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what he had become, and yet he was responsible for turning her in the same direction. That is, if she lived.
    Balladyn dropped his head in his hands, a tight band gripping his chest. Life without her would be … impossible. He couldn’t be here without her. She was his everything, his reason for breathing.
    “Please, Rhi. Come to me,” Balladyn whispered. “I need you. I love you.”
    He looked up, hoping she would suddenly appear, looking at him as if he were pathetic.
    Instead, only the sound of the wind over the sand met his ears.
    Dreagan Distillery
    Rhys stood in the doorway gazing at the bed where Rhi lay unmoving as she had for the past two weeks. He visited every day, and each time he fully expected her to be sitting up demanding Con bring her a tray of food.
    “Still no change?” Con asked as he came to stand beside him.
    Rhys glanced at the King of Kings and shook his head. Con’s black gaze was trained on Rhi. “None.”
    “I doona understand,” Con said as he walked to the bed and put his hand on Rhi’s forehead. “I healed her. All of her injuries. She should’ve woken by now.”
    “I know.” Rhys shoved away from the door and moved to the chair near the bed. He sat heavily and sighed. “Something’s wrong.”
    Con straightened with a nod. “I agree.”
    “But what? The Dark magic?”
    Con shrugged his shoulders, his white dress shirt stretching over his arms at the movement. He slid his hands into his pants pockets. “She’s been through a lot lately. We doona know what all happened to her at Balladyn’s hands.”
    “She’s no’ Dark,” Rhys said through clenched teeth.
    “I never said she was.”
    “You implied she might be.”
    Con glanced away. “All I’m saying is that we doona have all the facts. We know she was tortured. I saw her, Rhys. I didna recognize her when I walked into that dungeon. Whatever Balladyn did, he did well.”
    “It was weeks after Ulrik carried her out of Balladyn’s fortress before we saw her,” Rhys admitted.
    “And she’s no’ been the same. Her light is … diminished. No’ gone, but she’s different.”
    Rhys shook his head sadly. “Even I can admit you’re right in that assessment. I fear the Dark magic is somehow going to eviscerate whatever is left of her light.”
    “Rhi is too strong for that.”
    Rhys eyed Con. “How she’d love to hear you say that.”
    “It’s because she’s asleep that I’m able,” Con replied with a slight smile. That smile died as he shifted his gaze back to her. “But it’s worrying that she’s no’ woken. I doona know what else to do. Usaeil wants her at the castle.”
    “Nay,” Rhys stated as he rose. “Rhi isna leaving Dreagan.”
    Con’s forehead puckered for a moment. “She’s a Light Fae. She should be with her own kind, no’ here with us Dragon Kings.”
    “This is exactly where she needs to be. With friends. She left the Queen’s Guard. Rhi wouldna want to return there.”
    Con gave a nod of his head. “I’ll only be able to keep Usaeil away for so long.”
    “You’re King of Kings. You can keep her away indefinitely.” Rhys suspected something was going on between Con and Usaeil, and the more he spoke with Con about the queen, the more he thought he was right.
    “I can, but I doona want to.”
    “Since when do you bow to the Fae?”
    A muscle jumped in Con’s jaw. “Never.”
    “But you are to Usaeil. There is talk you two are having an affair. Is there truth to that?”
    “Since when do you listen to rumors?”
    “Since it involves Usaeil. Answer the question,” Rhys pressed.
    Con held his gaze for long moments. “I didna ask you who you took to your bed. I’d like the same courtesy whether it’s a Fae or a human. It’s my business.”
    Rhys watched Con walk from the room knowing he had his answer. Now all Rhys could pray for was that Rhi never discovered the truth.

 
    CHAPTER
SIX
    It wasn’t the first time Sophie had a day that seemed to never end, but this