Ulrik stood and walked to the railing. “There are many reasons the Dark might want her.”
“But you know the real one.” Rhi scooted to the edge of the sofa. “This is more emotion than I’ve seen from you in, well … ever. Is Darcy your mate?”
He flashed her a dark look. “Never again will I make that mistake.”
“But she’s significant.” Rhi rose to her feet and walked to him. “How many Druids did you see before Darcy helped you?”
“Hundreds,” he answered without hesitation. “Every one of them died as soon as they came in contact with the dragon magic.”
With a wave of her hand, Rhi repaired all the damage in the store that she had caused earlier. “You should be guarding Darcy yourself then. Or at the very least, having a chat with Taraeth.”
Ulrik grunted. “Darcy is more than capable of defending herself.”
“Against the Dark?” It was Rhi’s turn to grunt. “Keep telling yourself that. Besides, I figured you’d be concerned with her falling for one of the Kings and spilling all your secrets.”
“She doesna know anything.”
Rhi was willing to bet otherwise. Darcy was a Druid able to not just touch dragon magic, but reverse it, which suggested she knew more about Ulrik than he suspected. Why else would Con send Kings to her?
“She’s from Skye.”
Ulrik shrugged and pinned Rhi with a cold look. “Your point?”
“You know how powerful the Skye Druids are. Anyone who got their hands on her would have something special. Let’s face it, the Dragon Kings aren’t the only ones with enemies. You have them as well.”
He turned sideways toward her, a slight grin turning up the ends of his mouth. “What do you know of my enemies?”
“Nothing. Yet.”
All pretense of flirting disappeared. He straightened, one hand tight on her elbow. “Listen carefully, Rhi. Stay far away. You doona want to get involved in this.”
He was deadly serious. Rhi wondered just what Ulrik was involved in. He killed and cursed as he wanted. The treachery of others had turned him cold and nefarious in ways that could never be erased.
“You asked what I wanted from you,” he said. “I’ll tell you. Keep Darcy safe. Doona let the Dark get her.”
Rhi was going to help Darcy anyway, but Ulrik’s plea made her curious. “I’ll see it done.”
“Rhi.”
She halted mid-teleport and looked at Ulrik. “What?”
“Keep her out of the Kings’ clutches.”
CHAPTER
THIRTEEN
Darcy tried to forget that Warrick was in the flat with her, but it was impossible. He was so tall and imposing that he dwarfed everything else.
But it wasn’t just his physical appearance. Even in another room, she could sense his presence. He calmed her, made her feel as if nothing could harm her.
She wrung out her hair and stepped out of the shower to dry off. After she dressed in a pair of sweats and an oversized tee, she combed her hair and walked from the bathroom.
Warrick stood at the windows, looking out at the city. “If the Dark come, it’ll be at night.”
She looked past him to the inky sky and the lights of Edinburgh. “Even with you and Thorn here?”
“Depends on how badly they want you.” Warrick turned around to her.
“All this because I touched dragon magic?”
“Ours is the most powerful magic on this realm. Nothing is supposed to be able to compare to ours.”
Darcy padded to the kitchen area and stirred the soup she was heating. “Would it help if I tell you that it nearly killed me?”
“Nay,” he replied in a tight voice. “It doesna.”
“I understand Ulrik better than you. Ulrik hates humans and doesn’t care who knows. The other Dragon Kings must hate us, and yet you protect us still.”
“There are those of us who detest mortals, but we made a vow. So did Ulrik.”
“I think all the Kings have a case for not liking us.”
He walked to the sofa and stood behind it to lean his hip back against it. “I wasna fighting you during the war. It was your ancestors and the decisions they made.”
“Do you think it’ll be any different if Ulrik releases the Silvers?”
Warrick scratched the back of his neck. “War is war no matter who is fighting or what time period. There is death and destruction, and both sides lose. Does this mean you’re beginning to understand why we want to stop Ulrik?”
She reached for the bowls on the shelf and set them on the counter. Darcy dished out two servings and carried them to the small table between the living and kitchen areas. “No. I just like knowing what both sides are thinking.”
“You heard our version of the story.”
She set down the bowls and spoons, and then she went back to grab two bottles of ale. Darcy walked to Warrick and handed him one of the bottles. “I did. I’m not saying you were wrong in what you did, but I think it’s gone on entirely too long. For every day that passes and Ulrik can’t shift, his anger grows.”