I walked the Dragonwood today. It was always one of your favorite places. I go there every day. I ignored my duties to wander the forest and remember the times we shared. How you would get so giddy in the spring when the wildflowers blossomed, or during the winter when the snow fell.
I spoke to you, and while I knew you weren’t actually there, it felt good.
I wish I had the nerve to seek you out and explain everything. I attempted an explanation today, but the words fell flat. If I don’t believe them, I know you won’t.
I hold onto the hope that I will be able to tell you all of it someday. I hope you’ll listen. And while you may never forgive me, you should know the truth—one I couldn’t give you when I ended things.
I withheld it from you not because I didn’t think you were strong enough to hear it, but because I wasn’t strong enough to say it. I am the King of Dragon Kings, but I think the magic chose wrong. I can face any enemy without hesitation, but when it comes to you, my love, I tremble. You whispered into my heart. You kissed my soul. And you showed me a love that I never dreamed could be mine.
Because I know I’m not worthy. Because I love you more than you can comprehend.
Because I’ve looked for you my entire life.
I had your love for a brief time. Once a dragon finds his mate, no one can ever replace her. I ache for you, and that pain has sunk all the way into my soul. I keep going because the other Kings look to me for answers. How long can I go without you, though? I know a time will come when I won’t be able to continue on unless I have you beside me.
A dragon without his mate is soulless. Forlorn. The only thing that keeps me going is hope. Hope that I’ll be able to mend the heart I shattered. Hope that your love for me won’t die.
Inside the mountain, Con’s memories shifted to when Denae had come into Kellan’s life. Con, along with Kellan, Kiril, Banan, Rhys, and Henry, had been discussing Denae and who was after her, when Rhi teleported into his office.
She was veiled, but Con had always been able to see through her veils. He had tried to ignore her at first, but it had been impossible with her staring at him. He’d allowed her to eavesdrop on the conversation because he was so happy that she was there.
Then she sank sideways into an empty seat and dangled her legs over the arm of the chair. That’s when she dropped the veil. Con slid his gaze to her. He’d thought she might have something pithy to say. Instead, she stared wordlessly at him. He drank in her beauty, surprised and curious as to why she had come to Dreagan.
“We’ve a visitor, gentlemen,” he told the others.
Kellan’s head jerked to Rhi. “Cheeky. Even for you.”
“It’s been a while, Kell. Nice to see you up and about,” she said with a wink.
Banan merely shook his head, but Henry’s response was like a punch to Con’s gut. Henry, a mortal, was besotted with Rhi at first sight. To make matters worse, Rhi shot Henry a dazzling smile that made Con want to punch his fist through a wall.
“What are you doing here, Rhiannon?” Con demanded.
The sound of her full name made her smile slip. He knew she hated it, which was why he’d used it. Her gaze swiveled to him, and she gave him an icy glare.
“And inside Dreagan,” Rhys said with a chuckle. “Are you trying to start a war?”
Rhi shifted so she sat correctly in the chair. “I’m trying to divert one, actually.”
“Are you helping us?” Kiril asked in surprise.
Her eyes moved from Rhys to Kiril. “Now that you mention it, I don’t have to help.”
Con knew she was about to leave. He was on the verge of repeating her name to keep her there so he could talk to her, but Kellan beat him to it.
Rhi hesitated and looked at Kellan.
“You came for a reason,” Con said. “What is it?”
He couldn’t look away from her. He didn’t care why she had come, he was just happy that she was there. He would beg her to remain if he had to, but that would only get him the opposite response. If he knew one thing about Rhi, it was how to get her to do what he wanted—and that was to make her think he wanted the opposite.
He leaned forward in his chair to rest his arms on his desk, the leather squeaking. “I doona think she has anything to say, Kellan. She came to rile us. Childish, but it worked. You can leave, Rhi. We actually have business to discuss.”
Rhi laughed, but her eyes blazed with fury. She tossed her long, onyx locks over her shoulder. “Business? That’s a laugh. You’re talking about MI5 and Denae. Don’t think to threaten me as if I’m a child.”
“What do you know of Denae?” Henry asked.
Con wanted to slam his hand on the desk. The last thing he wanted was for Rhi to take notice of Henry again. But his question got her attention. When she looked at him, Henry’s mouth went slack.
Con clenched his hands into fists and ground his teeth together as Rhi rose and walked to the human, looking him over as if he were a new toy.
“Rhi,” Kellan warned in a low voice.
She paused beside Kellan. “Who is the mortal?”
In that instant, Con considered ridding the world of Henry North once and for all, simply because his mate smiled at him.
Snapping back to the present, Con rubbed his eyes, wondering why he was traveling down the road of such memories. Yet he found himself recalling when Balladyn had taken Rhi…
They had been going after Sammi, who had been taken by the Dark. Balladyn and Rhi had already had a couple of run-ins, and Con still wasn’t sure exactly who the Fae was to her. Still, it was enough that they had history.
Con had been watching Rhi ready herself to go back into the Darks’ tunnels when Balladyn was suddenly behind her, a blade pressed beneath her chin. Rhi’s eyes went right to him. It was everything Con could do not to react. Every fiber of his being wanted to rush to her side, to shift into his dragon form and douse Balladyn with dragon fire, ending him right then and there.
But Con couldn’t do any of that with Rhi standing so close to Balladyn. All he could do was watch, helpless, as the Dark whispered into Rhi’s ear.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Balladyn told her while staring directly at Con.
That’s when Con realized that Balladyn wasn’t just after Rhi. He was after him. Con dove for them at the same instant Balladyn teleported himself and Rhi out.
Every day after felt like an eternity, knowing the Dark tortured Rhi. Con feared she would turn Dark herself or be killed—and he wasn’t sure which was worse.
Then, finally, they were in Balladyn’s dungeon searching for Rhi. When he found her, he almost didn’t recognize her. Balladyn was beside her, whispering something that Con didn’t quite catch. Suddenly, the smile was wiped from the Dark’s face as he rose and quickly took several steps back, and Rhi began to glow.
Balladyn teleported out. Con shouted a warning to the others as he started toward Rhi in an attempt to calm her. “Rhi, you need to focus. Think of creating, not destroying!”
She didn’t seem to hear him. When he touched her, her skin burned his. Her head lifted, and the illumination shot from her eyes. Her lips parted. When she screamed, the glow burst from her mouth.
A half-second of silence passed before the explosion shook the very foundation of the compound. Con flew backwards and was instantly trapped by falling rock. The moment the dust settled, he searched the rubble for Rhi. He found her, unmoving. He wanted to get to her and cradle her in his arms, but he wasn’t the one who came to Rhi’s rescue. Ulrik did.