“Are you so sure?”
“I have you, don’t I?”
Kiril held up his hands, the chains rattling as he did. “It appears that way. You went to a lot of trouble to get me here. Why no’ tell me what it is you want?”
“I want what the Kings have hidden.”
“We’ve hidden a lot of things. Treasures greater than anyone could imagine, the recipe for our whisky, the—”
“Stop!” Balladyn’s bellow bounced off the stone walls. “You know what it is I seek.”
“Keep believing that.”
Balladyn took a step closer. “Are you telling me you doona know where it’s hidden?”
“Perhaps if I knew what you were looking for?” Kiril knew Con kept it secret for a reason, but it was past time for those kinds of secrets. Especially when it put every Dragon King on the radar of the Dark Fae.
Balladyn chuckled. “Pretending won’t stop what I have planned for you.”
“It’s you who should stop pretending. You doona even know what you search for.”
Balladyn was suddenly before Kiril, nose to nose, his eyes flashing. “I know it’s a—”
His words were cut off by a loud bang at Kiril’s door. Kiril wanted to shout his frustration as Balladyn smiled coldly and vanished.
“Dammit,” Kiril said and slammed his fists back against the stones.
The door flew open on the third hit, and Con filled the doorway with a smile. “Doona look so happy to see me.”
“What are you hiding from everyone?” Kiril demanded.
Con’s face closed off, his smile wiped away in a blink. “None of your concern, and before you ask again, it’s that way for a reason.”
Kiril wasn’t surprised by the answer, and had in fact expected those exact words. “The Dark willna give up so easily.”
“Nay,” Con said as he walked to Kiril. “For now, let’s concentrate on getting you free.”
“Balladyn was just here, Con. He teleported in and out.”
Con’s hands stilled on the chains. “Where did he go?”
“I doona know. Tell me you didna come alone.”
“Of course no’.” His smile was full of retribution.
So Phelan had found them. Kiril dropped his head back against the wall and sighed while Con grabbed the chain in both hands and tried to wrench the links apart. Kiril found his mind turning to Shara. He was going to miss holding her in his arms, miss having her near. In the back of his mind, he had always known she could betray him.
“Will it ease your mind to know she didna deceive you?” Con asked as he gritted his teeth and yanked on the chains.
Kiril lifted his head and frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Shara.” Con’s gaze was on the chains, his muscles flexed as he pulled. His voice was strained, the words coming through clenched teeth as he said, “Balladyn tricked you.”
Kiril thought back to their encounter and how Shara had vehemently denied Balladyn’s words. Her red eyes had beseeched him, but Kiril had been all too ready to believe Balladyn. Just what the bastard had expected him to do. Kiril should’ve known it was a trick.
“What has he done to her?”
Con relaxed his grip and shrugged. “Phelan went after her. He’s the one who heard their exchange after you were taken and knew what Balladyn was really about. Phelan will find her. Doona worry.”
“I’ve been such a fool.”
Con caught his gaze and held it. “So you do care about her?”
“I would no’ have asked you to offer her sanctuary if I didna.”
“Aye, but that’s no’ what I’m asking, now, is it?”
Kiril turned his head away. “You’re asking if I have feelings for her.”
“Do you love her, Kiril?”
“Maybe. I doona know,” he said with a shake of his head.
“There’ll be time enough to figure that out once we’ve left this place behind.” Con lifted the chain again and pulled.
Kiril looked at the links, but despite Con’s strength, they weren’t coming apart. He was about to tell Con to go find Rhi when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. His head swiveled at the same time as Con’s. Kiril could only stare at Balladyn who had a satisfied smirk upon his face and a blade to Shara’s throat.
She was breathing heavily, her hair stuck to the side of her face with sweat. Kiril saw a drop of blood roll down her throat as the blade sank into her skin a fraction.
“Stop,” Kiril demanded, more afraid than he had ever been in his very long life.
Balladyn moved his gaze to Con. “You can pull on that chain for all of eternity, and you won’t ever get it off him.”
“You should know no’ to ever say never to a Dragon King,” Con stated casually.
“For years, I listened to how wonderful you Kings were, but I know the truth. I know just how dishonorable, immoral, and untrustworthy you really are. I know your secrets.”