Darkest Flame

He narrowed his gaze and recognized Tristan. “Aye.”

 

 

Tristan released him and stepped back. “We found them, Phelan.”

 

Kellan looked past Tristan to the Warrior who stood staring. “Phelan. You’re the one who is part Fae?”

 

Phelan gave a single nod. “Have you seen Rhi?”

 

“No’ for a while. The Dark know Denae and I are in the tunnels. We can no’ tarry.”

 

Phelan turned and motioned for them to follow. “We can lead you back out.”

 

“Wait,” Kellan said as he pulled Denae to his side. “I’m no’ just going to leave.”

 

Tristan’s smile was wide and sly. “I didna figure you would. I might no’ have been around for the first war with the Fae, but I’ll be a part of this one.”

 

“Whatever,” Phelan said. “Let’s get moving.”

 

“What about Rhi?” Denae asked. “Could the Dark Ones have her?”

 

Phelan shook his head. “Rhi is too smart for that. She’s in the thick of danger, no doubt, but she’ll get out once she knows all of us are free of the tunnels.”

 

“How far until we get out?” Kellan asked.

 

Tristan shrugged. “Depending on how fast we move, we could be out in three quarters of an hour.”

 

“Is the doorway away from any cities?”

 

“Aye,” Tristan said with a grin. “It’s situated in an open field.”

 

Denae pushed her hair behind her ears. “What about now? Are we beneath a field?”

 

It was Phelan who shook his head. “We went in the direction of the nearest city.”

 

“Damn,” Denae muttered.

 

Kellan reached for her hand, knowing exactly how frustrated she felt. “Phelan, you take the lead. I’ll follow with Denae behind me.”

 

“And I’ll bring up the rear,” Tristan said.

 

Kellan nodded. “I want Denae protected no matter what.”

 

Phelan rubbed his hands together, his long gold claws clicking as he did. “She will be. Now, let’s get the fuck out of this nasty place.”

 

*

 

Rhi returned to the room Kellan and Denae were being held in only to discover they were gone. She stared in shock at the broken chain.

 

It didn’t matter how strong a Dragon King was, they couldn’t break through a chain spelled by Dark Fae. But something—or someone—had been able to.

 

Rhi knelt beside the chain and reached out her arm to touch it when the sound of the door opening reached her. She had mere seconds to veil herself before she was seen.

 

Her power was running low. She wouldn’t be able to stay veiled for long, but she had to learn as much as she could. She rose and backed away as Taraeth, his clothes torn and bloody, stopped at the doorway and gaped at the empty room.

 

“Where are they?” he bellowed.

 

The men behind him immediately turned and rushed out of the room, barking orders to get search parties together for the castle and tunnel.

 

Taraeth walked past the broken chain to the back wall. He watched it for several seconds before he murmured, “How did you get loose, Kellan? And more importantly, how did you know this was a doorway?”

 

Rhi fisted her hands. Taraeth had defeated yet another rival. Would no one ever take him down?

 

Suddenly Taraeth’s head swung in her direction. “Who helped you, Kellan?” he asked.

 

Rhi’s magic was wearing thin. She might hate Taraeth, but if her veil slipped, she wouldn’t have much magic with which to fight him. She had no choice but to leave.

 

She appeared in the tunnels and dropped the veil. Her knees buckled, and she hit the ground hard. Rhi winced as a rock jabbed into her left knee.

 

Balladyn was alive. Taraeth had killed another rival after kidnapping a Dragon King and Kellan’s woman. Not to mention MI5 had some alliance with the Dark Ones.

 

All of which Rhi needed to tell Usaeil. Rhi couldn’t go to her queen yet. Kellan and Denae where somewhere in the tunnels, and she couldn’t be sure if Phelan and Tristan had found them or not.

 

“A fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into,” Rhi said.

 

She wearily climbed to her feet. How she hated feeling so powerless when her magic was drained.

 

“Not a good place to be weak, pet.”

 

The soft Irish brogue, the endearment. Rhi didn’t have to turn around to know Balladyn had found her.

 

“These are dangerous times,” he said. “Too perilous for the likes of you.”

 

“A lot has changed.” Rhi slowly turned around and met Balladyn’s red gaze. She hid her wince. Gone were the kind silver eyes she remembered. “For the both of us, it seems. I thought you died. I mourned you.”

 

“You’d have been better off thinking I was dead.” His gaze shifted and grew hard. “I know what happens to Light Fae who grow weak down here.”

 

“So. You’ve come to take me to Taraeth.” She was surprised, shocked right down to her now-ruined boots. Balladyn had been her dearest friend. What had happened to him?

 

Balladyn inhaled deeply. His long mane of black hair was cut to his chin and now sported streaks of silver. “Eventually. I’ve got something else in store for you.”

 

The menace in his words made her blood ice. “Why am I so special?”