A slow blaze of rage enveloped him. No one spoke of her. No one.
Mikkel put his hands in the pockets of his pants. “That doorway is the only place someone can get onto Dreagan without the Kings knowing it. Can you believe the Kings made a pact with the Campbells years ago to guard the piece of land that borders Dreagan?”
Ulrik glared at his uncle.
“Apparently one of the Campbells is a Warrior. I know you must have run across those bastards over the last few hundred years. Mortals who allowed a primeval god inside them to give them power and immortality. Then there are the Druids the Warriors are married to.” Mikkel grunted. “The Druids use their magic to alert whatever Campbell lives on the land that someone is there.”
“So you can no’ get on Dreagan.”
Mikkel grinned then. “The Kings are used to people coming to take a tour of the distillery. My man is going to get on Dreagan that way.”
“The plan will fail. Those who work for Dreagan are loyal.”
“Not if you use the right motivation,” Mikkel said softly.
Ulrik blew out a long breath. Mikkel had always had a way of getting what he wanted. The only thing that slipped through his fingers was becoming a King. “I guess you have been busy.”
“That’s not all I’ve done. My most impressive feat yet is the beginning of the end of the Kings.”
Ulrik feared he already knew what it was. “Care to explain?”
“I mixed Dark Fae magic with my own during a battle between the Kings and the Dark. Rhys never knew what hit him. Not until it was too late. I never did like that reckless idiot.”
“You made it so he can no’ shift.”
Mikkel rubbed his hands together, his gold eyes alight with merriment. “Oh, yes, I did. It was fabulous. I don’t imagine Rhys was without pain. He learned soon enough that he could either stay a dragon forever, or remain human to the end of his days. Odd how he chose the human form.”
“You condemned him to what we’ve suffered.”
“Rightly so,” Mikkel said in anger. “One by one, I’ll ensure the Kings know what it means to suffer. Con will be the last.”
“And the mates of the Kings?”
Mikkel’s disdain was evident as he scrunched up his face. “The women will die with their mates. That’s how it works. They’ll remain immortal until their Dragon King is killed.”
“True.”
“Besides, they’re humans. The mortals only want our power and immortality.”
“No’ all of them.”
Mikkel laughed and stepped aside. Ulrik’s gaze landed on Abby who came to stand beside his uncle. She looked adoringly up at Mikkel as if he were her savoir.
“Yes, all,” Mikkel said.
Ulrik was rarely outplayed. It happened so seldom that he at first didn’t recognize the jolt of outrage. His gaze skated away from Abby to look back at his uncle. “Abby has been working for you this entire time.”
“One of my many brilliant plans,” Mikkel said and kissed the top of Abby’s head before giving her a little shove away. “She kept an eye on all you had going on. All the while, I was setting my own plans in motion.”
“Why no’ just come to me yourself?”
Mikkel cocked his head to the side. “I had to know whose side you were really on. You considered Con a brother once.”
“Until he killed my woman and banished me from Dreagan.”
“Your woman needed to be killed! She was betraying you.”
Ulrik lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “So she did. Whatever I felt for Con and the other Kings died the day I was banished and my magic taken.”
“I know.” Mikkel’s smile was wide, triumphant. “I’ve watched you carefully, Ulrik. Which is why I think it’s time for you to join with me. Just think. Constantine will never know what hit him. Already he believes all that’s been happening is your doing.”
“Con will come soon and try to kill me.”
“That won’t happen,” Mikkel stated. “I won’t let it. The days of Constantine being King of Kings is numbered. I’m going to take his place. I just need you beside me. You deserve your own retribution.”
Ulrik stood and looked at his uncle’s outstretched hand. The minutes stretched as he stared at the hand. With a deep breath, he clasped it, sealing his promise.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Lily stood on the balcony of her suite and looked out over Edinburgh. The streets teemed with people even as the sky refused to chase away the clouds gathering. All of her bags had been collected by a bellman and were on their way to her flat since they wouldn’t fit in Rhys’s car. Lily shivered in the cool breeze. Rain was coming, and soon, if the increasing ache in her wrist was any indication.
She began to turn to go back inside when her vision caught sight of something across the block. Her heart plummeted to her feet when she saw Dennis standing on a balcony smiling at her.