“You could be wrong.”
“I could be,” Cain admitted. “It wouldna be the first time, and I doubt it’ll be the last. But if I can obtain even a shred of information to help my brethren, then it’ll be worth it.”
Noreen briefly closed her eyes before she walked to the window and looked out it. “They want all of you dead.”
“We know.”
“No, you don’t.” She paused, her hands resting against the stone surrounding the window. Her voice shook when she continued. “Moreann plans to find the rest of the dragons once all of the Kings are dead. Then she’ll wipe them out, as well. There will be no more dragons. Anywhere.”
Cain took that bit of news and quickly relayed it to every Dragon King through their mental link. Then he disconnected before any of them could ask him questions. Noreen’s words didn’t really surprise him, but the thought of the Others wiping out all dragons left him cold inside.
“You shouldn’t trust me,” Noreen continued.
Cain walked up behind her but didn’t touch her. “But I do.”
“I don’t understand that.”
“Because you doona trust anyone.”
Her silence was her answer. Cain had no idea what it was like to live as a Dark. He’d heard stories from Shara, as well as from some of the Kings who had interacted with Balladyn and other Dark Fae.
“You took a stand,” Cain told her. “Stop worrying about me. You should be focused on other things.”
Noreen turned to face him. “I don’t understand you. That’s why I ask these questions.”
“I need you, and you need me. The fact we need each other means that we have to trust one another. I’m willing to do it. Are you?”
Red eyes bored into his. Finally, she said, “Yes.”
“Good. Is the doorway here?”
Her chin jerked to the left. “It’s right there.”
“Shall we go through?”
“Anything could await us on the other side.”
Cain shrugged, grinning. “That could be said for anything. Personally, I like adventure.”
“I usually do, too. But I’ve never been in fear for my life.”
“I’ve got you,” he told her.
She shot him a fierce look. “Keep telling me that, and I just might believe you.”
He didn’t bother to reply. Cain didn’t want to wait around the castle. The longer they were on Earth, the greater the chance of someone finding them. But he didn’t rush Noreen. He gave her the time she needed to get her fear under control.
They had covered their tracks pretty well, but Cain wasn’t going to underestimate the Others. The group had shown how resilient and persistent they could be in their desire to be rid of the Dragon Kings.
But they couldn’t have predicted Noreen’s move. No doubt Moreann and everyone else in the group was reeling over Noreen flipping sides. Cain would love to see their faces, but it was enough to know that, for once, the Kings had delivered a blow to the Others.
It was just the beginning, however. If Noreen was true to her word and gave him the information the Kings needed, then the Others’ days were numbered.
Too many had suffered already. And not just dragons. Humans, as well—though they didn’t know the extent of things and likely never would. Even if they were told the truth, they wouldn’t believe it. Mortals were an untrusting lot. Not that he could blame them.
He thought of his dragons. It had been so long since he’d seen his clan that he almost forgot what it felt like to have them. Maybe that’s what the Others wanted all along. Cain thought of his twin nephews. They had only been a few months old when the Kings sent the dragons away.
Watching his family leave was one of the hardest things Cain had ever done. But he’d stood tall until every last one of his Navies was over the bridge. It wasn’t until he got to his mountain on Dreagan that he had broken down as the full impact of what had occurred that long-ago day hit him.
The Dragon Kings weren’t killers, and it was easy to second guess decisions made eons ago. But he did. There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t think about how different things would be if the Kings hadn’t allowed the humans to remain when they arrived. Ulrik wouldn’t have been betrayed and begun the war with the mortals. Con wouldn’t have banished Ulrik and stripped him of his magic. And the dragons wouldn’t have been sent away.
Life without his clan was a struggle for Cain. He put on a good show, all the Kings did, but every day was a battle.
The Fae’s realm might have been destroyed because of their civil war, but at least they still had each other. The Kings couldn’t say that. Cain had thought once V regained his sword that he could locate the dragons and see how they were, but that hadn’t happened.
Cain understood. While V hadn’t exactly told anyone the details, Cain could well imagine what it would be like to be the one who learned if their dragons were alive and thriving—or dead. He wouldn’t want that responsibility. So, he didn’t begrudge V for not being able to do it.
With an inward shake of his head, Cain threw off such thoughts. He couldn’t let himself be pulled down by his emotions. Not now. He blinked and focused on Noreen to find the Dark staring at him.
She had tucked her shoulder-length hair behind one ear. The silver added an element of dimension to her black locks that he actually found appealing. And, for the first time, he noticed the garnet stud earrings she wore.
“Pretty,” he said.
She touched her earring and smiled. “They’re my birthstone. At least, per the mortals. I like the stone. It’s my favorite. What were you thinking about a moment ago? You looked … sad.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that it was nothing, but before those words could fall from his lips, he said, “I was thinking about my dragons.”
“This may seem like an insensitive question, but do you miss them?”
“Verra much. Imagine if you didna have your family.”
“I don’t,” she replied.
Cain was taken aback by the news. “I’m sorry.”
There was a flash of something in her eyes that was gone as quickly as it had appeared. “It was a long time ago.”
“So was my clan leaving. It doesna diminish the pain.”
“I’ve heard mortals say that time heals all wounds, but I’m not sure it does.”
Cain lowered his gaze to the ground. “I think it helps us deal with the pain so it isna so raw, but that’s all I can say it does.”
“I’m sorry your dragons are gone.”
He lifted his eyes to her and forced a smile. “Thank you.”
Noreen held out her hand. “Ready?”
He knew he didn’t need to hold her hand to go through the doorway, but he liked that she offered it. He slipped his palm against hers, his fingers folding over her hand. “Ready.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Noreen had made a point of not returning to the Fae Realm after it had been destroyed. Some of her friends had gone back, but she hadn’t understood why. There was nothing there for anyone. It was why Moreann had chosen it as the meeting place for her and Usaeil.