“As I’ve said, you have two choices. I need your decision. Now.”
She frowned at him. “Why the rush?”
The man motioned to the left with his head. Lily turned her gaze to see Dennis and Kyle step around a tree into her line of sight.
Her brother’s malicious smile when he spotted her made her blood run cold. Kyle only got two steps toward her before he simply vanished.
Lily swung her head back to the man. “Where did he go?”
“Your decision,” he pressed.
She glanced back to see Dennis still walking toward her with murder in his eyes. “I don’t want to stay.”
“Then take my hand,” the man urged.
Lily looked down to see his large hand held out to her. She put her palm in his and everything vanished to darkness.
*
“Hurry,” Rhi pressed Ulrik.
She couldn’t believe she had actually told him where Lily was. If any of the Dragon Kings discovered what she’d done, she would never be welcome again. But it was worth the cost. Rhys and Lily were meant to be together. She was his mate, and he her match in every way.
Death might have attempted to sever the link between them, but Rhi was going to give them a second chance. One she’d never had.
Or ever would.
She tried not to look around the mountain with the dragons—large and small—etched into the walls of rock. It was a reminder of the first time she and her lover were together. Even now, thousands of years later, her stomach fluttered at the memory of his kisses, of his skill to make her writhe and beg for more.
Rhi’s body tingled just thinking of his expert hands and mouth. But then he’d turned his back on her and their love. He let her go.
She blinked and focused her attention back on Ulrik who stood beside Lily’s body. “Today might be good,” she murmured.
Ulrik lifted his head to look at her over Lily’s body. “Have you ever brought someone back from the dead?”
“No,” she replied icily.
“Then doona question what I’m doing.”
Rhi walked beside the slab of rock where Lily lay. “You’re taking forever. Rhys will be back soon.”
“It’s done.”
She looked Lily over. “She’s not waking.”
“It’s no’ instantaneous, Rhi. Give it some time,” he said and turned on his heel.
Rhi hurried to follow Ulrik. “Where are you going?”
“Worried I might do something crazy like kill Con?”
“I know it’s coming, but you wouldn’t do it now.”
He glanced at her. “That’s right. It’ll happen on my terms.”
She halted and watched him disappear around a corner. There was no need for her to stay. Rhys would have Lily once more. Rhi let her gaze wander the walls and the dragons on the walls. Every time she left Dreagan, a part of her heart remained.
“Rhi?” Henry called as he came around the corner.
She needed something to stop her heart from shattering. She strode to the human and cupped his face a second before she planted her lips on his and kissed him. His arms wound around her, holding her against him as he deepened the kiss.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Rhys wanted to take Lily to his mountain where he could be with her always. Then he remembered her parents and sisters. They would want the body to bury as humans did.
He left Lily only long enough to put on clothes appropriate to face her parents. Rhys would hand over their daughter, but he wasn’t going to destroy them by telling them it was Kyle who had killed her. Con disagreed, but Rhys didn’t care. He knew how much Lily’s family meant to her.
Rhys adjusted his suit jacket and turned the corner of the tunnels in the mountain, only to come to a halt when he saw Rhi and Henry kissing, their hands roaming over each other’s body. Any minute now, their clothes would be coming off.
Rhi was a valued friend, but she was a Fae. Henry, on the other hand, was a mortal who would never be able to break the hold of a Fae once he had a taste of her. He wasn’t the only one who’d warned Henry away from Rhi, but there were few mortals who could refuse a Fae. The only ones Rhys knew were the women who were first with a Dragon King.
Rhys was sure that was why Denae and Sammi had been able to rebuff the Dark. Both of the women went on to become mates to a Dragon King. As positive as he was that the love that bound a mortal and a King was the answer, he wasn’t ready to test it.
Rhys had to clear his throat twice before Henry looked up from the kiss. As soon as he saw Rhys, he smiled. It was Rhi who hesitated before she faced Rhys. She met his gaze, waiting to see what he would say. Both were adults, and Henry had been warned. Perhaps they were meant to be together. Maybe Rhi could finally find some happiness and let go of the love her King withheld.
“This isn’t the place for such things,” Rhi said as she glanced at the doorway leading to where Lily was held.