“I do.”
Noreen knew that he did, but she couldn’t control the ire within her. It was silly to believe that the other Dragon Kings would believe her as quickly as Cain had.
She gave a snort and dropped her hands to her sides. “It doesn’t really matter now, does it? Take me at my word, or don’t. I’ve already burned the bridge with the Others.”
“I vowed to protect you,” Cain said in a low, dangerous voice.
“From where? Dreagan, where you’re needed for battle? Because you can’t be here. You’d constantly be thinking about your brethren and that you should be fighting alongside them, which, by the way, you need to be.”
“Noreen,” he began.
She held up a hand to stop him. “You know I’m right. I almost left when you went back to Dreagan. I wish I had.”
“You want to leave?” The frown that filled his face was one of disbelief and … hurt.
Tears threatened, but she refused to let her emotions get the best of her. “It doesn’t matter much what I want anymore. I knew the consequences when I sent that email. For a brief bit of time, I thought I could actually have my life back.”
“You can,” he insisted.
“No. I gave that up the moment I let Brian see us together. Some will think I’m getting exactly what I deserve as a Dark as well as an Other.”
“I doona think that.”
She smiled at him, thinking of his kindness and passion. “That’s because you’re different.”
“The feeling I had that said I needed to come back here wasna for naught then,” he mumbled.
It was her turn to frown. “What?”
“I had the overwhelming urge to get back to you, felt that you might need help. Now, I see it was simply because I somehow knew you wanted to leave.”
“But I didn’t.”
“How long would you have stayed?” he demanded.
She shrugged, unable and unwilling to answer.
He nodded and looked away as if the very sight of her was too much for him to take.
Movement out of the corner of her eye made her turn her head. She saw a man standing at the edge of the forest, staring at them. His long, black hair was pulled back in a queue at his neck. No doubt, it was Ulrik. How much of the conversation between Cain and she had he heard? Then again, did it really matter?
“I doona think my opinion counts for much, but I’m going to give it anyway,” Ulrik said as he started toward them.
When Noreen glanced back at Cain, he had jeans on but no shirt, giving her a view of his dragon tat. Cain was half turned from her, letting them know he wasn’t ready to be a part of the conversation.
She looked at Ulrik and waited until he stopped near her. Then she said, “I’m Noreen.”
“It’s nice to meet you. Since Cain isna up to introductions, I’m Ulrik.”
Noreen found herself grinning at the King of Silvers. “I kinda figured that’s who you were.”
“Well, there are so many about, I didna want to take the chance,” he teased. Then he sobered. “I saw Cain land and started here. I didna mean to overhear, but I did.”
“You should’ve walked away,” Cain stated.
Ulrik looked briefly at Cain before his gold eyes returned to her. “I am here to meet you and hear some of what you told Cain myself. It’s no’ because you’re Dark or because of anything you’ve done. I’d be here if you were Light or anything else. As you already know, we’ve been betrayed in the past, and we doona want to go down that road again.”
“I know full well what was done to you. It was reprehensible.”
His eyes looked away for a moment. “Cain told us how you were able to get into his mind and see his memories. Tell me about that.”
She shrugged. “There isn’t much to tell. It’s easier if I’m touching the person, and I can only see the memories they’re thinking of at the time. I can’t go rumbling around in their mind.”
“But you see everything?”
“See, hear, and also feel the emotions of the person.” She looked at Cain. “I know how torn he was about leaving you to rejoin Con. I also know how it nearly killed him to watch your magic being bound and then seeing you banished from Dreagan.”
“So, you saw everything from his perspective.”
“Yes.”
Ulrik nodded slowly. “Do you use that magic often?”
“Rarely, actually. It not only takes a lot out of me, but dealing with the aftermath of emotions can also take its toll.”
“Yet, you asked Cain to see his memories.”
“I wanted to know every detail. Every word, emotion, and conversation.”
Ulrik raised a brow. “To use against us?”
She should’ve expected that, she supposed. “How can I use something against you that has already happened?”
“You’d be surprised,” was all Ulrik said. “Tell me about the Dragon King attack on your parents.”
“No.” That was the last thing she wanted to talk about. Even now, just thinking about it made her want to lash out at Ulrik.
In a heartbeat, Cain was beside the King of Silvers. “Leave it,” he demanded.
Ulrik stared hard at Cain before his gold gaze slid to her. “I understand that it still affects you, but as Cain also told you, no Dragon King would’ve strayed from the battle.”
“Not even you?” she questioned.
Ulrik’s eyes narrowed slightly. “My magic was still bound then. Did I watch some of the battles? Aye, I did. But I didna join in for either side.”
“Then how can you be certain that no King went out on his own?”
“Because of Con. He would’ve known the moment one of the Kings left.”
She rolled her eyes. “Constantine might be King of Dragon Kings, but he isn’t all-knowing.”
Cain snorted but didn’t say anything.
Ulrik, however, had a small grin on his lips. “That’s the thing others doona realize. Con is the strongest of all Dragon Kings. He has more power, as well. He is the one the magic chose to lead us, and the magic chose wisely. When he makes a decision, it isna what he wants, it’s what is best for the Kings. He sacrifices everything for our sake. How many leaders can say that?”
Noreen knew for a fact that Moreann didn’t fit into that category. Neither did Usaeil. Balladyn might have, but he would’ve still had a long way to go.
“Con rules us no’ by fear, but with respect,” Cain told her.
Ulrik gave a nod as he glanced toward Cain. “And while the Kings fought the Dark during the Fae Wars, none would’ve broken off to kill any Fae that wasna on the battlefield. Otherwise, I feel certain the magic of this realm would’ve retaliated in some way.”
That wasn’t something Noreen had ever considered. Then again, she was learning much about the magic on Earth.
She set that thought aside for the moment as she lifted her chin. “I might have been a small child, but I know the sound of a dragon’s roar. I didn’t mistake that or the fire.”
“But you didna see a dragon,” Ulrik pressed.
Slowly, she shook her head. “There wasn’t much to see other than flames.”