His black brows rose. “Do you?”
“Stop,” she said harshly. “I’m tired of the games. All games. I’m tired of everyone wanting something from me, and more than anything I’m beyond exhausted with everyone wanting to talk about that asshole. I’m done with him, with whatever it was we had. It’s been over for thousands of years, and I’ve finally accepted that. So do me a favor and never mention him again. Or I won’t be responsible for what I do to you.”
For the second time in minutes, Ulrik gave her a rare—and brief—smile. “That’s what I wanted to know.”
“What?”
“I wanted to see if you’ve let him go. You have.”
Rhi pushed away from her car and hooked her thumb in the front pocket of her jeans. “Why do you care?”
“Oh, you know exactly why.”
She swallowed hard. “Keep your revenge to the one who deserves it.”
“Con will get his. Of that you doona need to fear.”
Fear? No, that’s not what she felt at all. She wasn’t sure she could name the emotion within her. “I still have friends there, Ulrik.”
“Meaning you’ll come to their defense if they ask.”
“They won’t have to ask. I’ll be there for them. Always.”
He nodded and dropped his arms before he stood straight. “I hear Henry is looking for you.”
“How do you know all of this? Henry wouldn’t talk to you, nor would any of the Kings.”
“True. Verra, verra true,” he replied with a wink.
Rhi was fast losing patience. “You’re not going to tell me?”
“What would be the fun in that? So you could run back to Dreagan and tell them?”
“Of course not.” Not unless he endangered the others, which was a very real possibility. “You already attacked Con.”
Ulrik laughed, but it was hollow and fake. “My dear, Rhi, that wasna a battle. You’ll know when I challenge Con.”
“Is it going to be soon?”
Ulrik shrugged and walked to the passenger side of the Lamborghini. He stopped and leaned his arms on the roof, his hands clasped together. “Stay safe.”
Then he was gone. Rhi turned in a circle looking for him, but the King of the Silvers had apparently teleported away.
“Since when do the Dragon Kings have that ability?” she asked herself.
Ulrik’s power was to bring people back from the dead. Teleportation was something only the Fae and Fallon, one of the Warriors, was able to do.
If Ulrik had the ability to go anywhere he wanted at any time, then that was a distinct advantage over Con. She started to go to Dreagan and tell Con, but she hesitated. If the positions were reversed, she knew for a fact Con wouldn’t tell her.
It wasn’t as if she would never tell one of the Kings what she’d learned, but she wasn’t in a hurry to do it.
“Later,” she said and looked to her watcher. She hit the button that would close the storage unit and lock it. “Time to leave.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Kinsey shifted uncomfortably from both the cold and the situation as she stood behind a row of thick hedges that separated the manor from the distillery.
Beside her was Henry, who looked as if he were about to be sick. Con was on her other side, his gaze focused through the hedges. Ryder was strolling the grounds, whistling, as if he were on his way to one of the other buildings.
“I don’t want to believe this about Esther,” Henry said.
Kinsey glanced at the Brit, hurting for him. But there was nothing to say to make it any better. The facts were all laid out, and though Henry didn’t want to accept it, he already had.
She turned back to peering through the leaves of the evergreen to watch Ryder as he approached Henry’s sister.
Esther glanced up when she heard Ryder and tried to duck out of the way, but there was nowhere for her to go. That’s when Ryder pretended to just see her.
“Hello,” he said with a smile. “Can I help you with something?”
Esther shook her head of dark hair. “I’m fine, thanks,” she responded in a perfect Welsh accent.
“It’s freezing,” Ryder said and glanced at the sky. “We’re supposed to have a nasty snowstorm later. Come inside for some tea with the other agents.”
“Thank you, but I’m fine.”
Ryder walked closer to her and lowered his voice as he glanced around. “You’re trying to prove you can do as much as the men. I get it. But you can no’ do that if you’re frozen solid. Your lips are turning blue, lass.”
She hesitated, absently rubbing her gloved hands together. As if on cue, the flurries turned into flakes that began to fall harder. Kinsey wondered if it was something one of the Dragons Kings had done since it was timed so perfectly. Now that she knew what Ryder’s secrets were, she looked at everything—and everyone—at Dreagan as magical.
Whereas just a few moments before Esther had looked hale and hearty, she appeared to weaken right before their eyes. Kinsey frowned. Was it more magic she was witnessing?