Flame, page 30
“Yes,” the empress replied, her hands linked before her.
Rhi gave a little snort. “He could’ve left that behind so I’d find it. Why leave it with you?”
“Because he knew how important the mission of the Others was. He also knew you were … dirtied … by a Dragon King. If he’d tried to tell you before he died, you wouldn’t have listened. He also knew that it would take you a while before you were in the right frame of mind to hear him.”
“Wow. You really knew my father.” Rhi rolled her eyes. “In case you were wondering, that was sarcasm.”
Moreann blew out a breath. “I’d hoped you would be more accommodating than this.”
“I disappoint people.” Rhi shrugged. “It’s a thing.”
Noreen bit back another smile. Rhi truly was something to watch in such situations.
Rhi walked slowly around the room, her gaze on Moreann. “If you believed that I’d come here, read that letter, and fall in line with you, you were sorely mistaken.”
“Oh, I knew it would take more than that.”
Moreann’s smile sent a chill down Noreen’s spine. Her mind raced with the possibilities of what Moreann could have up her sleeve, but she didn’t know Rhi well enough to know what would work and what wouldn’t.
“I see I’ve got your attention,” Moreann said with a smirk as Rhi came to a halt. “You’ve no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment.”
“Get on with it,” Rhi ordered.
Moreann laughed. “I want this planet. It will be mine. I’ve made sure of that. Noreen thinks she knows everything, but there is much I’ve kept from her, and, well, the rest of the group, as well,” the empress said off-handedly.
Noreen’s heart raced, and her palms grew clammy. This couldn’t be true. Could it? There was no way to get word to Cain, no way to prepare any of them.
It was Moreann’s turn to walk to Rhi. She stopped a few feet from her. “I’ve got your brother.”
“You’re lying,” Rhi said. But there was no heat in her words.
Moreann’s brows raised. “Am I?”
“Rolmir is dead.”
Moreann’s lips turned up in a smile.
Noreen’s chest constricted. This couldn’t be happening. But it was.
“You think that will make me join you?” Rhi asked icily.
Moreann laughed and shook her head. “I took your brother when your father disagreed with one of my plans. It was done to keep him in line. I think it’ll work well to do the same for you.”
“Rolmir is dead,” Rhi repeated.
Moreann shrugged. “I don’t really need your brother, but I thought he would be a bonus to you. He’s not really dead. Or is he?”
“Fek off,” Rhi said in a low, deadly tone.
“Such language,” Moreann said with a tsk. “I don’t need him, dear Rhi, because the final piece to this game I’ve been playing with the Dragon Kings is … you.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
They were fucked. Noreen knew it, and there was nothing she could do about it.
While Rhi still reeled from Moreann’s statement, the empress looked to Noreen. Her evil smile was cold and calculating. “Did you really think you could outsmart me? Me?! I left that book for you to find so you’d know what I did to your parents.”
Rage filled Noreen, turning everything red as she longed to lash out and destroy Moreann.
“Look at you,” the empress said with derision. She gave a shake of her head. “You were supposed to be some kind of savior for the Light. You and Rhi were supposed to join together and fight Usaeil, becoming close friends and setting up a council of Dark and Light to rule the Fae together. It was foretold that the two of you would bring peace to the Fae as well as a tight alliance with the Kings. I couldn’t let that happen.”
Noreen felt her magic run through her with such speed that it burned her veins. She wanted to lash out at Moreann, but she managed to control herself long enough to hold back. There was more to be learned. Then she’d kill Moreann herself.
The empress didn’t seem to know or care how close Noreen was to giving in to the darkness that called to her.
“What you and Rhi were foreseen to do together would ruin everything I was planning. So, I changed it.”
Noreen glanced at Rhi to find the Light staring at her. Neither moved as they looked back at Moreann in unison.
“How did you know about our future?” Rhi demanded.
