“How did he help?”
Thorn spoke before Warrick could. “Warrick was the distraction. He went into the street to lure the Darks’ attention to him. It worked, allowing Ulrik to climb the building behind Darcy’s shop, with her hanging on. I kept watch on Ulrik, keeping close in case he tried something. He never got the chance to make it down the other side of the building and beneath the city because the Warriors arrived with the Druids. Once Fallon brought Darcy here, I went to help War.”
The room was silent as they all watched Con. Finally, Con said, “You should’ve killed Ulrik right then.”
“Without my sword?” Warrick asked angrily. “Or perhaps I should’ve shifted, letting the humans see me.”
Con’s shoulders relaxed as he took a step back. “I’ll need to talk with Darcy.”
“No’ without me,” Warrick ordered.
Con glanced at his legs. “You’re still recuperating.”
“Con!” Warrick bellowed.
But the King of Kings walked from the room without a response.
Thorn put his hand on Warrick’s shoulder when he tried to rise. “I’ll be there until you can.”
“I willna be long.”
Thorn flashed a quick grin before he followed Con.
Warrick could already feel the effects of the Dark magic wearing off. He wished it would hurry so he could get to Darcy.
“She’ll be fine,” Kellan said.
Guy glanced at the door. “I’ve no’ seen Con that angry toward a mortal in a while.”
“He wouldna harm her, would he?” Tristan asked.
Ryder stepped into the room with a gloomy look. “Con had me pull everything on Darcy before you were sent to Edinburgh, War. Since then, he’s had me dig deep.”
“That’s no’ unusual,” Kellan said.
Ryder made a face. “No’ really, except that he was trying to connect her to Ulrik. He wanted me to see if she was anywhere near certain places like Iona’s land, London during the fiasco with PureGems, or the like.”
Warrick didn’t like the implications. He liked the idea that they could be true even less. “And?”
“I’ve no’ found anything. I told Con that as well, but he’s no’ satisfied. He’s determined to link her to Ulrik more than she already is,” Ryder said.
Guy gave a shake of his head. “If he finds that link, he’s likely to throw her in the dungeon.”
“Or kill her,” Warrick said.
They all shared a look as each recognized the truth in his words.
“Shite,” Kellan said as he pivoted and walked from the room with long strides.
Guy, Kiril, and Tristan followed him, leaving Warrick alone with Ryder.
Ryder walked inside the room and softly closed the door. “It should’ve been more than just you and Thorn in Edinburgh.”
“Thorn had to keep hidden as it was. If the Dark knew there were other Kings, they would’ve attacked more mortals than they did. We saved some, but we couldna help all of them.”
“Should Con no’ be thinking of retaliation against the Dark instead of concentrating on Ulrik?”
Warrick ran a hand down his face. “Aye. Those buggers knew we wouldna do anything to them. Trust me, they’ll be all over now unless we do something about them.”
“I willna be the only one game for that.”
“We’re being divided just as Shara warned us that the Dark would try to do.”
Ryder rubbed the back of his neck. “Right now we doona have another choice. There’s the Dark, Ulrik, and Darcy.”
“We’ve yet to figure out who sent the Dark for her.”
“The Dark, of course.”
Warrick wasn’t so sure. “They let Ulrik walk right through them and into Darcy’s shop. Why would they do that if they were upset he got some of his magic unbound?”
“I doona know.” Ryder sank into the chair in the corner and popped his knuckles. “The Dark seem the most plausible, because they’re the Dark. Why would they be upset? Ulrik is against us, just as the Dark are.”
“Exactly,” Warrick said. “If anything, they should be ecstatic that there’s a Druid who can help him. They wouldna kill her.”
Ryder leaned forward in the chair. “Shit, War. Then that just leaves Ulrik.”
Warrick was shaking his head before Ryder finished talking. “Nay. I saw Ulrik with her. Regardless of what we think of him, he needs Darcy. He went so far as to ask Rhi to watch over her.”
“If it isna the Dark, and it isna Ulrik, then who?”
“That’s what I’ve been asking myself for days. Could it be the Light?”
Ryder thought for a moment before he said, “What do they care? That would be like the Light minding if we could shift or no’. Besides, would Rhi no’ have said something?”
“She did only protect Darcy’s flat and no’ the shop,” Warrick pointed out.
Ryder made a face. “It’s Rhi, War. She’s always been there to help us.”