Rhi was beginning to itch from being in the Dark palace for so long. She longed to bask in sunlight and chase away the darkness that was creeping upon her once more.
But she hesitated. She wanted to help the Kings, but there was a driving need within her, pushing her to learn the truth about the Reapers. She didn’t know how, but she couldn’t dispel the feeling that the knowledge about the Reapers was going to be important.
The Reapers wouldn’t just show up for no apparent reason now after thousands of years. Someone sent them. Who and why? That’s what Rhi needed to know.
She was getting ready to leave and call to Balladyn so that he might take her to his library to see the texts about the Reapers when she turned the corner.
Rhi came to a halt when she found Balladyn standing next to Taraeth. They were talking to someone, but he was hidden by a column.
Balladyn was in all black, his silk shirt molding to every contour of his body. His look was understated, yet powerful. A direct contrast with Taraeth, who wore black leather pants, a silver shirt, and what looked like a black satin robe left unbelted so that the red inside could be seen.
Crass and showy. Just like Taraeth.
She moved forward. Balladyn’s gaze jerked her way. He couldn’t see her, but just as the first time she’d veiled herself in the Dark palace, he sensed her. Balladyn didn’t say anything. His expression told her just how annoyed he was that she was there.
Rhi caught sight of a gray suit. There was something about the way the man moved that had her shifting to the side to see who it was. That’s when she caught a glimpse of black hair pulled back in a queue.
Ulrik!
Rhi should’ve known. It was no secret that Ulrik was working with the Dark, but seeing it was a reminder of how bad things were for the Dragon Kings. And the Light Fae, if Rhi were honest.
Ulrik traveled fast to have been in Austin with her, and then in the Dark palace—changing into his suit. Rhi wasn’t sure why Ulrik did anything, but it infuriated her that he’d found her in Austin and spoken so ambiguously.
There was no way the Light would be able to stay out of the war between the Dark and the Kings for much longer. The Fae Wars would happen all over again.
Unless Ulrik could be stopped.
Yet Rhi didn’t teleport to Dreagan and notify them of where Ulrik was. Why should she? The Kings wouldn’t venture onto Dark property to find him.
Ulrik was a friend. Or was he? Rhi wasn’t sure. She didn’t want him to die, which was what had to happen for the war to stop before it really began. Because the only other option of Ulrik forgetting his revenge wasn’t going to happen.
Though Con was a complete dick, Rhi didn’t want him to die either. Unfortunately, one of them would have to. It was the only way.
She pressed herself against the wall as Balladyn and Taraeth came her way. Rhi tried to look around them to catch another glimpse of Ulrik, but he was walking the opposite way. There was a woman beside him, a Dark Fae who he had his arm around.
So Ulrik had found a woman. Rhi wasn’t surprised it was a Dark. There was too much hate and bitterness for Ulrik to be with a Light. And with his abhorrence of humans, he’d spend eternity alone before he took a mortal to his bed again.
Rhi followed Taraeth and Balladyn. After fifteen minutes of listening to Taraeth ramble on about how great he was, Rhi rolled her eyes, wanting to remove his ability to speak.
She turned her thoughts to the new set of OPI polishes for the Venice collection. The alert had come over her mobile, and she was itching to get to the store and pick up a bottle of each shade to see what Jesse could do with them.
With names like A Great Opera-tunity, Tiramisu for Two, and Gelato on My Mind, how could she resist?
“Do you see my point?” Taraeth asked Balladyn.
Balladyn bowed his head. “Of course, sire.”
Rhi frowned. Damn. She should’ve been paying attention instead of thinking about the new polishes. What if she’d missed something important?
Taraeth gazed at Balladyn for a long moment in silence. “I’ve been through a lot of men in your position, Balladyn. You’ve remained the longest.”
“Because I’m good at what I do.”
“Yes,” Taraeth said with a nod. “Too good at times. I’m not above … removing you … should I begin to question your loyalty.”
Balladyn’s impassive face changed. A muscle ticked along his jaw, and anger radiated from his red eyes. “Question my loyalty? I’m one of the few you should never mistrust.”
“You’ve been preoccupied of late.”
“My job is to protect you and carry out your orders. I’m making sure that any decisions you make won’t come back to cause damage.”
“You actually think it would?” Taraeth asked with a laugh. He held up his only hand and looked around. “In my palace?”
“You’ve allowed Dark to be recruited by them. Him,” Balladyn quickly corrected himself.
Them? That hadn’t been a slip of the tongue. Balladyn knew something he hadn’t bothered to share with her. Because she hadn’t asked the right questions.