Smoke and Fire: Part 4 Read Free Page B

special. Everyone will enjoy what we have.”
    “And what exactly do we have?”
    Usaeil laughed as she looked up at him and rubbed her breasts against him. “Why, love.”
    Con’s blood ran cold. It was so much worse than he’d feared. Why hadn’t he seen the signs? But he knew the answer. He’d been too preoccupied with keeping Dreagan safe and bringing down Ulrik. Usaeil had been there to relieve his body when he had a need.
    That’s all it was to him.
    That’s all he assumed she’d thought as well, because that’s how it began between them.
    “What do you see for us?” he asked her.
    Her eyes closed as she rested her head on his chest. “Eternity. We’ll be mated, and I’ll have the tattoo on my arm of the dragon eye. We’ll unite the Light and the Dragon Kings into one faction. Your Kings can take Light as their mates as Kiril has and solidify the union.”
    “And the war with the Dark?”
    “That’s your war, my love.” She lifted her face and gave him a wink. “You can easily take the Dark. You’ve done it before.”
    Con took a deep breath and slowly released it. “And you’ll do what? Stand by and watch?”
    “Of course. I’ve got a movie to make starting tomorrow. I can’t take the time to lead my army.”
    “Then give it to someone who can. We could use an ally.”
    She burst out laughing and patted his chest before walking toward the bedroom. “You’re a Dragon King. You don’t need anything.”
    Con couldn’t remember ever fighting so hard to remain calm and cool as he was in that moment. He needed to say something to get her attention. Rhi was definitely a trigger, but there had to be something else.
    Reapers!
    He followed her, but stopped at the bedroom door, leaning against the doorjamb. “And what of the Reapers?”
    Usaeil was in the process of shimmying out of her slinky dress when he spoke. In a blink the gold dress was back in place. “You’ve been talking to Rhi!”
    “No’ about you. When I do speak to Rhi it’s about the Dark and the war.”
    “Lair. Rhi asked me the same things. She thinks I should be gathering the army to help you and calming the Light about the Reapers.”
    Rhi was right. Though Con would never tell her that. “I’d no idea the two of you had such a conversation.”
    “No one tells me how to rule!” Anger billowed around Usaeil like wind. “I’ve reigned over the Light for thousands of years and never led them wrong.”
    “Why no’ calm them about the Reapers then?” Con shouted over the wind.
    She rolled her eyes. “The Reapers are just stories told to frighten the Light away from turning Dark.”
    “What if they’re more than that?”
    She scowled at him, looking at him as if he were mud on the bottom of her shoe. “I no longer require you tonight.”
    And with that she was gone.
    The silence was deafening after the noise of the wind. But Con wasn’t fooled. Usaeil could be veiled, though he wasn’t sure for how long. He knew it was longer than most Fae.
    Except for Rhi.
    Con noticed that Rhi was able to remain veiled for even longer than Usaeil. He pulled out his phone and sent a message to his pilot and driver to be ready to leave Paris immediately. Then he pivoted and returned to the table. He took another bite of steak and a long drink of wine before he walked from the room.
    It was a good thing Usaeil couldn’t read minds, because Con was thinking about Rhi. It was disturbing that Rhi had left the Queen’s Guard, and now that she and Usaeil seemed to be on the outs, the queen was acting strange.
    Rhi also questioned Usaeil. And urged sound advice. Con wished he was surprised, but the fact was—as reckless and irritating as Rhi could be—she was a skilled warrior with a strong mind that saw so much.
    The only reason Usaeil didn’t take Rhi’s advice was because Rhi was the one giving it, and Usaeil’s feelings had been hurt by her leaving the Queen’s Guard.
    But Con knew why Rhi left. The Light Fae suspected Usaeil