glasses, and half a dozen silver candlesticks on the table alone.

  He looked past the flicker of the candles to the woman across from him. Usaeil. Queen of the Light. She raised her glass to him, her silver eyes alight with happiness.

  “I’ve a benefit to attend in Los Angeles next week,” she said, dropping the American accent and allowing the Irish to come through. “I want you to go with me. I’m tired of attending these things alone.”

  “You know I willna,” he said and took a drink of wine.

  “They’re going to find out soon enough.” She rose and walked around the suite.

  He looked over her beautiful form and the gold lamé minidress with her thick black waves falling down her back. It wasn’t an accident that she wore gold. Con knew it was all for him.

  Usaeil paused at the sofa and sat on the arm, crossing one long, lean leg over the other. “Why not let them discover the truth with the rest of the world?”

  “I told you I’d tell my Kings when the time was right.”

  The smile dropped from her face. “I’m tired of hiding, Con. You’re a king. I’m a queen. We shouldn’t have to hide. We make the rules.”

  He leaned an elbow on the arm of his chair and slowly took another drink. Usaeil had become more and more volatile of late, and Con was pretty sure he knew why—Rhi.

  As he regarded Usaeil, he crossed an ankle over his knee. “I doona lead my men that way.”

  “Perhaps you should. It’s working for me.”

  “Is it?”

  One black brow rose, her silver eyes glaring daggers. “You dare to question my rule. Have you been talking to Rhi?”

  Damn. Con should’ve known Rhi would say something to Usaeil. “You know I’ve no’ spoken to Rhi lately.”

  “When was the last time?”

  He didn’t like jealousy in any form, but especially when there was no cause for it. “I’m no’ going to have you dig into my life.”

  “Why? Do you have something to hide?” She stood and stalked toward him. “If you won’t tell me what I need to know, then that makes you guilty.”

  Con set down his glass and got to his feet. He looked down at Usaeil. “And you’re paranoid. Rhi has gotten under your skin, and you’re allowing her to stay there.”

  “When was the last time you saw her?”

  He didn’t say another word as he walked around her and headed toward the door.

  “If you walk out, I’m going straight to Dreagan and telling everyone about us.”

  Con never did well with threats or ultimatums. He halted and slowly turned back to Usaeil. She smiled widely, triumphant. If she only knew how furious he was, but Usaeil was only interested in herself—just as all Fae were.

  He’d learned that the hard way before. He was learning that lesson a second time. And he should’ve known better.

  “I knew you could never leave me,” she purred as she walked to him. She placed her hand on his chest, moving aside his suit jacket to cover his hea
rt. “What we have is special. Everyone will enjoy what we have.”

  “And what exactly do we have?”

  Usaeil laughed as she looked up at him and rubbed her breasts against him. “Why, love.”

  Con’s blood ran cold. It was so much worse than he’d feared. Why hadn’t he seen the signs? But he knew the answer. He’d been too preoccupied with keeping Dreagan safe and bringing down Ulrik. Usaeil had been there to relieve his body when he had a need.

  That’s all it was to him.

  That’s all he assumed she’d thought as well, because that’s how it began between them.

  “What do you see for us?” he asked her.

  Her eyes closed as she rested her head on his chest. “Eternity. We’ll be mated, and I’ll have the tattoo on my arm of the dragon eye. We’ll unite the Light and the Dragon Kings into one faction. Your Kings can take Light as their mates as Kiril has and solidify the union.”

  “And the war with the Dark?”

  “That’s your war, my love.” She lifted her face and gave him a wink. “You can easily take the Dark. You’ve done it before.”

  Con took a deep breath and slowly released it. “And you’ll do what? Stand by and watch?”

  “Of course. I’ve got a movie to make starting tomorrow. I can’t take the time to lead my army.”

  “Then give it to someone who can. We could use an ally.”

  She burst out laughing and patted his chest before walking toward the bedroom. “You’re a Dragon King. You don’t need anything.”

  Con couldn’t remember ever fighting so hard to remain calm and cool as he was in that moment. He needed to say something to get her attention. Rhi was definitely a trigger, but there had to be something else.

  Reapers!

  He followed her, but stopped at the bedroom door, leaning against the doorjamb. “And what of the Reapers?”

  Usaeil was in the process of shimmying out of her slinky dress when he spoke. In a blink the gold dress was back in place. “You’ve been talking to Rhi!”

  “No’ about you. When I do speak to Rhi it’s about the Dark and the war.”

  “Lair. Rhi asked me the same things. She thinks I should be gathering the army to help you and calming the Light about the Reapers.”

  Rhi was right. Though Con would never tell her that. “I’d no idea the two of you had such a conversation.”

  “No one tells me how to rule!” Anger billowed around Usaeil like wind. “I’ve reigned over the Light for thousands of years and never led them wrong.”

  “Why no’ calm them about the Reapers then?” Con shouted over the wind.

  She rolled her eyes. “The Reapers are just stories told to frighten the Light away from turning Dark.”

  “What if they’re more than that?”

  She scowled at him, looking at him as if he were mud on the bottom of her shoe. “I no longer require you tonight.”

  And with that she was gone.

  The silence was deafening after the noise of the wind. But Con wasn’t fooled. Usaeil could be veiled, though he wasn’t sure for how long. He knew it was longer than most Fae.

  Except for Rhi.

  Con noticed that Rhi was able to remain veiled for even longer than Usaeil. He pulled out his phone and sent a message to his pilot and driver to be ready to leave Paris immediately. Then he pivoted and returned to the table. He took another bite of steak and a long drink of wine before he walked from the room.

