Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

Shimmery blue moonbeams spilled through the windows, bathing the palace floors and walls in its mystical light. Merrill had intended to take to the skies that night, unsure if he would remain at Stonemore or venture farther abroad. Meeting Derek had changed everything.

Merrill's boots didn't make a sound as he took the circular staircase down deep into the mountain, where he had followed Villette after she crawled away in agony. She had begged for his help. But he hadn't lifted a finger. She had meddled with his brethren, and she deserved everything she got.

And more.

The few soldiers he passed paid him little heed. They were used to seeing him move about the palace. Once , Villette had restricted him to his chamber. He swore it would be the last time anyone confined him anywhere. He'd thought he was done with humans, as well as whatever vendetta Villette had. Even his own brethren.

His anger had gotten the best of him. There had been no leashing it once it broke free. It still festered inside him, coiled and waiting to strike.

When it did, no one would be safe.

Merrill reached the bottom of the stairs and stalked down the narrow tunnel that snaked deeper into an area restricted to only Villette . He ignored it as he did everything else. Merrill kicked open the door when he reached it, filling the entrance as his gaze landed on the bed. A smile curved his lips at the sight of Villette writhing in anguish.

He felt a particular delight at seeing the burns that covered most of her body. For weeks, he had allowed her to believe that he'd remained in the hated city for her. She had even convinced herself that she held him there. Unfortunately , she had for a short time. But he was nothing if not resourceful.

Anger and resentment had a peculiar way of bypassing emotions that would have otherwise hindered him.

Merrill let her cut off communication with the others because he needed time. To sit with the emotions he had buried for eons. He needed time to think. And consider. He had locked away his indignation and hostility for too long, all because it had been what his brethren needed. And it was easier than dealing with it.

He had been there for his brothers, helping them in their time of need. He had even been as close to happy as he could be. Then again, that was easy to achieve when traumas were buried so deeply that they were ignored and eventually forgotten.

Then they'd come to Zora , and everything changed.

Whatever excitement they felt at finally finding the dragons they had sent away from Earth to protect them vanished the instant they crossed through the Fae doorway. Suddenly , the rules the Dragon Kings had lived by for millennia no longer applied. The dragons didn't need or want the Kings .

Then there were the mortals. Somehow , they had found their way to Zora , as well. They were like cockroaches, infiltrating everything.

" Merrill ," Villette whispered, holding out a shaking hand. " You've come to help."

Last but not least, there were the Star People . He hadn't thought he could loathe anyone more than he did the humans until he encountered Villette and learned just how wrapped up she was in Zora and Earth .

He leaned a shoulder against the doorway and crossed his arms over his chest. She was weak. He might be able to kill her. At the very least, he could cause her more pain.

His thoughts slid to his encounter with Derek . There was no doubt he was somehow connected to Villette , and Merrill intended to find out how and learn if there were more Dereks out there before he gave in to his need to end her life. " Tell me who burned you?"

" It …doesn't…matter," she said through clenched teeth. " I'm …healing."

Not nearly fast enough. That could benefit him. " It's been over a week."

She winced in pain as she moved, her breaths coming in gasps. " I will…survive." She turned her head to him, her eyes burning with fury. " And I …will…punish you…for this."

" Will you now?" he asked, his brow quirked.

" You answer…to me ."

Oh , aye. He would enjoy watching the life fade from her eyes. " I answer to me. I'm a Dragon King , lest you forget."

Her blue eyes shot daggers at him. Her lips were pinched, her teeth bright against her burned flesh. " We'll see."

" Tell me about the dragon you have working for you."

A flash of surprise crossed her face. It was so fast Merrill nearly missed it. But he had been watching for it.

" Get …out." She cried out as she moved. Her charred fingers tightened on the mattress. " You …aren't…meant to be…down here."

He shrugged. " And yet, I am."

Her breathing was labored, her body shaking from the pain. It appeared it was taking everything Villette had just to stay conscious while trying to heal. She was weak and vulnerable, and because of it, the shield she used to prevent the other Kings from reaching out to him and he to them had vanished. It was why he had heard Derek .

There was another of them. One he suspected not even Eurwen and Brandr who ruled the dragons on Zora knew about. And if they didn't know, then Con didn't know.

Another dragon who could shift. That made Derek a King . Were there more like him? Merrill had to find out.

" He isn't…your concern," Villette snapped with more vigor than he'd expected.

Rage exploded through Merrill . The inferno it wrought was a storm ready to be unleashed on Villette , the priests, and all of Stonemore . When his ire grew, he didn't become crazed and smash things. He got cold, calm. Calculating .

