Con merely looked at her, showing no emotion. But she knew how to bring those emotions out in him easily enough.
He tracked her with his eyes. “Rhi has changed. She’s gotten stronger both mentally and through her magic.”
“I know.” It was the first thing Usaeil had noticed. She only hoped Rhi and the rest of the Light hadn’t.
“Are you worried?”
Definitely. “Not in the least. I’ve been ruling my people for many millennia. Just as you have.”
“So you think she might challenge you for the right to be queen?”
Damn, but he was perceptive. “She’s too angry right now.”
“She met Balladyn. How many more meetings between them before she turns Dark or challenges you? Either outcome willna be good. You doona want Rhi to turn Dark and join forces with Balladyn.”
“I know Balladyn.”
“Nay, Usaeil. You knew him. He’s Dark now, and he’s much worse than Taraeth. It willna be long before he kills Taraeth and takes over ruling the Dark. If you think you have your hands full now, wait until then.”
She hated when others tried to tell her how to think or rule. “Don’t you have enemies you need to keep an eye on?” she snapped.
Constantine pushed away from the doorjamb and walked to her. “You’re the one that asked me here. Remember?”
Did she ever. She put her hands on his chest and tore open his shirt. “Remind me again.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
Warrick was furious, his emotions in a jumbled heap after his conversation with Darcy. He threw open the door to Darcy’s shop and walked out into the rain. Just as he had expected, the Dark didn’t stop him. They didn’t even show themselves. They knew he knew they were there.
There was a pounding in his mind from Thorn. Warrick briefly thought about refusing to open the link, but he wasn’t at all sure Thorn wouldn’t make a scene to get his attention.
“What?” he asked calmly once the link was open.
“What? What! Is that all you have to say?” Thorn shouted. “What the devil are you thinking?”
“She’s in a temper, and she needs food.”
There was a brief pause before Thorn asked, “You think she’s in a temper because she needs food?”
“Aye.” At least he hoped that was the case. Warrick shook the water from his face. “I’ve seen it before. Humans get … testy when they’re hungry.”
“So do I, but I’m no’ going to go flying over Edinburgh Castle and grab me a snack from the hundreds of tourists there.”
Warrick kept walking and ignored the rain, making mental notes of where he spotted Dark Fae hiding on his route.
“Well?” Thorn urged. “Are you going to tell me what Darcy is in a snit about?”
“She thought I was foolish to want to leave with the Dark waiting.”
Thorn chuckled. “Ah. A lovers’ spat, aye?”
“We’re no’ lovers.” But did he ever wish they were.
“She’ll understand when you bring her back food. Then she’ll thank you.”
“I’ll no’ be talking to her.”
“Come again?”
Warrick sighed as he entered a co-op and grabbed a basket. He walked through the narrow aisles and began tossing food into the basket in his hand. “I told her what Con wanted.”
“For the love of…” Thorn trailed off. “You’re no’ right in the head, War. No wonder you stay to yourself. Lasses have to be handled delicately, and certainly lasses like Darcy. Her world has gone sideways. Now she isna going to trust you.”
“She’s already said as much. She ordered me out of the shop.”
“Shite. What a mess. Why did you tell her?”
Warrick reached the last row and put in several types of bottled drinks and ale, then went to the cashier to pay. He tossed down some money, not bothering to count it as he walked out with the basket and all. “I felt she deserved to know the truth.”
“While we’re trying to tell her what a bad guy Ulrik is? That doesna work to our benefit.”
“It’s better to tell her now rather than later.”
“Later you could let Con deal with her. Now, she’s our problem.”
Warrick didn’t see her as a problem, and he certainly didn’t want Con to “deal” with her at all. “You’re keeping your distance, remember? I’m the one who will be fixing this muck up.”
“Good luck with that, War. You’re going to need it. By the way, how much longer are you going to be?”
“I’m headed to her flat for some clothes. Why?”
“You might want to get back here. The Dark are beginning to close in. You’ll have a hell of a time getting back inside the shop if you wait much longer.”
Warrick let out a curse and turned toward Darcy’s shop. He began jogging down the street, splashing in puddles in his hurry to return to Darcy. It was difficult not to let the dragon loose and take to the skies. He knew he could reach her quickly then, and douse the Dark with some dragon fire in the process.