That caused Rhys to look at him in shock. Con was the King of Kings, the one dragon that had more magic and power than any other. Though they were charged with protecting humans, it wasn’t like Con to be willing to bring one into the fold so easily.
Con gave Rhys a droll look. “I’m no’ insensitive, nor have I forgotten how Henry helped Banan find Jane when she was taken in London, or how Henry helped get Denae free of MI5, or how he’s kept track of the Dark Fae for us. If we’d known he infiltrated the group of MI5 that is loyal to Ulrik, I would’ve demanded he know every detail.”
“When is the meeting?” Rhys asked.
Banan glanced at his watch. “Today. I doona know a time.”
“We’ve no idea how long these things last,” Warrick said.
Kellan turned his head, his long caramel-colored hair held back in a queue. “I doona imagine any of the two groups want to be near Ulrik too long.”
“I doona think a human would want to be near the Dark at all,” Kiril stated.
Con rested his arms on his desk as he sat forward. “Good point. You saw the Dark as none of us have. We’ve fought them, but you lived among them for a few months.”
“It was hell,” Kiril said softly.
There was so much more to Kiril’s words than that short sentence. Rhys hadn’t been in Ireland with Kiril, but he’d spoken to him often. Rhys didn’t think he could’ve done what Kiril had. He would’ve killed every Dark Fae he encountered instead of gathering information.
“How long are we going to wait to hear from Henry?” Rhys asked.
Banan shrugged. “I doona know. They could be anywhere.”
“They’re in Scotland.”
Every eye turned to Rhys. He dropped his arms and hooked his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans. “The Dark wouldna call a meeting. Neither would MI5. Ulrik called the meeting, and he will stay on Scottish soil.”
“He’s right,” Con said.
Kellan sat forward, leaning to the side so his forearm rested on the arm of the leather chair. “They willna meet in a city or anywhere someone could see them.”
“They could be in any glen,” Warrick pointed out. “Any of them, and there are hundreds.”
Con rose to his feet. “Banan, you let us know as soon as you hear from Henry. If you doona hear from him by this evening, we’ll know something went wrong.”
No one mentioned that it would probably be too late by then. They held onto their hope, because that’s all they had.
Rhys wasn’t listening as Con began to talk about patrols and who would be flying what sector of Dreagan since it didn’t pertain to him.
When the meeting wrapped, Rhys was on his way out when Con stopped him. Rhys waited while Warrick, Banan, and Kellan walked from the room. Kellan closed the door behind him, and Rhys faced Con and Kiril.
“We wondered if you would ever return to the manor,” Kiril said into the silence.
Rhys shrugged absently. “I didna think I would.”
“What brought you home?” Con asked.
Rhys wasn’t ready to tell them about Lily or his infatuation. “Rhi.” He was watching Con, but the King of Kings didn’t so much as blink at her name.
Kiril, on the other hand, widened his eyes in surprise. “Rhi was here?”
“She found me,” Rhys admitted.
Con adjusted the sleeve of his burnt orange dress shirt. “What did she want?”
“To talk, I guess. She didna say much other than to tell me I should return here.”
Kiril’s dark blond eyebrows rose. “I’m glad she told you that and doubly glad you listened.”
Rhys wondered what they would think if they discovered he hadn’t come back for them, but for Lily. He didn’t imagine either of them would be particularly overjoyed. Oh, Kiril would be happy to know Rhys had found someone he was interested in for more than one night, especially since Kiril had suspected for a while now.
As for Con, Rhys wasn’t sure. Sometimes he welcomed the women and other times he didn’t. It was like Con was fighting with himself over how to feel about the Dragon Kings mating.
“You said you can still use your dragon magic,” Con said.
Rhys shrugged one shoulder. “Whatever has prevented me from shifting doesna seem to have affected my magic. Perhaps that’s what Ulrik plans next.”
“He’ll be dead before then.” Con’s words were spoken low, hard.
Rhys met Con’s black gaze. “I want to be with you. After what he’s done to me, I want the bastard dead once and for all.”
“Deal.”
Rhys turned and stalked from the office. He paused when he reached the stairs and decided to go up another level to the computer room where Ryder was stationed. The door was open, and Rhys poked his head around the door in time to see Ryder stuff a donut in his mouth with one hand and reach for another with his other.
Ryder looked up and motioned him inside with his hand holding the jelly-filled donut. Rhys walked into the room and stood at the row of thirty-two-inch monitors facing Ryder.
“You look into anyone’s past that works here, right?”
Ryder nodded and swallowed the bite. “Each and every one. Who do you want to know about?”