What did she want? She wanted him back. She wanted her Dragon King to love her again. She wanted to feel him next to her, to have his arms around her shoulders as he held her close. She wanted to see his smile, to look into his b—
“Tell me, Rhi. Who cares about the others? You’re a powerful Light Fae.”
She realized he was right behind her now. Rhi opened her eyes and saw that she was glowing. Everything around her was shaking. A vase fell off a pedestal and shattered, while books tumbled off the bookshelves. Teacups flew across the room to smash against the opposite wall.
Ulrik’s arms were suddenly around her, comforting and gentle. “You’ve held it in too long. Let it out, Rhi.”
She shook her head, even as her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t.”
“You can,” he whispered, holding her tighter.
Rhi grabbed hold of his arms. She was exhausted from being pulled in so many directions. The lie she told herself and everyone else could no longer be spoken. She wasn’t all right. She was so far from fine that it scared her.
Her chest ached, her throat closed up. Then the first tear fell. After that, the gates opened and they poured from her eyes.
The last one to see her cry was Balladyn. Rhi didn’t want Ulrik to see her in such a weakened state, but it was his arms that held her and gave her the courage to see herself for the fraud she had become.
Rhi didn’t know how long she cried. When her shoulders stopped shaking, she found herself still in Ulrik’s arms with both of them sitting on one of the sofas near the bookshelves.
She leaned back against his chest, her hands still grasping his arms that hadn’t loosened. Her head rested against his shoulder and she was pretty sure his sweater was wet from her tears.
“That was long overdue,” he said.
She shrugged. “I hate to cry.”
“You love to please people and to help them, but when are you going to realize that the only person who truly needs to be happy is you?”
Rhi turned her head to look at him. “Are you happy?”
“That probably isna the right word for me. Content. Aye, that’s what I would use. I’m content. I willna be happy until I have all of my magic and I can shift again.”
“You think you will?”
“I know it.”
His certainty had her wiping her face of tears. She sniffed and let her head return to his shoulder. “I don’t think I can be happy or content. I thought I was, and then Balladyn took me.”
“You survived his torture and the Chains of Mordare.”
“Did I?” She wasn’t so sure anymore.
Ulrik’s arms tightened a fraction. “You’re sitting here. You broke the Chains of Mordare, and you blew up his compound. Aye, Rhi, I’d say you survived.”
“Perhaps.”
“And now?” he asked. “Are you content?”
“I don’t know anything anymore. Some days are good, and others are impossible to get through.”
“Something set you off today.”
Rhi stiffened as she remembered. “Usaeil has a new lover.”
There was a beat of silence before Ulrik said, “Ah. I gather it’s a King.”
She nodded her head, unable to speak for a moment. “No one has seen him, but I think it is a King.”
“Con?”
“I don’t know. I tried to catch them together.”
Ulrik shifted his arms. “Let it go, Rhi. What you had with your King is over.”
“Are you over your woman and her betrayal?” she asked snarkily.
“Aye.”
Rhi jerked out of his arms and turned on the sofa to look at him. “How?”
“I killed her soul.”
She gaped at Ulrik. He was the only Dragon King who had the power to bring the dead back. It never occurred to her that he could find a soul and kill it. If the soul died, it could never be reborn.
“I see I’ve shocked you,” he said and put an arm along the back of the sofa as he watched her. “It shouldna. You know what I am.”
She most certainly did. But there were times she forgot. Like just a moment ago when he was holding her.
“How long has it been since you and your King were together?” he asked.
Rhi looked away, the tears returning again. “A very long time, but not so long that I don’t remember the taste of his kiss or the way he would look at me and smile.”
“You’ll never move on unless you let go. What you need is another lover.”
She cut him a look. “Are you applying for the position?”
“Would you take me?”
“What can you tell me about Darcy Allen?” Rhi had to change the subject before she agreed to something that could make matters worse.
Ulrik’s golden eyes narrowed a fraction. “I see you’ve been to Dreagan.”
“Of course.”
“Who did Con send?”
Rhi shifted to the opposite corner of the sofa so she could better see Ulrik. “How did you know he sent someone?”
“Because it’s Con.”
“Warrick and Thorn.”
Ulrik didn’t so much as twitch at the news. “Interesting combination.”
“The Dark have attacked her.”
At this, Ulrik’s faced hardened. “Did they succeed in taking her?”
“Not with Warrick and Thorn there. Why are the Dark after her?”