“Nay. The humans were bent on killing. The bronze dragons were the Bringers of Justice. I charged them with watching over a village while I fought off other humans. The humans turned on my dragons and killed them, and because I had charged the Bronzes to protect humans, they did no’ defend themselves.”
“Oh, God,” she murmured. “I thought it was just me you don’t like, but it’s humans in general. Now I understand.”
He took a step toward her. “You can no’ begin to fathom the depth of my hatred. I tried to live with it, and I managed to for centuries. But there was one last betrayal done to me.”
Denae instinctively knew that Kellan had retaliated. “What did you do?”
“I took his life after he raped and murdered a girl he promised he would see safely home. After that I couldna look at another mortal.”
So much of Kellan was beginning to make sense now. Who knew someone so gorgeous and with such amazing power would suffer so? “And your dragons? Where are they?” she asked to change the subject.
“We had no choice but to send our dragons to another realm,” he continued. “Once they were safe, we hid on Dreagan. It wasna difficult to keep the humans off our territory. We faded into legend and then into myth. And then we were forgotten.”
“Apparently not,” she said as she rubbed her hands on her thighs. “Someone knows what you are, and they want you exposed. It all makes sense now. The nearly empty file, the secret mission, Matt using me as bait. They were trying to get a glimpse of you to tell the world.” She swallowed hard. “The world can’t know. Do you know what they would do?”
“Verra much so. Why do you think we’ve taken such steps to remain behind the scenes?”
“I don’t think it’s going to be enough. Now I know. What were y’all thinking, showing me?”
“To gain your trust, but doona worry. You willna be able to tell anyone anything. We will wipe your memories of anything to do with Dreagan.”
“Wipe my…” She trailed off as she looked at him in exasperation. That quickly faded as she sighed loudly. “That’s probably for the best. Besides, MI5 will keep coming until it gets what it wants.”
“They can try.”
Denae rose and walked to him. “Stop being stubborn. I’m trying to help. Y’all can’t remain here. You must leave.”
“We’ve called Dreagan home for thousands upon thousands of years. We willna leave.”
She twisted her lips as she regarded him with narrowed eyes. “Can you fight them?”
“There’s no need.”
“Obviously you don’t know MI5.”
One side of his lips lifted in a smile. “We can no’ be killed. The only being who can kill us is another Dragon King.”
“Well. That certainly changes things.”
CHAPTER TEN
Denae rubbed her hand over the spot where her wound used to be. It was a little sensitive, but all the pain was gone. As wonderful and mind-boggling as Con’s little trick was, it was nothing compared to the dragon flying around Dreagan.
“Only a Dragon King can kill a Dragon King,” she repeated. “I think MI5 should know that. If they do, they might back off.”
“Do you really believe that?”
She sighed and shook her head. “No. They would then try to turn one of the Kings against the rest of you.”
Kellan gave a loud snort. “That wouldna happen. No’ after all we’ve been through.”
“You trust them implicitly?”
“Aye.”
The idea of that baffled her. “You’re lucky, you know. They teach you, as a spy, never to trust anyone. But you have to trust the people on your team. I was the one who got burned this time.”
“You learned a lesson.”
“That I did. I really can’t trust anyone.” Not even Kellan or anyone at Dreagan, as much as she wished she could.
Con healed her as a show of good faith. That was a load of shit, and she knew it. Just as sharing their secret was due to her telling them about MI5.
“So how will it come?”
For a second, confusion marred Kellan’s features. “What do you mean?”
“My death? How will it come? Poison in my food? A knife in my back? Or maybe as a snack for a dragon?”
“Con said we wouldna kill you. We’ll wipe your memories.”
She shrugged and stood to look out the window again. “I’m not stupid. You’ve kept your secret from everyone. Why tell me? Someone suspected of being the enemy? The only logical conclusion is that I’m to be killed.”
“It’s true we’re no’ sure if we can trust you. You’ve helped your position by giving us information on MI5 and their interest in us.”
“But?” she prodded.
“There is no but,” Kellan said.
Denae laughed and turned to look at him. “Then when can I leave?”
“If I know Con, he’s already working on getting you a new identity.”
“It better be good, because MI5 will be looking for me everywhere.” She realized that she would need to alter her appearance, if she could trust that she would be leaving. She had no choice but to keep thinking that. As if they could wipe her memories. Then again, Con had healed her right before her very eyes. “I’ll need scissors and some hair color.”
Kellan folded his arms over his chest, a small frown forming. “For what?”