Burned by Darkness - Alexandra Ivy Page 0,42

smile to fade.

“I did,” he said in brisk tones. “I followed the trail from your female’s lair to a spot just a mile away.”

Tiny flames flickered over Baine’s skin. Just the thought of the trolls lurking near Tayla’s home was enough to make the beast inside him roar with the lust to burn them to ashes.

“They’re keeping watch on the house,” he said, his expression grim. “That was only to be expected.”

Char gave a slow nod. “Yes.”

Baine set aside his empty glass. “There’s more?”

“I found a portal near the edge of their camp.”

A portal? Baine hissed in shock. “Imp?”

“Fairy.”

Well that was…unexpected. What the hell would a fairy be doing with a troll? The two species hated each other. Just one more baffling question on a very long list.

“Did you follow it?” he demanded.

“I did.”

Baine made a rough sound of impatience. Since when did getting information from Char become worse than pulling fucking teeth? And why did his neck continue to prickle like he was being watched?

His sour mood became downright pissy.

“And?” he snapped.

“It led to an abandoned castle on the border of Norway,” the younger male revealed.

Baine held out his hand, waiting for the rolled up map to appear. Then, moving to the desk, he spread it across the flat surface.

“Show me,” he ordered.

Char was swiftly at his side, pointing toward an isolated spot.

“Here.”

Baine studied the rough terrain. Not the sort of place that would attract most fey.

“A troll stronghold?”

“No.” Char gave an emphatic shake of his head. “I couldn’t do a thorough sweep of the area, but I suspect they’re assassins.”

Baine tapped a slender finger on the desk. From what he knew of the ruthless mercenaries, they charged a fortune. Unless they were desperate, few demons were willing to pay the price.

“Since when have the trolls started to hire assassins?”

“I don’t have a clue.” Char shrugged. “But it has to have something to do with your imp.”

Baine felt his heart skip a beat. And not in a good way.

It was bad enough that the trolls and his father were weirdly interested in Tayla. The last thing he needed was a group of assassins joining the madness.

“Why do you say that?”

“Less than an hour ago, a mongrel fairy along with Skragg made an appearance at the castle.”

Baine narrowed his gaze. Skragg was the troll who’d originally offered Tayla to his father.

“Could you hear what they were saying?”

“No, but I did catch sight of their prisoners.”

“Prisoners? Who were they?”

“A male imp who goes by the name Odel, and a miniature gargoyle.”

Baine released a frustrated hiss. He should have known Odel would be up to his neck in trouble. The idiot was born to be an anchor around Baine’s neck.

“Why would—” Baine bit off his words as there was a wrenching sense of loss that nearly sent him to his knees. “Shit,” he breathed, pressing a hand to the center of his chest.

It took a second to realize what the aching emptiness meant. No surprise. Never in his very long life had he been so connected to a female that he could actually feel her deep inside him.

Only Tayla had ever accomplished that alarming feat.

Flames danced over his skin as Baine stalked out of his private rooms and down the hallway. Swiftly, Char was next to him, his eyes darting from side to side as if searching for an enemy to slay.

“What the hell is going on?” the younger male demanded.

“She’s gone,” Baine snarled, his pace never slowing as they headed directly for his treasure room.

Char frowned in confusion. “Tayla?”

Something that might have been pain sliced through Baine’s chest.

“Yes.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Unless someone assisted her departure,” he pointed out, halting in front of the guard. “Torque,” he barked.

The male flinched, ogling Baine’s flames that had intensified to a pure white heat. Hot enough to singe a half-breed.

“Yes, my lord?”

Baine stepped forward. “Did I not make my orders clear?”

The male gave a jerky nod. “Crystal clear.”

“Then why did you open the door?”

Torque paled. “I didn’t.”

Baine scowled. The young soldier wasn’t an idiot. He would have to know that lying to his master was a certain death sentence.

“Someone must have entered the treasure room,” he snapped, assuming there must be yet another traitor.

“No, my lord. No one has come in or out,” the young man insisted. “I swear.”

Muttering a curse, Baine stepped past the sweating guard and shoved open the door.

Together with Char he entered the room and made a quick search among the piles of treasures. Not that it was necessary. The emptiness that continued