Darkest Flame

Con shrugged. “He might no’ have known. You know how different departments keep secrets from the others in the spy world.”

 

 

He had a point, but the churning in Banan’s gut told him that if Henry had betrayed them, there would be retribution.

 

“Call him,” Con urged. “If Henry did betray us, do you really think he’d keep trying to call?”

 

“Aye. He might no’ know what we are, but he knows we’re powerful.”

 

Con leaned over the fence and patted one of the fat sheep as it darted by. “If you doona call him, I’ll invite him to Dreagan. Your choice.”

 

Banan looked into Con’s eyes and saw the truth of his words. A gust of wind passed through the valley, ruffling Con’s blond hair. Banan turned away and rubbed his hand over his short, dark hair.

 

“Fine,” he said and pulled out his mobile phone.

 

There were ten missed calls from Henry and three messages. Banan didn’t bother to listen to the messages as he dialed Henry’s number.

 

Henry answered on the first ring. “Banan.”

 

“Tell me you didna know.”

 

“I didn’t,” the Brit said hastily. “I swear. I only found out because I heard about two missing agents. When I learned what department they were from, I discovered their covert mission to Dreagan.”

 

Banan closed his eyes. “I want to believe you.”

 

“Then do. I called as soon as I found out. Jane wouldn’t tell me anything. I can be at Dreagan in a few hours.”

 

“Why would you come here?”

 

“Because I know you won’t believe a word I say over the phone. You’ll need to see me.”

 

Banan turned around and faced Con. He knew Con could hear the entire conversation. “Why does it matter what I think?”

 

“I spend my life lying and blending in so that I’m not seen. I couldn’t be picked out of a crowd of one, Banan. I’m good at my job, but there are times I want to be seen. You and the others from Dreagan see me. I’m not a ghost to you.”

 

“Your decision,” Con told Banan.

 

Banan closed the second gate before moving to another set of holding pens. “Will you be tracked here?”

 

“No. Nor are they listening in on this mobile. They don’t know about this number. I’ll be there tomorrow. Early.”

 

“One of the agents is dead,” Banan told him. “The second agent killed him when he attacked her.”

 

Henry let out a long sigh. “This is so fucked up. We’ll get it straightened out.”

 

“We can handle it. The female claims she was betrayed by your organization. She willna trust you.”

 

“She doesn’t even need to know I’m there. I know the department she was working for. They’ve been known to leave agents hanging out to dry as well as having factions within their department go after each other. Keep her safe. They’ll be coming for her.”

 

Banan hung up the phone and pocketed it. “We’ve been so lucky in staying hidden all these centuries. Why do I get the feeling that’s all about to end?”

 

“If it does, it does,” Con said. “We’ll follow our dragons to their realm and live with them once more.”

 

“What about us protecting the humans?”

 

“Once they learn we’re dragons they’ll hunt us ceaselessly. Look at what they’ve done to Loch Ness just because someone claimed to see something in the water. That something just happened to be one of us. They’ve combed Loch Ness endlessly, and they willna give up even though they’ve no’ found anything. What do you think they’ll do when they discover we can shift into dragons?”

 

Banan squeezed his eyes shut. “No amount of hiding will help us then. There isna any place on this planet we can go.”

 

“Nay, there isna. We’ll have to leave or face war once more. I doona want the Kings divided again.”

 

“We could scatter. Asking Jane to leave her realm will be difficult. If we’re no’ here, they’ll have a hard time knowing who is a Dragon King.”

 

Con looked out over the land. “They’ll find out. They always do. You know we can no’ leave for long. If we are no’ here with our magic, the Silvers will wake and kill the humans. Those Silvers are the largest of Ulrik’s dragons. We have to keep them sleeping since they wouldna leave with the others after Ulrik’s command.”

 

“It willna be long until we’re hunted. I’m no’ sure I could bring up any pity for what the Silvers would do to the humans.”

 

“And what would Jane think?”

 

Banan winced as he thought of his human wife who had become his mate a few months earlier. “She’s one of us now. She would understand.”

 

“I doubt it,” Constantine said as he walked away.

 

Banan motioned to the shearers to get started as he moved to the next pen and opened it. For so long anonymity had been theirs. And they had taken it for granted.