“Good idea. Tell them I want them to finishbuilding the homes. We’re so close it shouldn’t be a problem, andthat will keep most of the residents together.”
“And I’ll have the king’s guard there toprotect the civilians if it becomes necessary.”
“That will work,” Cole said.
“But how will I know when it’s time to getthem out?”
“I’ll make sure you do,” Cole said.
Lexi could get them out of Dragonia; no onewould see that coming, so he should be able to return to theGloaming pretty fast.
“But if something goes wrong, when the firstdragon shows up, start evacuating,” Cole said.
“I hope we don’t have to deal with one ofthose things,” Niall muttered and finished his whiskey.
“Or more than one.”
Niall winced and rose to refill his glass. Heheld the decanter toward Cole, who shook his head.
“What about those in the outer lands likeUnderhill?” Niall asked as he returned to his chair.
“If I can beat the Lord back to the Gloaming,we should be able to get word to them to get out. The Lord doesn’tknow the other areas of this realm well, and the dragons can’t flythere as fast as we can open a portal to reach them. There was thatone dragon who went to Underhill and would know how to return, butif I can get there before that dragon, they should be safe. I couldalways send out word to the outer lands to be ready to flee.”
“But that could bring down the Lord’s wrathif the traitor hears about it and reports back to him.”
“It could also save lives.”
“It could, but I would advise againstit.”
“So would I,” Cole murmured.
He had to weigh how many lives would be lostif the Lord continued to rule, compared to how many they would saveif they succeeded in taking him down.
“Where do we send the dark fae if we do haveto evacuate?” Niall asked.
“Tell them to scatter and go somewhere theybelieve is safe. If we all meet at the same place, then whoever isreporting to the Lord will inform him where everyone is. We can’thave that. If they’re going to live, they have to run.”
“He’ll hunt them all like he hunted Orin andVaro.”
Cole turned to look out the window again. Yetanother secret he kept from Niall… he didn’t know that his brothersstill lived. Cole wouldn’t jeopardize Niall’s life by revealingthat secret to him, at least not now.
He suspected Niall would soon learn it.
“He will,” Cole confirmed.
“What about the rebels still in thedungeon?”
Cole considered leaving them there, but ifthe Lord discovered they were there and didn’t immediately killthem, he might add them to his army.
“We’ll behead them,” Cole said. “Have thembrought out now.”
“I’ll see to it,” Niall replied.
Though he didn’t want to see it, Coleremained until the last of the prisoners was dead.
CHAPTER 42
“I think that’s enough for today,” Kayliasaid.
