Her disappointment was almost as great as her earlier fear. Lily glanced at her watch and walked to the door of the shop, which she locked. It was time to close things up. It was one of her favorite times of the day. She normally had the shop to herself.
It allowed her to feel as if she weren’t just a visitor to Dreagan, but part of it.
*
Rhys flattened himself against the wall as he listened to Lily walk around the shop. He’d known it was folly to venture into the store, but he’d need a closer look at her.
His concern grew after witnessing her reaction to the last customer. It was the man’s voice that set her on edge. Rhys stood in the shadows of the back hallway and watched as she set her shoulders and faced the man.
The utter relief when she saw the man had been palpable. Her knees even gave out. Rhys was about to go to her when the old man stepped in. Even now, Rhys could feel the fury slide through him that someone made Lily feel such fear.
She bounced back quickly. The smile on her face, and the easy way she spoke to the customer all indicated that she had moved past the episode. Rhys, however, hadn’t.
He stalked from the store back to the manor. His hand was on the dragon-head banister when he looked up and saw Cassie and Hal coming down the stairs. “What do you know of Lily’s past?” Rhys demanded of Cassie.
Hal paused, surprise on his face and in his moonlight blue eyes. “Rhys. It’s good to have you back.”
He gave a nod to Hal. “Cassie, tell me what you know of Lily?”
Cassie shook her brunette head, her dark brown eyes glancing at Hal before she said in her American accent, “I don’t know much. None of us do. She rarely talks of the past.”
She was keeping something from him, Rhys was sure of it. “Tell me,” he stated through clenched teeth.
Hal immediately stepped between Cassie and Rhys. “What’s this about?” he asked Rhys.
“A suspicion.”
“Of what?” Hal pressed, his face going hard.
Rhys glanced away, remembering the look of dread that flashed in Lily’s black eyes. “She’s scared of someone. A man. I want to know who it is and what he did to her.”
Cassie put her hand on Hal’s shoulder and moved a step down so that she was even with her husband. She looked at Rhys, indecision warring. “I want your word, Rhys, that you won’t confront her with what I tell you.”
“You have it,” Rhys answered.
Cassie threaded her fingers with Hal’s. “I saw something weeks ago. It was by accident. Lily was embarrassed by it, which is why I never brought it up again. She has a scar on her left shoulder. I don’t know how far down it goes, but the scar tissue itself is thick.”
“Damn,” Hal mumbled.
Rhys tightened his grip on the banister, unmindful of the wood cracking beneath his hand. “What did you think made the scar?”
“It looked like a burn. But I just had a glimpse,” Cassie hurried to say. “It could’ve been anything.”
Hal looked at her then. “What does your gut tell you?”
“That she was hurt on purpose.” Cassie’s shoulders slumped. “I know she’s had a few broken bones.”
Blood pounded in Rhys’s ears. He was taking in everything Cassie said, absorbing it, gathering it. Because he was going to find the fucker and make him pay.
“I know the signs,” Cassie continued. “I had a friend who was physically and mentally abused by her husband. I could never convince her to leave, and the ass eventually killed her.”
Rhys spun around and walked off. It was worse than he feared. So much about Lily made sense now. Then he’d gone and acted like a brute by kissing her as if she were his. Now he had a mission. He didn’t need to be able to shift into a dragon to handle a wanker who beat on women. This was something he would relish.
Rhys was at the door when someone called his name. He didn’t want to stop, didn’t want to be deterred from his task, but Con’s voice still halted him in his tracks.
Rhys closed the door and slowly turned around to face Constantine, expecting to be lectured for being gone so long.
“It’s about damn time you came home,” Con said while turning the gold dragon-head cuff link at the wrist of his French-cuffed dress shirt. He motioned Rhys to follow. “I need your help.”
CHAPTER THREE
Taraeth’s Palace, Dark Fae realm
“You have seconds to explain yourself,” Taraeth, king of the Dark Fae stated from his black throne, his voice laced with cold fury.
Balladyn looked into the red eyes of his king and fought the urge to plunge his sword into Taraeth’s heart. After all he had done for the Darks, after all he had become for Taraeth, the king now admonished him.
But they weren’t alone. There were six guards, one posted on either side of the door and the other four placed throughout the narrow throne room.
“Do you have nothing to say for yourself?” Taraeth demanded with a sneer. “The great Balladyn brought low by a Light.”
“Rhi is no mere Light Fae,” Balladyn said.