Tara rolled her eyes and looked at Lexi. “Many a time a man’s mouth has gotten him in trouble.”

Lexi laughed, but quickly stopped when she saw Thorn staring at her. “What?”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard you laugh.” He tucked her hair behind her ear and let his fingers caress her cheek as his hand dropped. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

“Liar,” he said with a grin.

Lexi had started to turn away when he pulled her against him. His head lowered so that their noses brushed. “Doona ever be afraid to tell me the truth.”

“I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’m scared and worried. I’m afraid that every time you walk out the door you won’t return.”

He cupped her face with both hands and tilted her head back so that she looked into his eyes. “I’ll no’ leave like that ever again. You have my word.”

She was completely taken by his declaration. He infuriated her at one turn, and the next he made her heart mush.

It was no wonder she fell so hard for him.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-NINE

Ulrik finished reading the news coming out of Edinburgh on his iPad. The number of deaths every night now had an international spotlight on the city.

The country was trying to keep things calm by not allowing the death tolls in other U.K. cities to be reported. But it was only a matter of time before the information leaked.

This wasn’t how he would’ve gone about things, but it would help him reach his end goal—which was all that mattered.

He closed his eyes and expanded his dragon magic to make sure his uncle didn’t have anyone or anything near watching him. Ulrik did this several times a day, but it was necessary with a man like Mikkel who couldn’t be trusted with anything.

Once he was sure no one was watching or listening, Ulrik opened his eyes and reached for the bottom right drawer of his desk. Inside there was nothing but files. He pushed them to one side and sent a small burst of his magic toward the bottom.

A Dragon King’s magic was as singular as a fingerprint. Even if someone found the hidden panel, they would never be able to open it.

A small wooden door popped up slightly. Ulrik lifted it and took out a black file folder. Centuries of looking over his shoulder had made him cautious.

Out of all the people within his organization, he was the only one who knew every pie he had his hand in, every person who worked for him, and every plan he had going.

This black file, however, was all about Mikkel. As soon as Ulrik discovered his uncle had been on the realm since the dragons were sent away, he began investigating. Ulrik had to be careful and not alert Mikkel to what was going on. Which is why Ulrik hired over a dozen people investigating—each with a specific goal.

Mikkel’s arrival helped Ulrik in one instance, but Mikkel also screwed him in many regards. The fact Mikkel was keeping the Kings busy made Ulrik smile. For once Con wasn’t in the lead. He was trailing—badly.

Ulrik pushed aside thoughts of Con for the moment. New information had arrived on Mikkel the night before. Since Ulrik had been with his uncle celebrating with Taraeth over the Dark’s insurgence in Scotland, he hadn’t been able to read it.

He opened his laptop and went to a special Web site he had created for just such instances. It appeared as an e-mail, but with the right code to decipher the message, it went from being an article on a seventeenth-century oil painting to the report on Mikkel.

In moments, the entire message was deciphered. Ulrik read over the report listing all the companies in Mikkel’s name, as well as shell companies.

It was one more piece of information Ulrik had. He added it to the listings of cars and homes Mikkel owned. With the new software he designed, it created a map of everywhere Mikkel went.

Ulrik was looking over the map, noticing that while Mikkel went all over the world, his concentrated visits were in Scotland.

Of course it made sense. Mikkel intended to kill all the Kings and take over Dreagan, as well as everything else. All of that hinged on Ulrik, because though Muriel told him Mikkel had stated he was going to kill Con, Ulrik knew the truth.

Mikkel liked to talk big. He also wanted to see what would get back to Ulrik. Mikkel might like to think he was mighty enough to take on Con, but both of them knew he didn’t stand a chance.

Ulrik leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. He and Mikkel were playing a game of deception with the other. Mikkel had laid all the cards out on the table, but Ulrik knew there was one or two hidden up his sleeve.

Just as he was hiding from his uncle the fact that he had all his magic returned. Ulrik could take on Con that day, though it wasn’t yet time. Con needed to see his world crumbling around him before Ulrik issued a challenge.

The interesting part would be how Mikkel intended to kill him. Ulrik had come up with a couple of ideas, but one stuck out as something Mikkel would think he could carry out.

The timing would have to be perfect. Everything would have to fall in Mikkel’s favor once Ulrik defeated Con. Because the battle with Con wouldn’t be easy, Ulrik assumed he would be injured, leaving him in a weakened state.

Supposing Mikkel also thought of that scenario, it would be the perfect time for him to attack Ulrik. The only crimp in the plan was Ulrik’s magic. Mikkel would realize within moments of the battle that Ulrik had all of his magic.

What steps would his uncle take once he realized that regardless of who won between him and Con, Mikkel would never be a Dragon King?

Already his uncle had put things into action that disturbed Ulrik. Hitting Rhys with dragon and Dark magic so that he couldn’t shift was one of the biggest.

Ulrik knew exactly what Rhys had gone through. The only difference was that Rhys had those at Dreagan. Ulrik had been utterly alone.

He hadn’t trusted the humans to help him. So he had gone into the mountains and—for a time—went bat shit crazy. Those were the darkest centuries of Ulrik’s life, and ones he vowed never to repeat.

Ulrik closed the folder and pulled out another. This one wasn’t just about Mikkel. It also had to do with Dreagan. Ever since he discovered Mikkel had a spy at Dreagan, Ulrik had been focused on uncovering who it was—and then turning them to his side.

He ran his hand over the file before he opened it. It was taking longer than he wanted, but he was getting close to learning who at Dreagan was working for Mikkel. The list had been trimmed to ten names. Tomorrow Ulrik would narrow it even more.

Suddenly an image of Rhi flashed in his head a second before she appeared in front of his desk. The best thing he ever did was cast the spell to alert him when someone entered his store and home. The only one who had gotten through was Mikkel, but even that had been remedied.

“Stop them,” Rhi demanded, her chest heaving.

He raised a brow as he looked her over. She was dressed for battle in all black with spikes coming out of her heeled boots, but leave it to Rhi to look elegant and beautiful doing it. “I take it you mean the Dark in Scotland.”

“I do. Stop them.”

“I can no’,” he said and closed the file before she saw anything. With one push of a button, the e-mail went back to its original form.

Rhi put her hands on her hips and glared. “You can.”

“Apparently you believe I hold more sway with Taraeth than I do.” Ulrik rose and walked around the desk to her. “You’re joining the fight, I presume.”

“I’ve already killed several.”

“I think it’s a mistake.”

She looked at him as if she didn’t know him, which she really didn’t. “This is your home the Dark are taking over. Doesn’t that matter to you?”

“This realm was the dragons’ long before mortals came. Now they get to live freely while the dragons languish on some other realm? I’ve long wanted the humans gone.”