Darkest Flame

“Next time, warn me before you decide to dive to the ground and then toss me off,” Phelan said.

 

Tristan shrugged coolly. “Stop your grumbling. I’ve never had anyone on my back before. Besides, you’re immortal. What do you have to worry about?”

 

“You obviously doona have a woman in your life. You get to explain to Aisley when we get back.”

 

“Explain what?” Tristan asked with a snort. “You heal, idiot.”

 

Phelan ran a hand through his hair. “No’ the point, Dragon.”

 

“It’s exactly the point.” He cut Phelan a look. “Now, why no’ stop your bitching and find the doorway. It’s why you’re here, is it no’?”

 

Phelan hadn’t known Duncan before he was beheaded, but he had spent enough time around Ian to recognize the stubbornness of the Kerr family running through Tristan. Phelan held back from stating it, however, since the subject of where Tristan had come from seemed to be a tricky one.

 

Pushing that aside for now, Phelan concentrated on the area. In the darkness he let his enhanced eyesight look over the terrain as if it were daylight. He didn’t spot anything on first glance, so he decided to walk around.

 

There was an abandoned manor over the next rise. Even up in the clouds Phelan had detected the thousands of Fae doorways throughout Ireland.

 

It wasn’t until they were over Cork that he sensed the ones below, but there was one that stood out brighter, as if Rhi had put flashing lights around it.

 

He held back a laugh knowing that’s probably exactly what Rhi had done. Leave it to her to do something outrageous.

 

“There,” Phelan said and pointed to the right. “It’s right there.”

 

Tristan scratched his chin, in need of a shave. “Let’s go then.”

 

They walked side by side to the doorway. Phelan paused outside of it and looked at Tristan. “Can you see it?”

 

“Nay.”

 

“How many Kings have gone through a Fae doorway?”

 

A muscle ticked in Tristan’s jaw. “Three. Two taken by the Dark that were later killed.”

 

“And the other?”

 

“He went in on his own.”

 

Phelan knew he was trying to keep something from him. “Who was it?”

 

“That I doona know.”

 

“But you know who he followed.” When Tristan wouldn’t meet his gaze, Phelan shook his head as he realized the answer. “It was Rhi.”

 

Tristan let out a sigh. “Aye. The King followed Rhi.”

 

“What happened to him?”

 

“That part of the story I doona know. I barely got the little information that I told you.”

 

Phelan thought of Rhi and how much she hated interacting with the Kings. Yet, she was helping them now. Just what was the story between Rhi and her King lover? He faced the doorway and drew in a deep breath. “Guess you’ll be the fourth King to go through one. Ready?”

 

“I’m ready to kill the Dark.”

 

“Follow me,” Phelan said as he stepped forward.

 

He took a step into the doorway and felt the magic shimmer around him. As soon as he was through, the damp foulness of the tunnels slammed into him.

 

Tristan was right behind him. He let out a muffled curse. “It reeks.”

 

“Aye. Rhi said there were Fae animals walking about, so let’s keep an eye out.”

 

“Fine. Which way do you want to begin?” Tristan asked, looking first one way and then the other.

 

Phelan threw up his hands. “I doona know.”

 

“You’re part Fae, right? Can you no’ sense them?”

 

“No,” Phelan ground out. If only he could it would make things so much easier. “We can no’ split up either.”

 

“This is more your territory than mine, so I’ll let you choose the way, Warrior. Just choose correctly.”

 

“You certainly have the disposition of a Dragon King.”

 

One side of Tristan’s mouth lifted in a grin. “Lead on.”

 

Phelan choose to go right. They had walked for about two hundred yards when they reached a fork in the tunnels. Phelan once more chose to go to the right, and as soon as they did they encountered a body of water running down the middle of the tunnel.

 

There was a small path on the edge of the water they traversed. Phelan’s foot slipped on a small rock and one foot fell into the water.

 

He glanced down to find his leg from the knee down fully submerged. He and Tristan exchanged a look. Just as Phelan was about to get out of the stream, Tristan’s gaze sharpened.

 

“There’s something in the water,” Tristan whispered.

 

The ripples fanned out over the water as whatever was beneath raced toward them. Phelan called to his god. His skin turned gold and claws shot from his fingers. He raised his arm, ready to swipe at whatever rose from the water.

 

All of a sudden, a large snakelike creature with a head the size of a small dog rose up and aimed its open mouth and impressive fangs at Phelan.

 

He jerked his arm down, his claws severing the head. When he looked up, Tristan had jumped into the water and found a second head that he ripped off with his bare hands.