Warrick drew in a deep breath as he stared at Thorn. He struggled to get his emotions under control. “Is this a joke?”
“I wish.” Thorn ran a hand through his long dark hair. “Con isna going to wait to see if he can connect Darcy to anything else Ulrik has done. He wants her dead before she can finish unbinding Ulrik’s magic.”
“And the others are accepting this?”
Thorn gave a half-shrug. “Aisley is the only one vocally speaking out against it. Kellan is trying to talk Con out of it. The mates doona want to see her killed, but neither do they want Ulrik to have his magic restored. Too many have suffered from Ulrik’s quest for revenge to stand up and speak for Darcy.”
“Then I will.”
“I doona recommend that.”
Warrick looked aghast at him. “I’m no’ going to stand by and let Con kill her.”
“Neither am I. We need to get her away from Dreagan.”
“Nay,” Warrick said as he looked to the mountains. “I’ll take her to my cave.”
Thorn gave him a wry look. “How long do you plan on keeping her there? She’s human, War. She needs sunshine and fresh air, food, and to roam. None of them do well confined for any length of time.”
“Rhi could get her out.”
“Good luck with that. I’ve been calling for her for half an hour. She’s no’ responding.”
Warrick looked helplessly around. This couldn’t be happening. He’d known Con would want to talk to Darcy, but never in his wildest imaginings did he think the King of Kings would want to kill her. Warrick would never have brought her to Dreagan if he’d had the slightest sense that Con would put such a plan into motion.
“We’re her only hope,” Thorn said.
Warrick put his hands on his hips as he briefly closed his eyes. “No’ her only one.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Thorn said in outrage. “Ulrik? Really?”
“He needs her.”
“For now.”
Warrick dropped his hands and paced. “We’ll have to tell her to drag it out until we can find another place for her.”
“And you think she’ll believe us?”
That brought Warrick to a halt. “She already questions why I doona treat her as the others.”
“Did you tell her it was because she’s your mate?”
Warrick dropped his head and shook it from side to side. “I didna want a mate.”
“So you would let her go?”
“I thought I could.” Warrick lifted his head. “But I can no’.”
Thorn blew out a breath. “Looks like we’ve got some convincing to do in regards to Darcy.”
“I need to talk to Ulrik first. He might no’ help.”
“I’ve got a feeling he will,” Thorn said with a twist of his lips.
Movement down the hill caught their attention. Warrick looked through the trees to see someone walking their way.
“I’ll be damned,” Warrick said.
Warrick wasn’t sure how he felt seeing Ulrik walking among the Dragonwood. He put that aside for the moment, because Darcy’s life was once more at stake.
When Ulrik finally reached them, he stopped and leaned back against a thick oak as he regarded them. “I’m a Dragon King. Did you think I couldna come onto Dreagan?”
“You were banished,” Thorn pointed out.
“After my magic was bound.” Ulrik shrugged. “Things have changed.”
That fact was becoming more and more apparent with each passing day. Warrick never thought he would go against Con. He also never thought he would take a mate either.
Ulrik turned his attention to Warrick. “When is Con coming to kill Darcy?”
“How did you know?” Thorn asked.
Ulrik made a face. “Con is predictable. He feels threated, so he wants to kill the one human who threatens his way of life.”
“You will destroy all of this as soon as you have your magic returned,” Warrick pointed out.
Ulrik held Warrick’s gaze for a moment. “I’ll destroy Con, aye. As for Dreagan? I helped find this land. I helped build the caves well before I was betrayed. Why would I destroy it?”
Thorn gave a loud snort. “Because you blame all of us as well.”
“So I do.”
Warrick scrubbed a hand down his face. If he let Ulrik take Darcy, he was sentencing them all to potential death. Ulrik might be focused on Con right now, but if he defeated Con, then Ulrik would turn to the rest of them.
If Warrick kept Darcy on Dreagan, then he was condemning her to death.
“What will it be, War?” Ulrik asked. “Will you send Darcy with me, or will you let Con kill her?”
Warrick got in Ulrik’s face, his teeth bared. “Con willna lay a hand on her!”
Ulrik smiled coldly. “I knew she was your mate. I wondered if you realized it yet back in Edinburgh.”
“How did you know?” Thorn asked him.
“Darcy,” Ulrik stated, as if it was obvious. “It was the way she looked at him, spoke about him. Cared about him.”
Warrick turned away and walked in a wide circle to calm himself. His reaction to Ulrik’s statement confirmed what he was about to do. It was the only way to keep Darcy alive, but why was his stomach in knots over it?
“How much time do we have?” Warrick asked Thorn.