And even more deadly than usual.

He straightened and dropped his arms to his sides as he went over Villette's words again. Derek didn't know what he was. She had either kept him from the dragons or made him believe there were none. Just what was this bitch up to?

Merrill shouldn't get involved. He had a chance to leave and roam Zora to his content.

But the longer he stared at Villette , the more the flames of fury roared.

" He's a Dragon King ," Merrill stated. " Which means he's my concern."

Villette smirked. " You can try…but you'll never…find him."

" We'll see," he said.

As he walked away, he heard her shout of pain. Merrill retraced his steps and left the palace through the front door. He paused atop the stairs and looked at the sky. It beckoned, urging him to shift and spread his wings. To launch into the air and fly among the stars.

He had come to Stonemore with Shaw to find out who was hunting the dragons. It had resulted in a battle that destroyed the room where Merrill had found Derek . Shaw had left with his mate, Nia , and Merrill remained behind. But not before the residents saw Shaw in his true form.

Before that, Stonemore had witnessed Cullen in dragon form as he helped his mate, Tamlyn , stop children from being sacrificed. Then Alasdair entered the mountain through a back entrance, looking for him. The city had seen three Kings in their true forms, yet not one of his brethren had gone after the residents. Still , a fear enveloped the city that was so thick it nearly choked him.

It had been too long since Merrill released his dragon. He fought the urge to do so now, calling to Derek and any others Villette had. Because there were others. He was sure of it. She had a fondness for dragons, but he hadn't figured out why. Yet . He would.

The last time he had walked the streets of Stonemore , he had succumbed to his anger. Which had led him straight to Villette's bed. She had stoked the flames into a roaring blaze that wouldn't go out anytime soon. Milling about the streets of the city could be his tipping point. But he had to locate Derek and figure out what he knew. And what he didn't know. It was best to do that away from Villette and Miena .

" Derek ?" he called and waited to see if he would answer.

" Aye ."

" I'd like to talk."

" Is that not what we're doing?"

Merrill grinned. Spoken like a true Dragon King . " I'd like a face-to-face meeting."

" When ?"

" No time like the present."

Derek sighed. " Where ?"

" Are you in the city?"

" Aye . There's a tavern on the sixth level called The Tiny Root ."

" I'll meet you there."

Merrill severed the link and walked down the remainder of the steps. The guards exchanged looks but hurried to open the gate as he approached. He walked away from the palace without a backward glance, still unsure of his plans. A lot would be determined after his conversation with Derek .

His gaze went to the distance, across the forest to the border of the dragons' land, where the rest of his brethren lived. Since Villette's battle, he had heard Constantine calling for him. The King of Kings was the only one Merrill answered to. It was the first time Merrill had ever ignored him.

Con wasn't the only one trying to reach him. So was his best friend, Varek . If he were going to talk to anyone, it would be Varek , but Merrill wasn't ready to return to the others. He wasn't sure he ever would be. What was the point? He didn't have a clan to rule—none of them did any longer.

When Merrill reached the tavern, he paused. He didn't know what had halted him. Then , just as he was about to walk inside, he caught sight of a woman with long, wavy, inky hair coming toward him. Her steel-gray gaze skimmed over him as if he were inconsequential. He sensed her Druid magic and turned to follow her with his eyes as she walked to the gates. The guards refused to let her pass. She lightly placed her hand on one without saying a word. To Merrill's shock, they let her through.

He took a step to follow but remembered why he was at the pub. There was a Druid in Stonemore . He hoped she had enough sense to keep her magic hidden before the priests got to her. Merrill waited until she was out of sight before entering The Tiny Root . Derek was already seated at a table. Despite the late night—or early morning—hour, the place was packed. Derek's olive-colored eyes scrutinized Merrill as he approached.

He slid onto the bench opposite Derek . " Thank you for meeting me."

" What do you want?"

" The same thing you do. Answers ."

Derek rested his arms atop the table. " I doubt we want the same ones."

" Does it matter? We each need something, and I think we can help each other."

" What makes you so sure?"

Merrill bit back a grin. " What makes you so sure we can no'?" When Derek said nothing more, Merrill spoke. " I know you work with Villette . How did that come to pass?"

Derek drew in a breath, then answered. " She found me when I was a youngling. She protected me until I could defend myself."

" You doona sound convinced of that."

Derek's brow furrowed. " Where are you from? I've never heard such an accent."

" I'm from a place called Scotland . It's verra far away. Why are you unsure about your origins?"