  It was a good thing Usaeil couldn’t read minds, because Con was thinking about Rhi. It was disturbing that Rhi had left the Queen’s Guard, and now that she and Usaeil seemed to be on the outs, the queen was acting strange.

  Rhi also questioned Usaeil. And urged sound advice. Con wished he was surprised, but the fact was—as reckless and irritating as Rhi could be—she was a skilled warrior with a strong mind that saw so much.

  The only reason Usaeil didn’t take Rhi’s advice was because Rhi was the one giving it, and Usaeil’s feelings had been hurt by her leaving the Queen’s Guard.

  But Con knew why Rhi left. The Light Fae suspected Usaeil was having an affair with a King. How long before Rhi pieced it together and confronted him? Con suspected it was going to happen sooner rather than later.

  He exited the hotel and got into the waiting car. As he was driven to the airport, it angered Con that he couldn’t just shift and fly back to Dreagan as he would’ve before the video leaked of them.

  But times changed—and not for the better. He feared it was a permanent change. It wasn’t one he was prepared to defend against his men.

  In truth, there were times he regretted keeping his vow to protect the humans. If he’d joined Ulrik, none of this would be happening.

  He and Ulrik wouldn’t have argued.

  Ulrik wouldn’t have been banished and his magic bound.

  The dragons would never have had to leave.

  The Kings would never have had to hide in their mountains for thousands of years.

  The Fae would never have had reason to come to the realm.

  Not to mention there wouldn’t have been Fae Wars or the constant fighting with the Dark.

  Con wouldn’t be preparing to kill a dragon who had once been his best friend.

  All so the Dragon Kings could continue to hide on Dreagan, shifting only in the mountains—but never flying.

  It wasn’t fair to any of the Kings. Or to himself.

  Con looked around the plush Jaguar sedan and wanted to bellow his fury. He felt confined, restricted. Restrained.

  Because he was. He was a Dragon King. One who not only ruled the entire realm, but other Kings as well. And where was he? Grounded with the possibility of his wings being permanently clipped.

  He thought of the Kings. It had taken him longer than he wanted to admit to turn them away from Ulrik the first time. As fractured as they all were now, he wasn’t sure how many would side with him.

  The Kings wanted to be in the air in their true forms. They hadn’t been happy about only being able to fly at night, but at least there had been that.

  Con fisted his hands. He was backed into a corner, just as Kinsey had said. And the urge to lash out was strong—very strong.

  Even if he turned on the mortals and killed them, he would have to face the mates. All but one was a mortal, and he suspected they wouldn’t be pleased with their entire race annihilated.

  It didn’t matter which side Con chose, he was damned either way.

  From the moment he was a young dragon and he understood what it meant to be King of Kings, he’d set his sights on obtaining the title.

  And he had—though it hadn’t been pretty.

  Was his time coming to an end? It didn’t matter how strong he was physically or magically, if his men sided with Ulrik, he would have no one to lead.

  Con wondered—and not for the first time—if his decisions that altered their course and sent the dragons away had been the right ones.

  The more he saw what the humans were doing to the planet, the more he believed he’d made the wrong decisions.

  As soon as he saw the lights of the airport, his hand was on the door handle. The car had barely come to a stop before he had the door open and stood on the tarmac.

  He strode to the helicopter. The blades were already spinning and it was waiting on him. Con paused when he caught sight of Lily in the pilot’s seat. He then quickly got into the chopper and put on the headset.

  “Ready?” Lily asked.

  Con nodded and they took off. He watched the lights of the city grow smaller as they lifted off. “What are you doing here, Lily?”

  “Flying you.”

  “Without Rhys beside you?”

  She chuckled, but her white knuckles gripping the stick told another story. “I’m immortal.”

  “Are you going to tell me what’s happening at Dreagan?”

  Lily glanced at him with her dark eyes. “It’s Esther and Kinsey. It’s like someone took control of them and they fought each other.�
�

  Con didn’t know how much more bad news he could take. “Who was injured?”

  “No one. Ryder got control quickly. The women are unconscious for the moment.”

  His fingers reached for the dragon-head cuff link and turned it. “Get us home quickly.”

  With every mile eaten up, dread filled Con. Because he suspected what he’d long-feared had come to pass—another mortal had betrayed a King.

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Ryder stared down at Kinsey who lay unmoving upon the slab of granite in the small cave. Esther was in another cave next to them.

  “Con is on his way back,” Thorn said as he walked up.

  Ryder expected as much. “Who called him back?”

  “No one. Lily was in Paris picking up a gift for Rhys when she learned what happened here. She went to the airfield and took over as pilot.”

  Ryder didn’t blame Lily for telling Con. No, the blame for everything rested squarely on his shoulders. Because love had blinded him to the truth.

  How had he missed it? There had to have been clues. Was he so intent on winning Kinsey back that he’d missed something important? How did he tell anyone that? Everyone at Dreagan had counted on him, and he’d failed them.

  “What’s your plan?” Thorn asked.

  Plan? Ryder wanted to laugh. He couldn’t process anything past the point of Kinsey betraying him. There was an emptiness in his chest where his heart had once been.

  He didn’t know what the next step was or even what to say. How could he plan anything?

  Dmitri came to stand on the other side of Kinsey, but his gaze was on Ryder. Ryder didn’t want to listen to anything they said. He just wanted to be alone with his grief so he could try and sort out when everything had gone wrong.

  If he could just find that out, then he would have his answer. He’d be able to know how Kinsey betrayed him and exactly when. Closure. That’s what it was called.

  Not that it would help dull any of the pain.

  What had they once told Ulrik? That time would help to heal him? That was the biggest load of shite. They had eternity. Something like this never healed.