It was one thing for Banan to be on the run hiding from the humans hunting him. It was quite another to take Jane with him. Leaving her wasn’t an option either.
As his mate, she was now as much a part of Dreagan, despite that she couldn’t shift. They were connected, joined in more ways than just their love and their vows. She would live as long as he did, and die when he did. Since he could only die by the hand of another Dragon King, she could, in effect, live forever.
Could they leave the realm? Part of Banan wanted to depart this instant. To see his Blues again was something he dreamed of often. Then he thought of Jane and knew she would follow him anywhere, but would she be happy?
*
Con walked into the still house and breathed in the many aromas involved in the process of making their renowned whisky. With the copper stills going, the place was loud, and it helped to mask the thoughts running through his head.
Banan was right. They would be discovered soon. It all hinged on just how soon was soon?
It was Con’s job to keep the Kings safe and Dreagan a haven for them. How had it gotten so messed up? It would be easy to blame the women who were mated to his Kings, but Con knew they had no part in it.
No, the blame lay with whoever was pulling the strings behind the scenes. First it was PureGems and their attempt to discover something when they came in under the pretense of “caving.”
It was only by following that lead, with Elena and Jane’s help, that the Kings learned PureGems was just a cover, that there was someone else masterminding it. Jane had spoken to the man, but she never saw his face.
In his gut, Con knew Ulrik was a part of it—if not the one behind it all.
For centuries Con had waited for Ulrik to take his revenge, but he assumed Ulrik would target just him—not all of the Dragon Kings.
Con had done the right thing in killing Ulrik’s woman those hundreds of thousands of years ago. She had betrayed Ulrik and the Kings. As King of Kings, it was Con’s duty to take action.
He thought he could talk to Ulrik and make him see there had been no other choice. But Ulrik had spiraled out of control.
Con walked up the stairs to the platform to overlook the workers. He leaned his hands upon the rail. Ulrik had done the one thing they were forbidden to do—he had taken his Silvers and waged war on the humans.
It didn’t matter that the humans were killing dragons. It was the Dragon Kings who were meant to keep the peace between both dragons and humans.
Con had failed in that.
Ulrik had been beyond talking to, leaving Con with only one choice again. He had stripped Ulrik of his right to shift into dragon form and had taken his sword. Con then bound Ulrik’s magic so he couldn’t communicate with his Silvers.
The rest of the Kings trapped a few Silvers to hide them in one of the mountains where Dreagan was created. Ulrik was left to walk through life immortal, with no other benefits of a Dragon King.
The confrontation between him and Ulrik was coming. He had been expecting it for a while now. His onetime best friend, the one he had called brother above all else, was now his enemy.
Ulrik craved revenge.
Con would give it to him.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Kellan wasn’t sure why he returned to Denae’s bedroom long after she had fallen asleep. He had stood guard outside her door for hours afterward, going over their conversation.
As dawn came, he entered her room expecting her to wake. Instead, he found her in the throes of a dream, and not a good one by the way she jerked and cried out.
Kellan went to her, ready to wake her, when she went still. He halted, then retraced his steps and took the same seat as the night before, not wanting to disturb her.
As hard as he tried to look away, his gaze was drawn to the long length of her thick brown hair that was streaked with copper as it flowed over her pillow.
When she had taken down her hair the night before and he had seen it fall around her in a curtain, Kellan had the urge to run his fingers through it. It was longer than he had expected, falling midway down her back, glossy and straight.
Rays of sunlight streamed through the windows. Once Denae had eaten, Kellan would begin to pull information from her. Con wanted him to use any means necessary.
Kellan hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Being close to her was a test he didn’t want to put himself through. There hadn’t been time for him to find a willing bed partner in the few hours since he had woken, but he needed to do it soon.
Things were getting drastic if Denae tempted him as she did. Even now, when he saw her leg peek out of the covers, he had the insane need to run his fingers along her skin, to push the blanket away so he could see more of her.
Kellan was jerked out of his musings by a distressed moan. Once more Denae was caught in a dream. She became tangled in the sheets, her words garbled so he didn’t understand them.
“Renee!” she screamed and then her eyes flew open.