“I can handle Balladyn. He doesn’t scare me.” At Kiril’s knowing look, she rolled her eyes. “Okay, so he does scare me a bit, but I can get away from him, Kiril. Trust me. I had over a thousand years to myself going to many different realms and managing to stay out of any real trouble.”
He finally sighed and gave a nod. “Doona make me regret agreeing to this.”
“I won’t,” she said with a smile.
“We keep to the plan,” Kiril said. “The difference is how I’ll get into your house and to the doorway.”
“You don’t know which doorway it is.”
“I will once you tell me,” he said with a wink.
Kiril prayed she accepted all he was telling her, because if they didn’t get moving soon, he was going to shift back into a dragon and fly her to Dreagan, regardless of whether she wanted to go or not.
Never mind the fact that she could return to Ireland with barely a thought.
“There are over a dozen doorways. You need to go to the…” She paused, her head cocked to the side. “Wait a minute. You can’t see Fae doors.”
Kiril sat on the stairs and tugged on his boots. “Let me worry about that.”
“You’re insane.”
“Probably, but we can debate that later.” He stood and held out his hand for her. They walked up the steps to the door. “Do what you have to do in order to keep Balladyn content. I doona want him hurting you again. Once I have Rhi, you can leave with us.”
“Sure.”
He wasn’t fooled by her quick answer. It was the way her gaze flickered away right as she spoke that gave her away. Though no matter how hard he pushed, she wouldn’t tell him more than she already had. He had to accept that. For the moment.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Not even close.”
Kiril smiled and drew her against him to kiss her slowly, languidly. He would never grow tired of her sweet taste or the way she softened against him. As much as he wanted to continue the kiss, he pulled back and looked into her red eyes. He tugged on her strip of silver. “I want a promise from you.”
“What is it?”
“If I’m caught, I want you to get as far from Balladyn as you can. He’ll use you against me.”
“You want me to leave you?” she asked incredulously.
“Aye, lass. I do.”
She gave a firm shake of her head. “No.”
“Aye. A Dark can no’ kill a King, remember.”
“They can do other things,” she whispered.
“Other things that they will do to you to break me. They will bring you in to see if I give any response. I wouldna, but they will keep trying. I doona know how long I could hold back seeing you harmed. As soon as I do, they’ll do whatever’s needed to try and break me.”
She looked at his chest. “Then don’t go.”
“Give me your word, Shara, that you’ll go somewhere safe if I’m caught.” When she didn’t answer, he enfolded her in his arms and held her tight.
“I promise,” she said.
Kiril kissed the top of her head. “Stay safe. No matter what. Say whatever you need, do whatever you need to do, but you stay alive.”
She pulled back and looked up at him with red eyes swimming with tears. “Don’t you dare get caught.”
Without another word, she was gone, vanishing right out of his arms. Kiril dropped his chin to his chest and reached for the doorknob before he stopped. He ran back down the stairs to the far wall. Using his magic, he wrote a message on the cellar wall that only a Dragon King would be able to see.
Kiril wished he could manage the rest of his plan on his own, but if he wanted to succeed, there was only one person who could help him. He pulled out his mobile and dialed the number. His call was answered on the second ring.
“I wondered how long it would take you to call me,” Phelan said casually.
Kiril chuckled. “How is Aisley?”
“Sod off, Dragon. You’re daft if you think I left Ireland. You didna fool me.”
“What made you think I would call?” Kiril asked, intrigued.
“The fact you have no’ left Ireland was the biggest clue, and then there’s the female.”
Shara. Kiril didn’t want to think about how he was going to leave her behind. He couldn’t force her to Dreagan, nor could he blithely leave her.
“Kiril?” Phelan said, worry pitching his voice lower.
He rubbed the back of his neck and quickly filled Phelan in on the past twenty-four hours.
“And this is why I didna leave,” Phelan stated. “Damn, but I knew Balladyn or Farrell was going to screw something up. I’m here for whatever you need if it involves getting Rhi out.”
“Shara described the layout of Balladyn’s compound. He built it out of the ruins of some castle on their realm, but he incorporated many of the humans’ tactics in their forts.”
“In other words,” Phelan said dryly, “this isna going to be a walk in the park?”
“No’ even close. Still up for it?”
Phelan grunted through the phone. “As if you need to ask. Have you told Con?”
“Nay. It’s better this way.”
“If you say so. Where do I meet you?”