“Then why did you talk me into coming with you?” she demanded.
Ulrik finally stopped and faced her. “Because I need you.”
She shivered and tried to pull her hand from his, but his grip was too tight. “You’re a fool if you think I’m going to unbind any more of your magic here. We’re too close to Dreagan.”
“Did you stop to wonder why I didna come see you for several years after you first unbound my magic?”
Darcy frowned. Ulrik’s voice had changed. It was soft, too soft. “Of course I did. I assumed you needed time.”
“Assumed,” he repeated with a wry smile. “You mortals always make the mistake of assuming things. Why would I need time? I finally had a Druid who was able to touch dragon magic and begin to undo what Con and the others had done. I should’ve returned the next week and had you keep going.”
“But you didn’t.” Shit. What had she missed? Was it right in front of her? Because it was obvious Ulrik had been doing something. “Did you find another Druid?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “There’s no’ another like you, Darcy. That fact made me reconsider things. It would only be a matter of time before Con discovered you and what you had done. I’m no’ without my share of enemies. I knew they too would find you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I had to have another way of gaining my magic.”
Darcy rubbed her temples. She was cold, tired, and getting pissed. “I had to touch your magic.”
“And you did. Through another Druid. You know her as Dorothy MacAvoy.”
Her knees threatened to buckle as the world began to spin. Every week Mrs. MacAvoy would come in. Every week Darcy read her palm. There were Druids who could take in another’s magic without them realizing it. Was that what Dorothy had done? It was the only explanation.
“Ah. I see you’ve figured it out,” Ulrik said.
Darcy tried to pull her hand from his again, but he tightened his grip. She gritted her teeth and yanked her hand free. “Do you have all your magic?”
“I think I’ll keep that to myself.”
“You don’t need me anymore.”
Ulrik held her gaze without responding. But that was answer enough.
“What now?” Darcy asked, dread making her stomach drop to her feet. “Why did you talk me into coming with you?”
“Because I refuse to allow Con to have you.”
Darcy gasped when she saw him pull back his hand and spotted the curved knife.
CHAPTER
FORTY-TWO
“That went too easily,” Warrick said.
Thorn grunted, his gaze on the sky. “Way too easily.”
“I wish I could’ve spoken to Darcy and figured out what was wrong.”
“Did you no’ see her eyes?”
Warrick frowned as they crested a hill. “What about them?”
Thorn cut him a dark look. “They were red-rimmed, War. She had been crying.”
Crying?
Warrick halted. “Why would she be crying? Because I went for a walk?”
Thorn let out a loud sigh as he turned to face Warrick. “For all the things she said to you before we reached the Dragonwood. She didna want to leave, but she felt that she had no choice.”
“She has a choice. If I tell Con she’s my mate, he willna touch her.”
Thorn’s dark brows rose. “You might want to rethink that. Con considers her a threat, more so than Ulrik’s woman ever was. He’ll kill Darcy the first chance he gets. It’s why I didna suggest you keep her here. She’s better off far from Dreagan.”
“Perhaps, but I’m no’ better off.” Warrick turned back around.
“Ulrik needs her. Right?” Thorn asked worriedly.
Warrick looked at Thorn. Without another word they started running back toward Darcy. Warrick would stand against Con if he had to for Darcy.
He spotted her and Ulrik talking. At least they were still near. All Warrick had to do was make it back to Darcy and talk to her. Then he saw her yank her hand away from Ulrik and step back. It wasn’t until Warrick saw the blade in Ulrik’s hand that he bellowed in fury and shifted. He threw his protective magic around Darcy.
But it was too late. Ulrik plunged the knife into Darcy’s stomach.
Warrick’s roar shook the earth as his massive wings knocked down trees before he could tuck them against him. He was too close to the border to take to the skies. Warrick barreled through the trees with Thorn on his right side in dragon form as well.
Ulrik looked at them with a smile before a Dark Fae appeared beside him and teleported him away.
Warrick reached Darcy and shifted back into human form so he could lift her in his arms. Her eyes were closed and blood gushed from the wound. There was the barest of breaths coming from her, but it was growing shallower by the moment.
“Nay,” Warrick said as he touched her face. “Darcy, open your eyes. Look at me, lass.”
Her head lolled to the side.
“You can no’ leave me,” he whispered, emotion tightening his throat.