Her mother had succumbed to grief a short time later, leaving Rhi all alone in the world. Balladyn had become her family, her mentor, and her friend. He’d helped her hold it all together, and in turn she’d helped him cope with the wars and coming home when her family hadn’t.
Balladyn was there when her relationship with her Dragon King was put to the ultimate test. He was there to hold her as she cried until there were no more tears. He was there to comfort her when the world no longer made sense.
He was there when she’d wanted it all to end.
Balladyn had forced her to live again. She’d fought him every step of the way, and in turn, he’d pushed her harder. Until one day, she took that first step out into the world again.
It was no wonder that everyone thought she would die of grief when, during a skirmish with the Dark, she saw Balladyn fall.
She had wanted to retrieve his body, but the Dark Fae were too many. One of her greatest regrets was leaving him. Now she knew he hadn’t died. He had been wounded. Had she only gone to get him he wouldn’t be Dark now.
Rhi cringed when she felt the pull of her queen, a sign that Usaeil was calling her to court. Rhi rolled onto her side and curled up into a ball with her arms wrapped around her middle.
She wasn’t ready to face anyone yet, not after enduring the Kings as well as being at Dreagan, which brought back too many long-buried memories.
She suddenly sat up and dashed away her tears. If she wallowed in the memories any longer they would take her. She would allow it one day, but not today.
“Not yet,” she murmured.
Rhi stripped out of her dirty clothes and riffled through bags from designer shops until she found an outfit she wanted. She tore off the tags and put on the faded skinny jeans and black blouson shirt.
She grabbed her two bottles of nail polish: a lavender named Do you Lilac It?, and a deep eggplant color called Vant to Bite My Neck? She dropped them in her Louis Vuitton purse and teleported to a storage unit. She flipped on the lights and gazed at the Lamborghini she had wrapped in black cherry matte.
She might be a Light Fae, but there were times she liked to pretend to be human. It wasn’t like she could just teleport into her favorite salon and not have someone notice in such a crowded place.
Sure she could teleport somewhere else and remain veiled until she knew no one was about, but it was just too damn much trouble.
Rhi started the Lambo and grinned at the rumbling, gritty sound of the engine. She gunned the engine, her smile deepening the louder the engine roared in the cramped unit.
“Damn, but I love this car.”
She used her magic to unlock the garage door and roll it up. After putting the car in gear, she backed out of her spot, shutting and locking the unit door with magic once more, and drove out of the parking garage and into the crowded streets of Austin.
There wasn’t anywhere in the realm of earth that she hadn’t visited. There was something about the nail salon she’d found in the swanky Lake Travis area of Texas that fit her vibe. Which is why she kept returning.
Besides, walking in and being so welcomed by the girls, especially her nail tech, Jessie, could wipe away the bad memories she didn’t—couldn’t—face.
Rhi shut the door to her memories involving him, and let the Lambo’s engine purr as she pulled into traffic.
*
Denae noticed the softness of the sheets first. Kellan had gotten them back to Dreagan. She’d never doubted he would. She opened her eyes, hoping to find him in the room, but she was disappointed.
She threw her arm over her eyes. Returning to Dreagan meant facing her future. How easy it had been to forget when she was trapped in Ireland with the Dark Ones.
No doubt MI5 had already cleared out her loft and put all of her belongings into storage somewhere she would never find. It was all right. The things that meant anything to her were safely ensconced back on South Padre Island.
Denae sighed and sat up. Her muscles were sore, but she didn’t feel any lasting effects from Taraeth’s blast of magic. She threw off the blanket and looked down to find she was still in Kellan’s shirt. Despite all she had been through while wearing it, she could still smell him on it.
She took it off and neatly folded it only to hide it behind a pillow in the overstuffed chair. That way when she left Dreagan, she would bring a part of Kellan with her.
Denae walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower until the water was steaming hot. Her mother used to laugh at her, not understanding how it could be nearly a hundred degrees outside but she always had to take a hot shower.
As soon as she stepped into the shower and the water fell over her, Denae let out a sigh. She tilted her head back to wet her hair as she closed her eyes. For several minutes she stood there, enjoying the heat of the water before she washed her hair and body.