Moreann gave a little shrug, a secret smile on her face as she eyed both of them as if they were mud beneath her shoe. “I’m empress. I learned to live forever. I could easily find a way to see whatever future I wanted. I saw yours first,” she told Rhi. “But only because of your affair with the Dragon King.”
The empress made a face as if just saying it was distasteful. “I tried to stop it, but a love like yours can’t be held back. I realized that almost too late, but then I used the one thing I could. Usaeil. She was the perfect puppet to do what I wanted. She was so confident that she was more powerful, that she didn’t even suspect me. It only took a few words to make her jealous, and then Usaeil did the rest on her own to break up your little affair.”
“I’ll kill you for that,” Rhi stated in a calm voice.
Moreann continued as if she didn’t hear. “Neither of you realize how much power you have. If you did, you would’ve used it long ago. In Rhi’s case, she was so desperate for her lover that she had blinders on to anything else. A few times, you came close to thwarting me for good, but it always came back to your King.” The empress laughed and then looked at Noreen. “As for you, well, I thought I could convince your parents to give you to me, and figured then I’d kill you. They didn’t believe anything I told them, so I took them out of the equation.”
Noreen had never loathed anyone as much as she hated Moreann. The darkness showed her all the ways she could kill the empress to deliver the most pain and prolong the Druid’s death. It would be so easy to give in, to unleash the dark magic within her and lash out at Moreann.
An image of Cain’s face filled her mind. She pictured him smiling down at her, and just like that, she was able to get control of herself again.
“But you didn’t die,” Moreann said. “You stopped the fire from touching you, and you nearly prevented it from taking your mother, as well. But I made sure that didn’t happen. Had you been a little older or more aware of your magic, you might have been able to save them.”
Noreen’s throat tightened with emotion. Hearing those words drowned her in despair once again. So, she searched her mind for Cain since he was the only thing that could keep her from falling into the darkness forever.
Moreann laughed as she looked at Noreen. “I knew your future. I thought killing you would be the way to go, but then I had the idea of turning you Dark and keeping you under my thumb, doing as I wanted. Once I had you, I conjured your future again and saw exactly what needed to happen to bring about … this,” she said and lifted her arms as she looked between Noreen and Rhi. Moreann’s limbs lowered as she sneered. “You think it was your idea to betray the Dragon Kings and bring Rhi to me? Afraid not. I set that up. Just as I left the book out for you to find with my written account of the day your parents died.”
“I’m going to kill you,” Noreen said as she gathered her magic.
Moreann threw back her head and laughed. “Oh, it is great when a plan comes together.”
“You’re fekking insane,” Rhi said into the silence that followed.
The empress drew in a breath and released it. “Whatever the future had in store for both of you is changed. The power I spoke of, neither of you have tapped into it or even grasped the fact that you have it. You can’t win. I’ve seen all of this. I know how it ends.”
“With your death,” Noreen replied.
Moreann pressed her lips together and shook her head, her face a false mask of regret. “No, dear. In fact, you’ll be dead in just a few minutes. Rhi will be glowing and past the point of help. The Kings will arrive, thinking they’re coming to kill me, but they will have a choice to make. Take Rhi—and it’ll take all of them to do it—away from this realm so she doesn’t explode and take the planet with her. Or let her stay and kill everyone.”
Rhi tapped her finger on her leg. “You honestly think the Kings will leave this realm? You’re going to leave that up to chance?”
“Chance? No,” Moreann replied. “Your King is going to make sure you get to safety. I’m counting on that. They’ll believe Noreen died while fighting me, and you helped her, which is why you’re glowing. The Dragon Kings, in their stupidity, will think they can return to this realm when, in fact, it’ll be mine.”
Noreen’s stomach dropped to her feet. There was no time to warn Cain, no time to get away. And she hadn’t yet told him that she loved him. Why had she been so stupid? Why hadn’t she said the words?
Because she hadn’t believed herself worthy. And now she was going to die without telling him what was in her heart.
“You’ve thought of everything, then,” Rhi said.
