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.
Now she would.
Taraeth walked in a circle around Balladyn, the robe flowing behind him dramatically. Rhi rolled her eyes. “The Dark would never follow him. They know who their true master is. I could call them back any time.”
“The longer they’re with him, the more he feels as if he’s in control.”
“I’ll set him straight soon enough.”
Balladyn clenched his jaw. “And if he wins? He’ll wipe the world of the mortals, thereby driving us out of this realm.”
“We won’t be leaving this realm.”
“It’s a possibility. Regardless of what he’s promised.”
Taraeth took a deep breath and stopped before Balladyn. “This is your reasoning for acting so different these past few months?”
“Of course. You may believe the word of a Dragon King, but I don’t. I’m going to make sure that regardless of the outcome that this place is protected.”
Rhi nearly laughed. Taraeth was so full of himself he’d missed Balladyn’s choice of words. No doubt Balladyn was going to protect the palace—for himself. He wasn’t doing anything to protect Taraeth.
Without a word, Taraeth walked away, leaving Balladyn in the corridor. Balladyn looked to where she was standing and gave her a curt look.
Rhi gave him a flat look. If he only knew how long she’d been in the palace, then he might have a reason to be angry.
She followed him down the hallway to a Fae doorway. As soon as she stepped through, she recognized his compound. It was no longer in ruins. Rhi waited until her watcher was with her before she continued after Balladyn.
Once she was in Balladyn’s chamber, she pushed the door closed and unveiled herself. Balladyn had her pressed against the wall a second later.
“Have you lost your damn mind?” he demanded, anger and worry filling his gaze. “Do you know what Taraeth would do to you if he ever got his hands on you? I can’t believe you
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.
Now she would.
Taraeth walked in a circle around Balladyn, the robe flowing behind him dramatically. Rhi rolled her eyes. “The Dark would never follow him. They know who their true master is. I could call them back any time.”
“The longer they’re with him, the more he feels as if he’s in control.”
“I’ll set him straight soon enough.”
Balladyn clenched his jaw. “And if he wins? He’ll wipe the world of the mortals, thereby driving us out of this realm.”
“We won’t be leaving this realm.”
“It’s a possibility. Regardless of what he’s promised.”
Taraeth took a deep breath and stopped before Balladyn. “This is your reasoning for acting so different these past few months?”
“Of course. You may believe the word of a Dragon King, but I don’t. I’m going to make sure that regardless of the outcome that this place is protected.”
Rhi nearly laughed. Taraeth was so full of himself he’d missed Balladyn’s choice of words. No doubt Balladyn was going to protect the palace—for himself. He wasn’t doing anything to protect Taraeth.
Without a word, Taraeth walked away, leaving Balladyn in the corridor. Balladyn looked to where she was standing and gave her a curt look.
Rhi gave him a flat look. If he only knew how long she’d been in the palace, then he might have a reason to be angry.
She followed him down the hallway to a Fae doorway. As soon as she stepped through, she recognized his compound. It was no longer in ruins. Rhi waited until her watcher was with her before she continued after Balladyn.
Once she was in Balladyn’s chamber, she pushed the door closed and unveiled herself. Balladyn had her pressed against the wall a second later.
“Have you lost your damn mind?” he demanded, anger and worry filling his gaze. “Do you know what Taraeth would do to you if he ever got his hands on you? I can’t believe you
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