Noreen looked to the side.
“This could also be part of Moreann’s magic.”
She gave a shake of her head, wishing she was alone with her thoughts so she could return to the time she and Cain had been together. “My hope was that the King who found me would offer sanctuary. I thought it might be at Dreagan, but I was also thinking it could be somewhere else. The Fae Realm was an option, but it was low on the list. I found an old doorway just in case and had Moreann include that in my memories. I didn’t know about Rhi forming the barrier and healing the planet.”
Noreen paused as she recalled the feeling of passing through Rhi’s shield. It had felt as if the magic had gone right through her. “I think the destruction of Moreann’s spell began the moment I passed through the shield Rhi put in place there. It didn’t begin immediately, but soon after, I started having horrible dreams about Moreann doing something to me.”
“The spell?” he offered.
She met his gaze, nodding. “I think. It was extremely painful. There was more. Like what I felt wasn’t lining up to my memories.” Noreen flattened her lips. “It’s hard to explain. I just knew something wasn’t quite right. Then Cain returned, and I knew he could help.”
“How?”
“I-I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just something I knew. That if I had a problem, he would be there to help me work it out.”
The man’s gaze held a wealth of disregard. “Then what happened?”
“I got angry when Ulrik came because I knew the Kings didn’t believe me. I couldn’t figure out why I was so mad. They had every right to question me again. Now I know my feelings were because the spell was breaking down, allowing my old thoughts through.”
“Then there was Rhi.”
Noreen wrinkled her nose. “The moment I touched her, she was able to break through Moreann’s spell. No one has ever been able to do that. I was left with my new feelings and thoughts, trying to be shoved aside by my old.”
“And you didn’t know what to do?”
“No,” she admitted in a small voice. “Because I knew I’d done the one thing the new me had never thought to do.”
“Betray a Dragon King.”
She looked into his purple eyes filled with disgust. “It’s worse than that. Cain told me I’m his mate.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
“Don’t,” Rhi said as she walked up beside Ulrik outside the barrier as they watched Cain’s destruction.
Ulrik looked at her askance. “He needs to calm down.”
“He needs to get it all out. Holding it in isn’t wise. Ever.” She looked pointedly at Ulrik. “You know that.”
It took a second before he nodded. “No, holding it in isna good. But if he doesna get control soon, he might never again.”
Rhi looked back at the navy dragon. “Give Cain a little more time. He’s hurting, and he has to let some of it loose.”
“This has turned into a complete clusterfuck,” Ulrik mumbled as he looked down at the ground.
“Want to tell me what’s going on?”
Ulrik scrubbed a hand down his face. “Actually, I’d prefer no’ to, but if I doona, you’re likely to go to Dreagan for answers, and that wouldna be good right now.”
“Well.” She turned to face him. “Then you better spit it out. All of it.”
Gold eyes met hers. After a long sigh, Ulrik began the tale of how Cain and Noreen met and why. By the time he finished, Rhi was in a state of shock.
“It’s going to kill Con to realize that he was right all along,” Ulrik said.
She turned to the side, numb. “At least Cain discovered things before it was too late.”
“Only because something about touching you brought the spell down. Noreen told Cain all of it.”
“You believe her?”
“I doona know,” Ulrik replied with a shake of his head. “It’s no use asking Cain. He’s too torn up at the moment to think straight either way.”
Rhi drew in a long breath. “I think it’s best if we not discuss Noreen in front of him for a while. Return to Dreagan and fill Con in. I’ll stay with Cain.”
“That’s no’ happening. You willna be able to control him.”
“Control?” She let out a bark of laughter. “Sweet cheeks, I’m not controlling anything. I’m watching him to make sure he doesn’t go anywhere.”
Ulrik held up his silver cuff. “Good thing I swiped this before Cain realized it. Otherwise, he might try and leave this realm.”
Rhi didn’t even want to think about what Cain could do if he got out. Thanks to Ulrik, that wasn’t going to happen.
“Seriously. Go to Dreagan,” Ulrik told her.
She cut him a hard look. “I’ve been by myself for a reason. I’ve no interest in going to Dreagan.”
“Rhi,” Ulrik began.
She faced him, giving him a look that dared him to finish that sentence.
He threw up his hands in defeat. “Fine. I’ll go.”
“Cain won’t leave here. I can promise you that,” she said.
Ulrik pointed a finger at her. “You’re going to have to go to Earth sooner or later.”
“I know. I’ve got Usaeil to find—and kill. Again. Not to mention, I’ll be fighting the Others. No way this Moreann person is getting near me.”
Ulrik put his hands on his hips and shook his head as he looked at the ground. “Fuck me. I actually thought Noreen was speaking the truth.”
“She was. At least, she was until the spell broke.”
His head snapped to her. “You think all she told us was the truth?”
“I do. Otherwise, how would she convince you? It had to be the truth. No doubt once she set out on her mission, whatever plans the Others had changed.”
“If they want you badly enough to go through all these motions, then you have to be really important.”
She waved away his words. “We’ll talk about that later. Right now, you need to get to Con.”
Ulrik hesitated a moment longer before he gave a nod and touched the cuff. Once he was gone, Rhi jumped to where Cain was. She hollered up at him, trying to get his attention. When that didn’t work, she teleported atop him.
“Hey, you big oaf!” she bellowed and pounded him on the back. “I’m trying to get your attention.”
Cain halted mid-bellow and dipped his wing so severely—and unexpectedly—that she fell off. Rhi managed to use her magic to jump to a mountain peak near her so she didn’t plummet to her death. Unfortunately, she didn’t land on her feet.
She winced aloud when she found herself with her knees bent to the side and her face in the dirt. She blew out a breath, causing a lock of her hair to move out of her face as she pushed up on her hands.
“At least I didn’t die,” she said to herself.
“That was bloody stupid. You could’ve been killed.”
Rhi looked up to find Cain standing before her, naked. She briefly let her eyes run down his body, and while he was impressive, he wasn’t her King.
She climbed to her feet and dusted herself off. “I had to do something to get your attention.”