Smoke and Fire (37 page)

Henry gratefully took the phone and put it into Esther's hands. Then he pushed play.

The room grew quiet as Esther watched the video of the Dragon Kings shifting and battling the Dark Fae while everyone observed her reactions.

When it finished, she handed the mobile back to Roman and lifted her gaze to Henry. Her eyes were a bit dazed, her face pale. “Are you telling me that's real?”

“I'm telling you those dragons you saw on the video are the ones here at Dreagan. The men standing in this room.”

Esther's lips parted as she released a breath. “Dragons. That's … unexpected.”

“I had much the same reaction,” Henry said, trying not to smile.

“And the others in the video?”

“Dark Fae,” Con said. “Our enemies.”

Esther suddenly frowned. “There was a woman with a sword in that video. I think I know her, or I've seen her someplace.”

“She interrogated you earlier,” Henry explained. “Her name is Rhi, and she got you to give up a name—Sam MacDonald. She's a Light Fae.”

“Light and Dark Fae, magic, and dragons,” Esther said. “Is this why Kyvor is so obsessed with Dreagan?”

Con nodded. “And why they used you.”

“I don't like being used.” Esther swallowed and lifted her chin. “My goal was to take these people down. Let me finish what I started.”

Henry knew his sister was capable, but it wasn't up to him. He looked to Con to find the King of Kings with a question in his black eyes. Henry gave a small nod.

“Well, Esther,” Con said. “It looks like you've just joined your brother as our ally.”

 

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

The longer Ryder waited for Kinsey to wake, the more impatient he grew. What was taking her so long? Did she not want to return to her life? Had she gotten lost within her mind?

That was out of Tristan's control, but Ryder wasn't above calling in a favor from the Druids at MacLeod Castle. Not when it came to Kinsey.

And to think he'd been ready to kill her.

His stomach twisted at the thought that he'd nearly lost her for good. The evidence against her was condemning, and he'd reacted instantaneously.

Now that he'd had time to calm down and think things through, there wasn't anything specifically from Kinsey. No texts, e-mails, pictures, or documents showing she was part of Kyvor's game.

There had been a knee-jerk reaction because of what had happened with Ulrik and his woman. Was it happenstance? Or was there much more to everything?

Ryder was leaning toward it meaning more. There were too many coincidences for him to overlook. The correlations between Kinsey and Ulrik's woman—damn, why couldn't he remember her name?—was so obvious now that he was looking at it in another way.

With all the times Ulrik went after the Kings' mates and failed, Ulrik changed tactics. He wanted a King to kill his own mate.

No. Ulrik wanted Con to execute a mate.

No amount of time could make any of the Dragon Kings forget that fateful day they'd killed Ulrik's woman and the repercussions that event caused.

Now, with all that was going on and the enemies closing in on them, as well as Con fighting every King who found his mate, it would destroy Dreagan from the inside out if Con slaughtered a mate only to learn she was innocent.

“What is it?” Con asked as he walked into the cavern.

Ryder blinked, focusing his gaze on Con. “If you'd been here when I discovered the evidence against Kinsey, would you've killed her?”

There was a slight pause before Con slid his hands into his pockets. “I doona make hasty decisions with a life—any life. No, Ryder, I wouldna have killed her without talking with her and learning what I could.”

“Say you did. Say you talked to Kinsey and couldna find anything that showed she wasna guilty.”

Con's black gaze narrowed slightly. “Why the questions?”

“Please. Humor me.”

“All right. I'd need damning evidence. I'd need to see or hear her talking about betraying you before I took such drastic action.”

Ryder let out a long sigh. That's what he'd wanted and needed to hear. It was the Constantine he'd known for so long. Yet Con had recently made some decisions that Ryder worried about. Not to mention the lover Con had taken. A Fae.

There could only be trouble there.

“I think it's time you indulge me and tell me what that was all about,” Con said.

Ryder knew Con deserved no less. He spent the next twenty minutes going through his thoughts and conclusions with Con about Ulrik, Kyvor, and Kinsey's connection.