He glanced away. " Miena told me Villette wiped my memories."

" Miena is the one in the room?"

" Aye . Have you not spoken with her?"

Merrill shrugged a shoulder indifferently. " She speaks. I ignore her. She wants out and will say anything to achieve that."

" I'm aware. Why haven't you let her out?"

" I tried, but a lass stopped me. Her face and voice told me more than I needed. She was sucked into the room just from the little I had opened the door. It slammed shut behind her. I've stayed away since."

Derek's face smoothed, and his brows lifted. " That's the second heartbeat I heard. Miena said another was with her. You didn't try to get her out?"

" If you had been there that day, you'd understand. Let's get back to the memories. The only reason to mess with another's head is if they become uncontrollable. What do you do for Villette ?"

" What are you?" Derek asked instead.

Merrill grinned at a comely serving lass who came to the table. He and Derek ordered ales and waited for her to leave.

" Well ?" Derek pressed.

" I'm the same as you."

" I doubt that."

Merrill quirked a brow. " How else can I speak inside your head? As I told you, it's what our kind does."

" That's not possible."

" I assure you, it is."

" And I assure you, it isn't."

It was Merrill's turn to frown as he observed the dragon across the table from him. " You mean you aren't the only one Villette has. So , I take it you can no' communicate telepathically with them? How many others does she have?"

Derek remained silent.

Their drinks arrived, interrupting the conversation. Merrill waited impatiently until they were alone once more, then leaned forward on the table and dropped his voice to a whisper. " You doona have to tell me. I'll figure it out easily enough. I just can no' fathom why you're loyal to her."

" She's going to help free my kin."

Of all the things Merrill had thought Derek might say, that wasn't one of them. He blinked and slowly sat back. Surely , he hadn't heard correctly. " Excuse me?"

" They're being held prisoner."

Merrill flattened his hands on the table and pushed against Derek's mind. " You're speaking of the dragons."

Derek's eyes widened slightly. " You don't seem surprised."

" What the fuck do you think I am? I told you we were alike."

Derek shook his head. " That isn't possible. She told me there were only two of us outside the border."

" She lied. That's what Villette does." Sparks of anger erupted from the inferno within him. Killing her wouldn't be enough. He would make her suffer again and again until she begged for death. Even that wouldn't be enough. Merrill took a drink in an effort to keep his anger in check. Aloud , he said, " Tell me everything."

" Humans are holding them."

" How ?"

" She suspects it's with the help of another Star Person ."

Merrill tightened his fingers around his tankard. It cracked. He forced his hold to loosen. " Go on."

" She promised to free them but needed to create fear in the mortals first."

" That's what you've been doing?"

" I'm part of it, aye."

Merrill bit back a growl. " And ? How is terrorizing the humans helping? They fear anything with magic now."

" Villette said it was paramount to success. That the fear would weaken the humans' hold across the border so we could free the dragons when we attacked."

Merrill scratched his forehead. " What would you say if I told you they've always been free? No one is holding them."

" I would demand to know where they are. This world was meant to be ours."

" Aye , it was. In more ways than you know. Then the humans arrived, and the dragons carved out a place that was all theirs. No human is to cross the border."

Derek flattened both hands on the table and stared down at it. " That's not possible."

" Go and see for yourself. Better yet, call out to them through our mental link. They'll answer. Ask for Con ."

" Who is that?"

" He's the one in charge," Merrill answered. He didn't want to reveal everything to Derek at once. He needed to hand over a little at a time to keep drawing him in.

Derek lifted his head and speared Merrill with a look. " This could all be a trick."

" I'm the only one trying to help without asking for anything in return. Villette has her own motivation."

" And you think you know what that is?"

Merrill snorted. " I do. So do you. It's power. Total and absolute control of this realm. Miena wants freedom. You can no' believe her either."

" But I can trust you?"

" You can."

Derek sat back and shook his head.

" Ask around the city. See when they last saw a dragon. They'll tell you it was one with amethyst scales. That was Alasdair . Before that, it was Shaw . He's blue. And before that, Cullen —a garnet dragon. They all flew over Stonemore , causing widespread panic."

" Why haven't you?"

" Shaw and I came together on a mission."

" If he's gone, why are you still here?"

" I had some things to work out." Merrill caught the serving girl's attention and called her over. " Lass , I was just telling my newly arrived friend about the dragons that were seen recently."

Her face drained of color. " It was horrific. Those beasts were right over the city, circling like they were going to eat us." She shuddered and hurried away.

Merrill quirked a brow. " Believe me now?"