“He hit me,” Phelan stated matter-of-factly.
Phelan tamped down his god, and together they moved the Dark into an empty room nearby.
“We stick out like a sore thumb,” Phelan grumbled.
Kiril looked at him. “We do now, but with a little help from you, we willna.”
Phelan’s frown shifted as a bright smile took over. “I would’ve thought of that eventually.”
“Is that before or after we have to fight more Dark?”
“Keep it up and I’ll leave your dragon ass for all to see,” he said with a smirk.
Kiril had never thought he could have the easy banter he did with Rhys with anyone else, but then he had met Phelan. It was no wonder Phelan and Rhys got along so well. They were alike in so many ways.
In the blink of an eye, Phelan used his power so that both would look like any other Dark Fae who walked the corridors of the fortress. They started through the compound walking side by side.
“Looking like one of these fuckers is one thing,” Phelan said. “The tough part is going to be any confrontations we have.”
“Already thought of that. We come from Taraeth.”
Phelan turned his head to him and smiled. “Brilliant.”
“I have to say, the red eyes just aren’t a good look for you.”
“Neither is your silver hair, but you doona hear me complaining,” Phelan said.
Their conversation stopped when the corridor ended at the great hall that was filled to capacity with an army. Walking through them would be an issue since they were lined up, waiting for … Kiril.
Phelan nudged him with his elbow as he turned left. Kiril followed suit and soon spotted another group walking through the great hall. Phelan trailed them. Kiril glanced at Phelan to get his attention before he broke off and turned right down another hallway, Phelan on his heels. He didn’t breathe easy until they were once more alone. They stopped and leaned against the wall.
“I’ve never seen a great hall that large,” Phelan said with a frown. “That’s four times the size of the hall at MacLeod Castle.”
“The size of that army is nothing to sneeze at either.”
“And to think they’re waiting for you.”
“Doona remind me. I’ve no’ seen that many Dark Fae gathered in one place since the Fae Wars.”
Phelan blew out a harsh breath. “Where to now?”
“It’s no’ that far ahead,” Kiril said and started down the corridor.
It was a winding maze of hallways, but Shara had been specific in her description. Only once had they gone the wrong way, which Kiril quickly realized. As they walked he told Phelan the directions in case they became separated. No matter what, both agreed that Rhi had to be rescued.
“I’ll kill them all if they’ve harmed her,” Phelan muttered.
Kiril glanced at his friend. “The truth is she may no’ be the same person you knew. The Dark have a way of torturing that gets quick results.”
They turned another corner and instantly halted. Phelan hissed under his breath as Kiril focused on his new enemy—Balladyn—as they watched him enter a room.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Shara paced the confines of Balladyn’s chamber nervously. It had been too easy to get out and return. Way too easy. Or perhaps she was just overthinking things. She wrung her hands, her head pounding as thoughts—and panic—filled her.
The door was suddenly opened and Balladyn filled the entry. His gaze settled on her. Shara stared as he remained still, his eyes boring into her.
“Was your hunt successful?” she asked.
Balladyn walked into the room and softly closed the door behind him. Shara made herself remain still when all she wanted was to get as far from him as she could. Balladyn was dangerous, and she knew being so near to him meant that she might never leave the fortress again.
He leaned against the door and crossed his arms over his chest. “At first I believed you. I was ready to scour the skies for the Dragon King that you said must be flying.”
Shara’s heart knocked against her ribs.
“Then I realized you lied.”
She tried to swallow only to discover her mouth was dry as a desert. It was the coldness, the silent fury in Balladyn’s gaze that hinted at very bad things to come.
“I was coming back here to get the truth out of you,” Balladyn continued. “I stopped when one of my men received a report that a dragon was seen at your family’s home.”
Shara blinked. There was no way Kiril would have been that foolish. It had to be some sort of trick.
Balladyn tilted his head to the side. “Do you know what I did?”
“You went to see for yourself?” she asked.
“I went to see,” he said with a nod. “By the time I arrived with my men, I was only able to witness the dragon disappearing into the clouds. What was odd was that the humans I saw about didn’t even notice.”