Chapter Twenty-Five #2
“You mentioned a child being taken.” Daegal’s abrupt change of subject confirmed he knew he’d lost this hand. “You never said if it was recovered.”
“She was,” Remy replied.
A knowing look lit the dragon’s eyes. “Two brazen kidnappings in one day. Someone’s challenging your rule.”
All at once, I was reminded of what Remy had said. Soon, the person responsible for this will probably want to see for themselves just how rattled they’ve made me.
Was that Daegal? Brendan’s other attacker had been a dragon. If so, was seeing how his handiwork had affected Remy the real reason Daegal had demanded an audience, and he’d only used the magic traces in his realms as an excuse?
“The world never lacks for fools,” Remy said with such casualness, you’d never guess what he’d risked to get both me and Ellie back. “And Wardens don’t rule. We oversee. That was the whole point behind our inception.”
Daegal stretched as if relieving a kink. “Yes, though some say that treaties and Wardens are failed experiments.”
Remy became so still, I wasn’t sure if he was breathing. “The human world was soaked in blood until Wardens negotiated the treaties that kept the ancient races from warring over who would rule them.”
Daegal snorted. “Yes, and then humans soaked their world with blood themselves. Come now, Remington. Look no further than the past two centuries. Even you must admit that humans are crying out to be ruled by us again.”
“I don’t.” Remy’s tone was steel. “Nor do other Wardens.”
The dragon’s slow smile made ice dance up my spine. “Are you so certain all Wardens feel the way you do?”
“We swore an oath to protect the treaties and territories entrusted to us,” Remy ground out. “No more, and no less.”
Another poisonous smile. “If history’s taught us anything, it’s that times change.” Before Remy could speak, Daegal added, “Back to your other unfortunate abduction. Is there another site in my realm I need to investigate?”
Remy didn’t relax, but at least I saw that he was breathing again. “The child was never there. She remained in my world.”
Something sparked in Daegal’s gaze. “Another miraculous self-recovery?”
So, Daegal hadn’t totally bought that story, but he had no way to dispute it, either.
Remy’s smile was coldly charming. “I retrieved her myself.”
Daegal’s answering smile was even icier. “Foolish kidnappers, then. If you’re going to abduct someone, at least prevent a location spell from revealing their whereabouts.”
My skin pricked in a very unpleasant way.
“With enough magic, even the most powerful location spells can be blocked,” Daegal went on, his gaze gleaming. “Your grandmother discovered that the hard way, didn’t she?”
Remy’s expression hardened like quick-cooled glass. No wonder. The dragon was clearly talking about when Brendan had been kidnapped, and wrecked his own mind as a result.
The dragon only tutted. “Poor Juli. It was so noble of her to protect her city during that siege instead of rescuing your grandfather. By the time she recovered Brendan, it was too late. She never got over what happened to him, either. I can’t blame her.
Seeing a famed Records Keeper reduced to a drooling simpleton made even Brendan’s enemies wince in sympathy. ”
“Careful,” Remy said, the word rumbling like thunder.
Daegal ignored that. “Juli was resourceful, though. And determined. Too much so. Why, if she hadn’t tried to capture a beithíoch to use it for a spell, she’d still be alive today.”
Remy’s arm settled across my shoulders. That’s the only thing that kept me from rocking back on my heels.
What was this?
“Everyone knows how my grandmother died,” Remy said curtly.
I didn’t, and why not? It sounded like a Beast had killed her. Why would Remy hide that? It’s not as if I couldn’t relate!
“Yes, which is why I laughed when I heard the most spurious rumor of you secretly keeping a beithíoch captive yourself.”
Remy’s tone dripped venom. “Who claims such a thing?”
Daegal waved. “It’s not important. As I said, I found the notion amusing. You loathe that species so much, you’re one of the only people in the world who’s managed to kill one.”
He did what?
Daegal’s gaze flicked to me. “She seems unsettled. Why?”
“I’m starving, and you two keep talking instead of feeding me,” I said at once.
A lie. I was too mad to be hungry now. Remy had said Beasts couldn’t die because they’d just keep jumping into new hosts, yet he’d killed one? How? And what else had he lied about?
Daegal swept his hand toward the table. “Go ahead and feast, Raine. I’ve concluded my business, so I’ll be leaving.”
Zenobia didn’t wait to hear more. She strode toward the door.
Daegal rolled his eyes at her retreating form.
“She swore she’d leave personal matters out of this.
I knew she wouldn’t, but,” a cheery smile, “dragons never refuse family. You remember that, Remington. It’s what ended your engagement when Zenobia was your future céile. ”
What?! My lips compressed before I could stop myself.
Daegal saw it and laughed. “Goodbye, Remington, Raine. It’s been entertaining.”
Oh, and informative.
“Goodbye, Daegal” was all Remy said.
I waited until both of them had left the reception hall before I said, “We need to talk.”
I’d barely whispered the words. There were two creatures with probably amazing hearing that might still be in this hotel. No, I’d scream at Remy soon enough.
“We do,” Remy said, equally soft. “But not here.”
“Fine. Somewhere else, and now.” He wasn’t putting me off.
He gave me a penetrating look. “Follow me.”