“Hey, stud. So you got hitched, huh?” Rhi asked with a wink at Aisley.
Aisley surprised her with a hug. For a moment Rhi didn’t move, then she awkwardly patted her on the back.
Rhi cleared her throat as she stepped away and pushed the two-inch box toward Phelan. “This is for you. From my queen.”
Phelan glanced at the box with a frown before he reached for it. “Your queen?”
Rhi didn’t respond as he pulled at the ends of the gold ribbon and then lifted the hinged lid. She didn’t need to look in the box to know it held a gold ring with a coat of arms etched on top.
Phelan ran his thumb over the stripes and line of crowns going from the top left corner to the bottom right. “I’ve seen this before.”
“On your father’s hand,” Rhi said. “He gave it to my queen before he died. It was to be given to you.”
Phelan shook his head. “I doona understand.”
Rhi glared at Con who was still there. She shifted so that her back was to him and she stood between him and Phelan. “You are a prince, Phelan, but not just of Saxony.”
“He’s your prince as well,” Aisley said with awe.
Rhi winked at Phelan. “Didn’t see that one coming, did you, stud?”
“If I’m your prince, why did you leave me in Deirdre’s prison?”
She looked away and fidgeted. “Once, a very, very long time ago, one of your ancestors had a rollicking good time with a Fae. She became pregnant, but never told her Fae lover. We aren’t supposed to mate with humans. For any reason.”
“Why?” Aisley asked.
Rhi shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Your ancestor bore a boy child who later ascended the throne in Saxony. Every hundred years or so someone of that line would be able to heal anything with their blood.”
“All because a Fae bedded one of my ancestors?” Phelan asked, his brows knitted.
“Yep. Mortals are attracted to the Fae. Why do you think women always flocked to you?”
Phelan grinned and pulled Aisley close. “My charm.”
“You’ve got that in spades, stud. The simple truth is, we didn’t know of you, not until you were taken by Deirdre. It was years later when your father lay dying that he called to the Fae. He told his story, and we confirmed the truth of it.”
“So my brother’s line who survived, do any of them have my blood?”
Rhi shook her head. “It ended with you. The brother you speak of was taken into your family’s home ten years after you’d disappeared.”
“How does that explain how he’s your prince?” Con asked from behind her.
Rhi gritted her teeth. How she hated the Dragons. They thought they were the end all be all. “He’s our prince because the male Fae happened to be the queen’s brother.”
“And the surprises keep coming,” Aisley said and grabbed one of the shot glasses full of vodka from the bar. She drank down the shot and looked up at Phelan. “Are you all right?”
He shook his head. “Why didn’t you get me out of Deirdre’s mountain?”
“We couldn’t. Just as the Dragon Kings didn’t interfere, neither did we,” Rhi explained.
“So what now?”
Rhi pushed away from the bar. “I expect you’ll be getting a visit from the queen soon. She’s anxious to meet you. She was going to introduce herself while you two were at the Fairy Pool, but you were otherwise occupied.”
Phelan watched her give a little wave with her fingers before she sauntered out of the bar. He glanced down at the ring.
“A prince of Saxony and the Fae. What have I gotten myself into?” Aisley asked.
He kissed her hard and fast. “I’ve got women around the block waiting in line for me. You doona want me, one of them will.”
“Oh, no. I don’t think so. I came back from the dead for you. You’re all mine, prince or not.”
Phelan forgot they weren’t alone when Con laughed. He looked up at the Dragon King. “I got the feeling that we Fae didna like you.”
“We’ve a history,” Con said with a shrug. “The Fae wanted this realm. We were no’ going to give it up. So, they carry a grudge.”
“But they’re here,” Aisley said.
“They can visit,” Con explained. “Some can remain for months or years, but always they must return to their realm.”
Phelan pulled the ring from the box and slid it on his right ring finger. It fit perfectly. He let out a long breath at having his father’s ring on his hand.
Aisley leaned her head against his shoulder with a smile. “We’ve more presents to open.”
Phelan looked up to find Con gone. He set aside the box and pulled Aisley along with him to the table weighted down with gifts from everyone.
Neither he nor Aisley were prepared for so much, but it’s what family did. At least that’s what he was learning. Tomorrow was a new day with an old enemy. But for one more night, Wallace would be pushed to the back of his mind.
Phelan had Aisley, his friends, and family. Life was good.
* * *
Jason sat in his office and seethed. He’d had the Warriors and Druids in his reach. Then the selmyr had arrived. They were the only thing he truly feared because his magic only strengthened them.
How could he fight something without his magic? It didn’t seem fair.
But if he’d gotten those from MacLeod Castle once, he could do it again. At least Aisley was dead. His vengeance was complete.
“Oh, she’s not dead,” came a deep voice from his left.
Jason turned his head to find the Devil sitting in the chair that had been vacant a moment ago. “Come to kill me?”
The Devil smiled and smoothed his hand over his slicked-back black hair. He sat up and adjusted his tie. “No.”
“Then why are you here?”
He rose, his tailored suit fitting his tall, muscular form elegantly as he walked to look out the windows. “You’ve never been known for your good looks have you, Jason? Matter of fact, everyone used to tease you because you had such a hawkish face. No amount of expensive suits can make yours fit you as mine do.”
“You tried to use Aisley against me.”
“Your problem is that you want what everyone else has and you don’t even know it.”
Jason stood and shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “I’ve all I need. Now what did you mean that she’s no’ dead?”
“Aisley,” he said and looked over his shoulder at Jason.
“Impossible. I made sure no magic or anything could heal her.”
“She’s a phoenix.”
“A what?”
The Devil sighed dramatically and faced him. “A phoenix, you shit. She’s able to come back from the dead. She and Phelan were married just a few minutes ago.”
“Is that all you came to tell me?
“I know that revenge burns in your gut,” he said. “That hate brought me here. The question is, Jason, what are you going to do with it?”
Jason laughed. “I’m going to kill them all.”
“Of course. But first, you must have the prophecy fulfilled, the one where a
“I had a difficult enough time finding the last Warriors. I doona have the time to let them gain control over their gods.”
“There is, however, one Warrior of the MacLeods whose soul is dead. Malcolm could be yours with little
