“What is this weapon?” Lily asked into the silence that followed.
Dennis kicked a loose rock as they reached the bottom of the hill. “It’s none of your concern.”
“He doesna know,” Rhys stated as he proceeded up the next rise.
“I know,” Dennis declared arrogantly. “It’s a weapon to be used against the Dragon Kings.”
Rhys felt Lily’s startled gaze on him. He ignored it and asked, “Did your boss tell you what the weapon looked like?”
“I’ll know it when I see it.”
Since Rhys himself had no idea what the weapon was, he was glad that Dennis didn’t either. The fact the weapon had been kept secret from the rest of the Kings for so long was amazing. The question was: how did Ulrik discover it?
Rhys was on his way down the second rise when Dennis said, “Where are we going?”
“To that building,” Rhys said, pointing to the structure set atop a hillock in the distance.
Dennis snorted contemptuously. “The great Dragon Kings hiding a weapon powerful enough to kill them in a cottage? How ridiculous.”
“Perhaps.” Rhys didn’t bother to say more.
Dennis, however, wasn’t finished. “Why Earth? Why choose our planet to invade?”
Rhys might have been furious with the humans for their slaughter of the dragons, but his species wasn’t completely innocent in the war. Now, however, he found himself hating one particular human with such enormity that, for a moment, he forgot the mission, forgot Lily, forgot everything but the life that was taken from him.
His steps slowed, and he readied to turn and happily rip Dennis’s throat out.
Then a soft hand slid into his. A silky, gentle voice whispered his name. Rhys turned his head and looked down into Lily’s beautiful face. He lost himself in her endless midnight eyes. A strand of her jet-black hair touched his arm before the wind lifted it higher, allowing the lock to caress his cheek.
Rhys brought himself back under control and lengthened his strides. “We were here first.”
“Piss off,” Dennis scoffed. “I know the history of humans. The only thing here before us were dinosaurs.”
“Believe what you will.”
“I do, I just don’t appreciate being lied to.”
Rhys glanced at Dennis over his shoulder. “Did it ever occur to you that I’m no’ the one lying?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Dennis said. He pulled Lily back to walk with him. “We’re going to make you leave once and for all.”
Rhys fought not to look to the skies. He kept a good pace to hurry and reach the cottage. There was only so much control, and he was fast losing his being near Dennis.
*
Darius sat in a small cubby hidden in the ceiling. It was constructed when the manor was built as another exit for the Kings to get to the mountain.
He used it now as a hiding spot to watch over Kyle. Perhaps it was his misgivings about everyone that led him to believe Kyle wouldn’t stay put in the room. So he wasn’t surprised when he heard the soft click of the door opening.
The shadows hid Darius, and Kyle didn’t bother to look up as he glanced around to see if anyone was about. The mortal didn’t tarry. He made his way down the stairs in quick order. Quick enough to make Darius suspicious.
Darius jumped from his spot, landing quietly. He looked over the railing as Kyle reached the bottom and disappeared out of sight. The only place Kyle would go was after his sister, in a vain attempt to rescue her.
“Stupid human,” Darius mumbled as he hurriedly followed.
Darius exited the manor and slid to a stop when he saw Con leaning against the side of the manor. “You didna stop Kyle?”
“He was gone before I got here. We can no’ stop him now without Dennis seeing us.”
Darius glanced into the distance. All Dennis had to do was look back and he would be able to see Kyle—or them if they tried to bring the lad back. “Shite.”
“That’s certainly one word for it.”
“It’s just one mortal. What can he do?”
The King of Kings slowly turned his head of wavy blond hair, his soulless black eyes pinning Darius. “Did you forget the part where we said Ulrik was leading him? You’ve been holed up in your cave, so you’ve missed Kellan and Denae being taken by the Dark. You also missed Tristan having to venture into the Dark world to get back his mate, Sammi. You avoided the worry when Kiril went to Ireland as a spy and was captured. You escaped the many battles we’ve had with the Dark, including one on the Campbell property that borders ours when the Dark located the hidden doorway onto Dreagan.”
Each word was spoken with silent fury, stony irritation.
Callous disdain.
Darius took immediate offense. “Every King takes to his cave at some point.”
“No’ all,” Con said and pushed off the stones to face him. “Some of us remain awake dealing with all the senseless stupidity of this realm along with whatever torments we have in our past.”