When he finished, Con was silent. Finally Con took a deep breath and said, “That's a lot you've sorted out. Did you think I'd kill Kinsey so easily?”

“I know the safeguarding of Dreagan and our secret is the main objective.”

“So is protecting mortals.”

“Who are no' out to expose us.”

Con bowed his head in acknowledgment. “Point taken. I've known for a while that Ulrik is attempting to fracture us from the inside out. Every attack on us has been to that point.”

“He nearly succeeded this time.”

“I know. What was your plan had Kinsey no' attacked Esther?”

Ryder shrugged and looked at Kinsey. “I was going to talk to her, but I realize now I wouldna have believed anything she said. I was too upset.”

“Then things worked in our favor.”

Ryder wasn't so sure of that. Not yet, at least. He turned his head to Con. “They wanted Kinsey and Esther to kill each other.”

“I think they wanted Kinsey to kill Esther. This Druid, whoever she is, is a problem. If Kinsey didna alert anyone to Esther giving us a name, is there a chance someone hacked our computers?”

Ryder gave him a hard look. “You're seriously asking me that?”

“I had to ask. Then that leaves one option. The Druid is powerful enough to be linked so deep inside Kinsey's and Esther's minds that she knew what was going on.”

“As soon as Esther gave up the name and Kinsey saw me doing the search, the Druid knew. Then she triggered Kinsey.”

Con lifted one shoulder. “Then how did Esther get triggered?”

“Maybe all her training somehow kicked in? We may never know.”

“No, I doubt we ever will.”

*   *   *

Kinsey was so tired of running. It didn't matter how far she went, she wasn't getting anywhere. Memories rushed by her in a blur, but there was no way out.

She was going to be trapped in her mind. After all her fighting the unknown force, after finding Ryder again, she was going to lose it all.

“No!” she yelled.

She'd come too far to have it slip from her hands so easily. Kinsey wasn't going to give up. She'd run as far and as fast as needed until she reached wherever she was going.

Out of nowhere two doors appeared before her. She skidded to a halt to stop from running into them. One door was white, the other black.

“Not another representation of good and bad,” she said with a twist of her lips.

If there were two doors, that meant only one would take her back to Ryder. The other … it didn't matter what the other did because she wouldn't be with Ryder.

The darkness earlier had blinded her, keeping her nearly in one spot. The magic used on her took her hearing and held her down.

The white had allowed her to see, or did it? The magic used pressed her down, making her weary and exhausted.

Neither was better than the other.

Kinsey tried to walk around them, but she couldn't go anywhere. Her only choice was to pick a door and hope it was the right one.

She went to the white door and put her hand on the knob. Right before she turned it, she drew her hand back as something deep inside her shouted, “No!”

Kinsey stepped back and looked at the black door. It reminded her of the three years she'd lived in a kind of obscurity after Ryder left.

It was only when he entered her life once more that she saw the world anew.

“Only light comes out of darkness,” she whispered.

Kinsey grasped the knob on the black door and opened it.

 

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Ryder didn't want to talk anymore. He just wanted Kinsey to wake up.

“If Esther came out of it, so will Kinsey,” Con said. “She's a strong one.”

That made Ryder look at Con anew. “You've something nice to say about her after all of this?”

“It's the truth. If you also consider it polite, then so be it. Though I'll admit I think she's a good match for you. In every way.”

Ryder was so taken aback that he could only stare at Con. He knew how hard Con had tried to dissuade both Kings and mates from being together, and yet he was giving his approval now?

“Doona look at me as if I'm dim-witted,” Con grumbled. “I've come to know Kinsey in the time she's been here. I've seen her with you and the others. Despite her initial fear, she's accepted you and this way of life.”

Ryder opened his mouth to respond when Kinsey gasped, her back bowing off the granite as her eyes flew open. He held her as she gripped him tightly, her gaze locked with his.

She was panting, her chest heaving as she touched his face. “Is it really you?”

