Page 46 of Dragon Mine (Dragon Kings 2)
Vaughn pivoted and returned to the library. He paused outside the doors, wondering if Eurwen would still be there or not. He steeled himself and opened the door. His eyes immediately went to the sofa, only to find it empty.
Disappointment filled him instantly. It churned violently in his stomach, mixing with sadness and anger at himself for snapping at her. She had been unsure of her role at Dreagan, and because of his worries, he had given her reason to leave when he should’ve done the opposite.
He sighed as he walked into the library. Vaughn debated whether to try and locate her when movement caught his eye. His gaze jerked to the second floor, where he spotted Eurwen’s pink skirt before it disappeared behind a bookshelf. The relief that surged through him was so intense, he became lightheaded.
At the sound of approaching footsteps, he looked over his shoulder and saw Darius and Sophie. He gave them a nod to let them know they could enter. Vaughn then returned his gaze to where he’d last seen Eurwen. He’d wanted to show her Dreagan so she could see what a beautiful place it was. He hadn’t thought about sharing her with everyone until it had been too late. One way or another, he would find a way to get some time alone with her before she returned to Zora.
“Eurwen,” he called.
She poked her head out from around a bookshelf. “I thought you left.”
“You have company,” he answered.
She stared at him for a heartbeat before her gaze slid behind him to where Darius and Sophie had walked into the library. “I’ll be right down.”
Vaughn didn’t take his eyes from her as she made her way to the spiral staircase and descended the steps. She smiled in greeting to the couple she’d met earlier before Sophie had left to continue Jeyra’s exam.
“How are you doing?” Darius asked Eurwen. “I hope we’ve no’ overwhelmed you.”
She smiled easily and shrugged. “I expected it.”
“Expecting it and going through it are two different things,” Sophie said in her cultured British accent.
Eurwen nodded. “Too true. How did things go with Jeyra?”
“It’ll take a bit before I know specifics.”
Darius looked at his mate with pride. “Sophie is great at what she does.”
“It helps to have my own clinic,” she replied after giving Darius a quick kiss.
Eurwen asked, “Doesn’t that hamper things? Eventually, those in the area will realize you don’t age.”
“We’ll face that when the time comes,” Sophie said.
Darius glanced at Vaughn before telling Eurwen, “We were hoping you might be able to help us.”
“Help with what, exactly?” Eurwen asked.
Sophie clasped her hands in front of her. “You’re half-dragon, half-Fae. There’s much I could learn from you in hopes of helping any mates who might get with child.”
Eurwen’s gaze slid to Vaughn. She stared at him for a long minute before returning her attention to Sophie. “What do you want to do?”
“Take some blood, do some x-rays. That sort of thing,” Sophie said with a shrug.
Vaughn couldn’t shake the feeling that this wouldn’t go as well as Sophie hoped.
Eurwen nodded slowly. “Have you done those tests on the Dragon Kings here?”
“Well, no,” Sophie replied hesitantly.
“What about with Melisse?”
“I–I’ve not had the chan—”
“But you felt you could come to me with this?” Eurwen demanded in a soft voice so like Con’s.
Vaughn stepped forward to dispel the growing tension. “I believe Sophie was more interested in the fact that you’re from another realm.”
“My brother and I were conceived here,” Eurwen said flatly.
Darius shrugged. “By two powerful figures.”
“Are you saying that Sophie isn’t powerful?”
Vaughn held up his hand. “No one said that.”
Eurwen’s silver gaze slid to him. “Actually, that’s exactly what Darius said.”
“She has a point,” Sophie interjected.
Everyone looked at her.
A short laugh escaped Sophie’s lips as she eyed Darius. “You’re a Dragon King.”
“I’m your King,” he told her.
She smiled and touched his face gently. “That’s true, but I have no magic. I’m not a Druid or Fae. I’m just me.”
“You have skills,” he insisted. “Look how you can heal.”
“With medicine, not magic.” She shook her head and glanced at Eurwen. “Shara is Fae. Rhi isn’t only Fae, she’s royal. Several mates are Druids or have Druid blood in them somewhere. I have no power. Perhaps that’s why we’ve not been able to get pregnant.”
Vaughn was so shocked that his mouth fell open. “You’ve been trying? Even knowing what could happen?”
Darius nodded without looking at him.
