Darkest Flame

Con took a deep breath and slowly released it. “If we did, the Dark would find you, and you would have no way of defending yourself.”

 

 

“So, you’re going to take the chance that I don’t tell the world that you are Dragon Kings?” She knew she was pushing it, but she had to be sure.

 

“I am. I know you care for Kellan. If you let our secret out, you put him in danger.”

 

She crossed her arms over her chest and studied Con. “That, I would never do. Now that you know, I won’t have to tell you.”

 

“Good luck to you, then.” With a nod, he left with the door shutting softly behind him.

 

“Wow,” she mumbled to herself as she dropped her arms. “Not even an offer to call if I need anything. You can be such as asshat, Con.”

 

It was easy for Denae to focus her anger on Con. It was better than wallowing in self-pity because she was leaving Kellan. It wasn’t as if he had asked her to stay, and that was only part of the reason she was barely holding onto her emotions.

 

She probably should’ve enlisted Con’s help in getting out of the manor without running into Kellan. Or maybe that’s exactly why Kellan had left her alone, to give her time to leave so he wouldn’t have to run into her.

 

Denae sat on the edge of the chair and put on her hiking boots. MI5 had trained her well. She was resourceful and well equipped to get across the world with just the clothes on her back if she had to. Getting to London and MI5 headquarters would be a cinch.

 

She stood and gave the room one more once-over. When she turned to the door, she spotted Rhi leaning against it staring at her nails that were polished a deep purple with lavender accents.

 

“Going somewhere?” Rhi asked and flicked her head so that her long hair slid from her shoulder onto her back.

 

Denae shrugged. “You look better.”

 

“I just needed some downtime after using so much of my magic.”

 

Denae knew enough about Rhi now to know the Light Fae hadn’t just shown up. “How much did you hear of my conversation with Con?”

 

Rhi sighed dramatically and lowered her arm as she faced Denae. “I arrived while you were drying your hair. You didn’t see me, and when Con showed up I didn’t see a reason to alert him that I was around.”

 

“Why did you come?”

 

A pang of sadness entered her silver eyes. “I wanted to see how you were. It was an incredibly brave and stupid thing you did going after Taraeth.”

 

“He wanted to kidnap me,” Denae said and shrugged. “He didn’t give me any options.”

 

“Oh, don’t get me wrong,” Rhi said with wide eyes. “I’m not at all upset the bastard is now missing an arm. He deserves that and so much more. It was stupid, Denae, because he’ll hunt you through eternity now.”

 

Denae sank into the chair and dropped her head into her hands. “Great. MI5 and Dark Fae. Anyone else want to hunt me?”

 

“If you leave without talking to Kellan, you can add him to the list.”

 

Denae lifted her head and peered at Rhi. “How well do you know Kellan?”

 

“Better than any Fae, and in some instances better than some of the Kings. Why?”

 

“If he wanted me to stay, would he have asked?”

 

Rhi nodded. “Has he told you anything?”

 

“No. But I know with the Dark Fae and MI5 hunting me that if I remain here, it’ll continue to put the Dragon Kings under a microscope until MI5 has a reason to invade as they want to.”

 

“So you want to leave to protect him?”

 

“I don’t want to leave. But I have to.”

 

Rhi smiled brightly, her eyes twinkling. “I can help.”

 

“You could get me out of here without Kellan seeing me?”

 

“I can take you anywhere you want to go. Even another realm if that’s what you want.”

 

Denae considered that for a moment. All of her family was gone. She didn’t have any friends. Her only real connection was Kellan, and he was an immortal Dragon King.

 

“Maybe. First, I want to wipe any record of me from MI5 so I can forget about them. I want to make them think they’re going crazy.”

 

“Oh, girl. I can so help with that,” Rhi said with a laugh. “Forget sneaking into MI5. I can take you exactly where you want to go in that building.”

 

Denae smiled for the first time in hours. “I need the server room first. It’s in the basement with multiple cameras and a half-dozen guards patrolling the hallway.”

 

“So easy,” Rhi said with a roll of her eyes. “Are you ready?”

 

Denae took Rhi’s offered hand. “Yes.”

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

 

 

Kellan spent the next thirty minutes walking the mountains trying to reach Rhys and Kiril by using their mental link. A great relief went through him when both Kings finally answered.

 

“Should Kiril still be in Ireland?” Tristan asked, having heard the answers through the link.

 

Kellan shrugged. “He’s his own King. He can do whatever he wants. Kiril is tempting fate being so close to the Dark Fae, but maybe that’s what he wants. You’d have to ask him to know for sure. Still, I agree that having a spy in Ireland is a good idea.”