Read Online Dark Alpha's Demand: A Reaper Novel (Reapers) by Donna Grant - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Donna Grant
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attack. But Talin wasn’t going to allow Neve to go into that next of vipers and not have her back.
Five of the seven Reapers would be at court. If Bran or any of his men showed up, the Reapers would be ready.
Talin looked over his shoulder and saw Cael standing at the doorway. How long had he been there? Talin pivoted and walked from Neve’s room. Cael turned to the side to allow him to pass before following him down the hallway.
“Everything is set,” Cael said. “We’re just waiting for Neve to wake.”
“And for me to deliver the news.”
Cael studied him silently for a moment. “She knows you, Talin. It has to be you. Otherwise, I’d do it.”
He knew that, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. Talin looked to the side. “Bran’s people are most likely already at court and veiled as Eoghan is.”
“Eoghan isn’t alone.”
Talin’s gaze slid back to Cael. “Does that mean Kyran and Fintan didn’t learn anything?”
“Whispers of Reapers, just as you reported at the Light court. Nothing more than that. Taraeth is attempting to squash those rumors, but Fintan did see something interesting.”
“What’s that?”
“Balladyn wasn’t helping Taraeth.”
Balladyn was once a highly regarded Light Fae and a close friend of Rhi’s. He’d been turned and was now the Dark King’s right—hand lieutenant.
Everyone knew Balladyn would eventually take over the Dark throne. If he wasn’t stopping the rumors of the Reapers, it was either because he knew they were real, or he didn’t care. Either option could be catastrophic.
“We need to watch them,” Talin said.
Cael nodded. “I agree. But that’s later. Right now, this is about Bran, Neve, and her family.”
“Yes. One power—hungry megalomaniac at a time.”
Cael smiled as he turned away. “I’m going to remain here until Neve goes to court.”
Talin watched Cael take two steps away before he said, “You mean you’re going to stay to make sure I don’t follow her.”
“Not true.” Cael’s feet halted. Slowly he turned to face Talin. “Even though I’ve told you why you shouldn’t be there, I know you’ll go. Because we need you. And because you need her.”
With that, Cael vanished.
Talin took a deep breath. Time and again, Cael had proven why he was leader of the Reapers. He didn’t just see what others missed, he knew their hearts and minds, as well. And he had a knack for using that information to his advantage.
And knowing when it was pointless to fight something.
Talin forgot all about Cael when he heard movement within Neve’s chamber.
* * *
Neve arched her back as she stretched. She felt lethargic, as if magic had been used to make her sleep. As she looked around the room, she slowly realized that she was at her parent’s house, not her flat.
And then it all came rushing back.
Neve sat up, her head swinging toward the door as Talin walked in. There was a smile on his face, but the regret in his eyes alerted her to the fact that something was wrong.
“Where’s Atris?” she asked.
Talin came to stand at the foot of her bed. “How do you feel?”
“Tired. Other than that, I’m fine. Where’s Atris?”
“That’s good,” he said with a nod.
Neve’s heart began to pound as she realized he wasn’t going to tell her where her brother was. So she asked something else. “I fought to get the poison out, but I couldn’t. Who removed it?”
“A friend.”
“My friend?” she asked, brows raised.
Talin gave a shake of his head. “My friend.”
“I’d like to thank them.”
“He’s gone.”
With each passing second, Neve became increasingly more concerned. And frightened. She tried to remain calm, telling herself she was just jumpy because someone had tried to kill her.
But it didn’t help.
She’d observed Talin long enough to know that there was something he needed to say. Whatever it was, it bothered him enough that he was putting off the unavoidable.
Neve threw off the covers
Five of the seven Reapers would be at court. If Bran or any of his men showed up, the Reapers would be ready.
Talin looked over his shoulder and saw Cael standing at the doorway. How long had he been there? Talin pivoted and walked from Neve’s room. Cael turned to the side to allow him to pass before following him down the hallway.
“Everything is set,” Cael said. “We’re just waiting for Neve to wake.”
“And for me to deliver the news.”
Cael studied him silently for a moment. “She knows you, Talin. It has to be you. Otherwise, I’d do it.”
He knew that, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. Talin looked to the side. “Bran’s people are most likely already at court and veiled as Eoghan is.”
“Eoghan isn’t alone.”
Talin’s gaze slid back to Cael. “Does that mean Kyran and Fintan didn’t learn anything?”
“Whispers of Reapers, just as you reported at the Light court. Nothing more than that. Taraeth is attempting to squash those rumors, but Fintan did see something interesting.”
“What’s that?”
“Balladyn wasn’t helping Taraeth.”
Balladyn was once a highly regarded Light Fae and a close friend of Rhi’s. He’d been turned and was now the Dark King’s right—hand lieutenant.
Everyone knew Balladyn would eventually take over the Dark throne. If he wasn’t stopping the rumors of the Reapers, it was either because he knew they were real, or he didn’t care. Either option could be catastrophic.
“We need to watch them,” Talin said.
Cael nodded. “I agree. But that’s later. Right now, this is about Bran, Neve, and her family.”
“Yes. One power—hungry megalomaniac at a time.”
Cael smiled as he turned away. “I’m going to remain here until Neve goes to court.”
Talin watched Cael take two steps away before he said, “You mean you’re going to stay to make sure I don’t follow her.”
“Not true.” Cael’s feet halted. Slowly he turned to face Talin. “Even though I’ve told you why you shouldn’t be there, I know you’ll go. Because we need you. And because you need her.”
With that, Cael vanished.
Talin took a deep breath. Time and again, Cael had proven why he was leader of the Reapers. He didn’t just see what others missed, he knew their hearts and minds, as well. And he had a knack for using that information to his advantage.
And knowing when it was pointless to fight something.
Talin forgot all about Cael when he heard movement within Neve’s chamber.
* * *
Neve arched her back as she stretched. She felt lethargic, as if magic had been used to make her sleep. As she looked around the room, she slowly realized that she was at her parent’s house, not her flat.
And then it all came rushing back.
Neve sat up, her head swinging toward the door as Talin walked in. There was a smile on his face, but the regret in his eyes alerted her to the fact that something was wrong.
“Where’s Atris?” she asked.
Talin came to stand at the foot of her bed. “How do you feel?”
“Tired. Other than that, I’m fine. Where’s Atris?”
“That’s good,” he said with a nod.
Neve’s heart began to pound as she realized he wasn’t going to tell her where her brother was. So she asked something else. “I fought to get the poison out, but I couldn’t. Who removed it?”
“A friend.”
“My friend?” she asked, brows raised.
Talin gave a shake of his head. “My friend.”
“I’d like to thank them.”
“He’s gone.”
With each passing second, Neve became increasingly more concerned. And frightened. She tried to remain calm, telling herself she was just jumpy because someone had tried to kill her.
But it didn’t help.
She’d observed Talin long enough to know that there was something he needed to say. Whatever it was, it bothered him enough that he was putting off the unavoidable.
Neve threw off the covers
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