Shara shifted her eyes to him, her smile still in place. “You assume that Rhi will remain here for you to turn her Dark.”
“The Light never come for their own,” he declared, the malice and hate dripping from his words.
“Those aren’t the only friends she has.”
It took a moment for Balladyn to catch on, but when he did, he spun and rushed out of the room. Shara couldn’t stop her laughter. It grew louder with each moment as she pictured Balladyn rushing to Rhi.
No matter what punishment Balladyn had in store for her, the look of hatred and concern on his face was priceless. He’d underestimated the Dragon Kings, just as her brother had done. It was a lesson she herself had learned the hard way.
The laughter died instantly as melancholy consumed her.
“Oh, Kiril,” she murmured.
She could accept her fate and remain with Balladyn, or she could make a run for it. She had no idea where she would go, and the chance that she would be killed was great. But it was better than living as Balladyn’s mate.
Shara wouldn’t wait around for Balladyn to return. The perfect time for her to do something was while he was occupied. She stood and walked to the door. There she paused for a brief moment to gather her courage before she threw open the door. Two Dark soldiers stood guard on either side of the door. She smiled at one as she leaned forward and grasped his sword.
They were so surprised by her tactic that Shara had time enough to hit the second guard with her elbow before plunging the sword into the first. Shara withdrew the blade and spun around, sinking the sword into the gut of the second guard.
If she was caught, she had sealed her death by killing two of Balladyn’s men, but she didn’t care. Shara had to get to Kiril and break him free of the dungeon.
What if Balladyn is in the dungeon?
She stumbled as the thought went through her mind, but she kept running. Her only thought was to get to Kiril who could hopefully find a way to free Rhi as well.
Shara rounded a corner and met another of Balladyn’s men. His eyes widened as he recognized her. With no other choice, she thrust the blade through his heart. He crumpled at her feet, his red eyes staring lifelessly up at her. She looked down at her hands to see the blood spray on them. It turned her stomach. She wanted to curl up in a little ball and cover her ears while she closed her eyes and pretended none of this had happened.
That was something a little girl would do. She was no longer a little girl. She was a grown woman, a Fae.
And it was time she proved it.
Shara set her shoulders and pulled the sword from the dead Fae’s body. She wiped the blade on his clothes before she continued onward. She managed to get down two more floors without incident. Most of the Dark didn’t know who she was, and they left her alone. She was one floor away from the dungeons when she heard her name.
“Sharaaaaaaa!”
Her blood froze in her veins. It was Balladyn. And he would be looking for her now.
*
Phelan walked the halls of Balladyn’s fortress once more in the disguise of a Dark Fae. He strode decisively toward the chamber where Shara was being held, only to pause when he heard Shara’s name yelled by Balladyn through the corridors. He grinned, because it meant Shara had managed to free herself from Balladyn briefly. He had little time to find her before Balladyn did. Phelan raced toward the dungeon, because he knew that was where Shara would be headed.
A few Dark gave him weird looks as he sprinted down the corridors. Phelan could see the stairway up ahead that led to the dungeon. It was the only way down to the lower level. He caught sight of Shara as she turned the corner and began to race ahead of him. He started to call out to her, but stopped when he heard shouts ahead of them.
He let out a string of curses when Shara slid to a halt and lifted the sword in her hand to defend herself against six Dark Ones that came at her. Phelan dropped the Dark fa?ade he wore and called to the god within him. Immediately claws sprang from his fingers and fangs filled his mouth. He saw a Dark come at her from behind and used his speed to reach her.
Phelan’s arm came out in time to knock the Dark Fae away before it could hit her. Shara’s gaze met his for an instant before they were fighting back-to-back against the Dark.
When the last Dark hit the ground, Phelan turned to Shara only to feel the press of the blade against his neck. He held his hands up, noting how she looked at his gold skin and claws. “We doona have time for this.”
“Who are you?”
“A friend of Kiril’s.”
“You’re not a Dragon King,” she murmured, her gaze on his hands.
Phelan grinned and wiggled his gold claws. “That’s because I’m no’. I’ll explain who I am later. Right now we need to get you out of here before Balladyn finds us.”
“I’m—”
“Others are helping Kiril,” he interrupted.
She lowered the blade so that it rested against her leg. “Oh.”
“I know you didna betray him. There will be time to tell him everything once we’re all safe.”