But in the end, nothing would change.
Her heart would still ache for Kellan, her body would still long for his touch.
There was only one place a person who was hurting as much as she was wanted to go.
“Home. I want to go to home.”
Rhi’s smile was kind and understanding. “Home it is then.”
With one touch of Rhi’s hand, Denae stood on the front lawn of her house on South Padre Island. She turned to thank Rhi, but the Fae was gone.
Leaving Denae with her past and her present threatening to swallow her whole.
*
Kellan lost count of the times he’d been hit. He also lost count of how many times he’d bloodied Con. Each time he managed it, it made his smile grow.
But that didn’t put him any closer to getting Denae back. It was a start though.
He leveled a punishing hit in Con’s abdomen, doubling him over before Kellan lifted his knee to slam it into Con’s face. Kellan was getting ready to do it again when Con’s arms wrapped around his middle and propelled him backward—right into the cavern wall.
Kellan bellowed in pain as something pierced his back. He pounded both fists into Con’s back as Con threw his right hook again and again into Kellan’s side.
They were unceremoniously ripped apart. Guy had ahold of Con while Rhys grabbed Kellan. Between them was Banan who looked angrily from Con to Kellan.
“What the hell is going on?” Banan demanded.
Rhys released Kellan and shrugged. “Kellan wanted a fight. Who was I to stop him?”
Kellan was tired of talking. He wanted action. He wanted justice.
He wanted Denae.
Kellan shoved Banan out of the way and rammed his shoulder into Con’s gut before Guy could release him. And they were back to beating the shit out of each other.
“Why?” Con rasped.
“You sent her away.” Kellan finished the comment with an uppercut to Con’s jaw.
*
Rhi appeared in the cavern sitting atop one large boulder, which gave her a great view of the fight between Kellan and Con. Her audience with her queen had been quick—a rarity to be sure. She was surprised to find Kellan involved in a brawl.
“I think I know who you want to win,” Tristan said as he leaned against the boulder.
Rhi snorted. “You think so? You know me so well, Dragon?”
“You detest Con.”
It was a fact. She shrugged. “I guess that does tip the scales in Kellan’s favor.”
“What are you doing here, Rhi?” Banan asked as he too walked up.
She would rather be back in her queen’s chambers getting her ass chewed up one side and down the other than be in the midst of so many Dragon Kings on Dreagan. But Usaeil had given her a direct order.
Rhi couldn’t exactly ignore it.
“What are they fighting over?” she asked instead.
Tristan cut her a look. “Do you really need to ask?”
“Denae,” she said with a nod. “Con wanted her gone.”
Neither King responded to her comment. What was there to say?
“He shouldn’t have pushed Kellan,” she said.
Banan sighed loudly. “Nay. I’ve already tried to break them apart once. I doona think this will end until one of them is dead.”
“Kellan challenged Con?” she asked in shock. Her stomach had fallen to her feet in dread.
Tristan drummed on the boulder with his fingers. “No’ exactly. He never outright challenged him.”
“Did he bring his sword?”
Banan’s face was grim as he motioned with his chin to a wall near the entrance where the sword rested. “Tristan told me what happened. Con overstepped. He didna do such a thing to me, Hal, or Guy. Why would he do it to Kellan?”
“Because he’s a turd,” she said, feeling a sense of dread she couldn’t dispel.
“If someone doesna stop this, one of them will die,” Banan said. “We lost so many Kings during the war when we were taking sides with Con or Ulrik. We doona have our dragons anymore, Rhi. We can no’ lose any more Kings, not with a war coming with the Dark.”
She knew he was right, but her hatred for Con was clouding her judgment. She could announce herself, which would most likely halt the fight—for a time at least.
But Con …
“Set aside your loathing this once,” Banan said. “For Kellan, because I think you know where Denae is.”
She pulled her gaze away from the bloody fight to Banan and stared into his eyes. “I do this for Kellan and Denae.”
“Agreed.”
Rhi swung her head to the other side and stared at Tristan until he gave a nod. “Of course. This conversation will go no further than the three of us.”
She winked at the handsome King. “I like you, Tristan. Do me a favor and don’t turn into an asswipe.”
“I’ll try my best,” he said and winked in return.
Rhi swallowed and took a breath before she cleared her throat. Instantly, Con’s black eyes jerked in her direction. He frowned, and with his attention diverted, he didn’t see Kellan’s fist coming.