Moreann’s smile widened. “I always think of everything.”
“Really? I doubt that,” Noreen said.
Moreann looked between the two of them. “If you’re trying to outwit me, it isn’t going to happen. I’ve foiled many attempts on my life with others much more powerful than either of you.”
Rhi suddenly smiled and looked at Noreen. “She really is full of herself.”
Noreen had no idea what Rhi was talking about, but she went along with everything. “Absolutely.”
“I don’t have time for this,” the empress said in a bored tone. “Orun.”
With a flick of her hand, Rhi had the drough up against the wall. He let out a strangled cry, his eyes beseeching Moreann for help.
“You’ll make time,” Noreen announced.
Moreann shrugged, her lips turning down slightly. “Kill him. There are many more on my realm who can take his place.”
His eyes widened in shock and then outrage, but Rhi continued holding him.
Rhi gave a shake of her head. “Your mistake is thinking you’re smarter and more powerful than everyone else.”
“I am,” Moreann declared.
Rhi rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh. “Far from it, actually. You missed three things in your all-seeing plan.”
“Oh, really?” Moreann asked with a quirk of a brow. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Enlighten me.”
Noreen glanced behind her. Were the Reapers here? Cael had assured her that she and Rhi wouldn’t be alone, but so far, no one had made an appearance, and it was nearly time for someone to show themselves.
Rhi grinned. “My pleasure. First, you didn’t count on Noreen falling in love with Cain. You, of all people, should know what a bond between a Dragon King and his mate is.”
Moreann’s eyes narrowed. “There wasn’t time enough for them to fall in love.”
“Really?” Rhi asked sarcastically.
Noreen then said, “It’s true. Cain told me I’m his mate. And I love him.”
There was a second of uncertainty on Moreann’s face that she quickly hid. “So what? The Kings can’t find us.”
“Second,” Rhi said, “you didn’t count on me attacking Orun.”
“I’ve already told you, I don’t care about him.”
Rhi chuckled. “My point exactly.”
Moreann shrugged in confusion. “What point?”
But Rhi continued without explanation. “Third, you didn’t keep a close enough eye on your Light Fae, Brian.”
“Brian?” Moreann glanced around for him. “What about him?”
Noreen then realized why Brian had been acting so strangely when they all showed up. It wasn’t just because he knew he was going to be replaced. It was because he had a secret. “Brian found Usaeil.”
Moreann sighed loudly and swung her head to Noreen. “So? He can’t get her out.”
“Are you sure?” Rhi asked. “Where is he?”
The empress threw up her hands. “I don’t know or care.”
“You should,” Noreen added, wondering for herself if Brian really had freed Usaeil.
Moreann gave a pointed look to Rhi. “Those are your three things? I don’t see how any of that is going to stop my plans.”
“Did I say three?” Rhi asked Noreen.
Noreen nodded. “Yep. You said three, but you meant four.”
Rhi looked back at Moreann. “I did mean four. You see, the fourth is a rather large piece of this so-called plan you have. You totally missed it.”
“What might that be?” Moreann asked in a bored tone.
Rhi gave a nod to Noreen, who said, “Death and the Reapers.”
This time, there was no denying the look of dread on Moreann’s face. “You’re both lying.”
“No, we’re not,” Rhi said.
At that moment, six Reapers and Cael appeared out of nowhere as the sounds of dragons roared outside the building.
“You hear that?” Noreen told Moreann. “That’s your plan falling apart.”
Rhi snapped her fingers. “Damn. I’m really messing things up today because there was a fifth item. When all of the previous four things come together.”
The moment she finished speaking, she released Orun, who immediately turned on Moreann. The empress was quick, though, and erected a shield around herself. It kept out Orun, but the Reapers’ magic was stronger. Her shield weakened quickly with the onslaught of the orbs of magic thrown by the Reapers.