“It's me,” he said with a smile. “You found your way out of your mind.”

Her eyes slid closed as she buried her head against his chest and cried. “No. I found my way back to you.”

Ryder held her as he saw Con slip quietly from the chamber. He smoothed his hand down her hair and rejoiced in having her with him.

“I didn't do anything,” Kinsey said, her head snapping up. “I never betrayed you or anyone here.”

“I know.” Ryder hurried to calm her.

She shook her head. “No, don't just say that. I need you to know that it wasn't me.”

He cupped his hands on either side of her face. “I do, Kins. I know it wasn't you. I thought it was when the e-mails were encrypted. It stated that you were on board with what they wanted.”

“What?” Her brows furrowed deeply. “The only thing I agreed to—ever—with Kyvor in writing was about developing new strategies.”

“Did that involve any meetings?”

“Of course,” she said with a nod.

Ryder moved his hands down to her shoulders. “Do you remember who was in the meeting?”

“Sure. It was me, Cecil, Harriet, and Harriet's assistant.”

“Describe the assistant.”

Kinsey thought back for a moment and said, “She was really beautiful. The kind of beauty you only see in movies.”

“Her hair?”

“Blond, almost like a gold color.”

“And her eyes?”

Kinsey laughed. “I didn't get that close to see.”

It was enough of a description to match what Esther had said. “I suspect Harriet's assistant was the Druid who put the magic in you. We also found a tracker in your wrist.”

“A tracker?”

He hated the shock and alarm in her voice, but the worst was over. “We got it out. We found the same magic and tracker in Esther as well.”

“I don't really know what to think right now,” Kinsey said. Then she looked down and saw the blanket had fallen to reveal her breasts.

“I'll explain everything,” Ryder said. “Just know you are officially cleared of everything.”

“But we don't know who set all this in motion at Kyvor, do we?”

Ryder shrugged. “It's Ulrik. Esther confirmed she met with him after MI5 sent her to spy on Kyvor.”

Kinsey's eyes widened. “Esther is MI5? I thought they decommissioned her?”

“To set up her spying. I believe both of you met the Druid responsible for the magic placed on you.”

Kinsey's lips twisted. “Harriett's assistant.”

“Aye. We need to find her.”

“That I can help with.”

“I was hoping you'd say that.” Ryder wanted to shout with joy that Kinsey would be staying. He didn't care how long it took. He would show her his love and that he wanted her in his life forever.

Kinsey fiddled with the edge of the tartan blanket. “I still want to know who set me up.”

“I suspect that was Ulrik, but we'll find out for sure.”

Her smile was slow as it spread over her face. “It looks like I'm in need of a job.”

It was Ryder's turn to smile. “I'm fairly certain I can help with that.”

“Con would allow that?”

Ryder laughed. “I should've taped his words earlier. He likes you, Kins.”

“Now that's a shock,” she said with a small laugh. “But I'm glad. I like it here.”

“Are you ready to return to the manor?”

She pulled her hand from his and sat up, wrapping the blanket around her. “There's something I need to say first.”

Ryder waited for her to continue. From the dread on her face, he feared the worst.

“I'm sorry,” Kinsey said.

Now that, he wasn't expecting.

“I'm sorry for everything.” She licked her lips and lowered her gaze to the ground. “I should never have feared you, and I certainly should never have told you I wasn't sure I could forgive your leaving me. After being at Dreagan and seeing the enemies, I understand now.” Her eyes returned to his. “I'd have done the same thing. This is your family. You protect your family.

“But I was lying to myself when I said I didn't have feelings for you. I lied to others about that as well. I never stopped loving you. Never.”

Ryder wanted to pull her against him, but she held out a hand to stop him.

“You were so patient and sweet, and I … wasn't. You deserve better than that. I'd like … that is, if you're willing … I'd very much like to start again. I may have done too much or said the wrong things, but I love you. I'll go through interrogations or whatever to reassure you and Con and the others that I mean this.”