There was a tearing sound above her. Noreen looked up to see the ceiling jerked away as Cain’s navy scales came into view, and he landed in the room, causing the entire manor to shake. A gold dragon landed beside him, while an amber dragon flew above.
Noreen smiled as Moreann was surrounded by Dragon Kings, Reapers, and Orun. Her shield was weakening, and just at the right time. Cain reared back his head and released not fire, but a cone of hot sand, directed right at Moreann.
The heat of the sand was so close, Noreen had to raise her hand to shield her face. She looked over at Rhi to find the Fae screaming something, her face contorted with rage as she released magic orb after orb in Moreann’s direction.
Noreen followed the trajectory of the orbs and saw that they weren’t directed at Moreann but at Usaeil—who was protecting the empress.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Magic and power surged through Cain in a volatile storm of fury and retribution that he unleashed upon Moreann. And it felt fucking great.
When the moment came for him, Con, and Tristan to attack Moreann’s stronghold on Earth, Cain had only one thought—get to Noreen. The band around his chest hadn’t loosened its hold until he’d torn off the roof and spotted her unharmed.
Dimly, he heard someone shout his name. He recognized Noreen’s voice and slid his gaze toward her without moving his cone of hot sand away from Moreann.
“Stop!” Noreen shouted.
Cain hesitated and looked at Con to see him roar with fury. Cain ended his attack and found himself staring at none other than Usaeil. Where had she come from? How had she gotten there? And how in the hell had she managed to protect herself and Moreann from his power?
Time seemed to stand still as everyone stared in outrage at the queen. But she only had eyes for one person—Moreann.
“NOOOOOOO!” Rhi bellowed and leapt into the air, her sword appearing in her hand as she swung it down toward Usaeil.
At the same instant, Cain, Noreen, Con, the Reapers, and Cael all let loose a volley of magic toward Usaeil and Moreann. But it did no good.
The pair was gone.
Rhi landed, her chest heaving as she stared in horrified dismay at where her two nemeses had been.
“Don’t move,” Noreen ordered.
Cain swung his head to find a bald man glaring at Noreen, who she now held with magic. They might not have Moreann, but they had another member of the Others.
Noreen smiled, but it held no humor. “You aren’t going anywhere, Orun.”
“Do what you want with me,” he told her as he raised his chin. “Moreann has already let me know what my loyalty and service to her has gotten me.”
Con shifted, making sure to clothe himself in a suit at the same time. He walked to Rhi and looked at her, but she didn’t turn her head to him. After a few seconds, Con made his way toward Orun, where Cael joined him.
Tristan remained in the air, flying higher to keep a lookout on the area. Two Reapers stayed in the room, while the other four went to search the residence. As for Cain, he remained in dragon form, waiting.
“Where is she?” Noreen asked Orun.
The Druid’s beady eyes glittered with hatred. “Why should I tell you?”
“Because we can make life easy for you. Or we can make it difficult,” Con replied.
Cael looked the Druid up and down. “You attacked Moreann. Do you think she’ll let that go?”
“She was going to let Rhi kill me,” Orun said, anger causing his voice to rise.
Noreen twisted her hand, making her magic tighten around Orun. The Druid winced in pain. “You’ve seen what she’s capable of. Did you really think you were immune to her disregard?”
“Yes,” Orun squeaked out.
“Then you’re a bigger fool than I was,” Noreen told him before she loosened her hold.
The Druid drew in a deep breath and rubbed at his throat. “You should kill me now. I won’t tell you anything.”
“Oh, I think you will,” Cael said.
In a blink, Rhi stood before Orun, her sword at his throat. “Where did Usaeil take Moreann?”
“As if I know,” the Druid replied with a sneer.
Noreen made a sound in the back of her throat. “You know Moreann better than any of us. You know something.”
Cain watched as Rhi pushed the tip of her blade against Orun’s throat, and a bead of blood welled before rolling down his neck.
“As Con said, we can make your death easy or hard,” Rhi said. “I prefer the hard way. If you keep silent, I’ll get my wish.”
