Page 85 of Dragon Mine (Dragon Kings 2)
Chapter Thirty-Two
The longer Eurwen went without being able to control her limbs, the more concerned she became.
And the more certain she was that someone was with her.
She called to her Fae magic without success. She called to her dragon magic and felt a small stirring, but not enough to do anything. But she wouldn’t give up. People were out there, searching for her.
Her mind went to Vaughn. She thought of how easy it was to be with him. She’d never get tired of staring into his eyes, the color so unusual and stunning. And his laugh. He had the best laugh. Then there was the way desire took them. There was no ignoring it, no denying it. Even that first night so long ago with the Celts, she had known that what they’d experienced was special.
But she hadn’t gone to him. Hadn’t allowed herself to even contemplate what could be.
Still, Vaughn hadn’t given up on her. No doubt he was hurt that she had let untold lifetimes pass without contacting him. It wasn’t as easy as he believed. She’d thought of him every day. In order to not give in to her body—or heart—she didn’t go to Earth.
The times she did, she found herself near Dreagan in hopes of seeing him. When she didn’t, she was relieved. Because she had known even then that she wouldn’t have been able to stay away. With every trip where she didn’t see him, she was able to keep her secret from Brandr—and keep lying to herself.
Emotion choked Eurwen. She had been lying. She knew that she wanted to be with Vaughn. Knew she wanted that connection between mates. Not following her heart had led her to centuries of melancholy and unrest, all because she realized that Brandr would fight her about a Dragon King on Zora. And she couldn’t live on Earth.
Admitting the truth to herself still didn’t work out the problems. Even if she got away from the entity holding her, she didn’t want to ask Vaughn to give up his realm. And she didn’t want to give up hers. How could they have a relationship if they couldn’t even work out where to live?
Then there was Brandr. He might have relented and allowed Con and the others to aid in the hunt for who’d attacked Nundro, but that didn’t mean her brother’s will had softened when it came to the Kings. Her lying about Vaughn, creating the doorway so their parents could come through, and then going to Dreagan without telling him had created a wedge between them. One she wasn’t sure could be mended.
Brandr had never been so cold to her before. For the majority of their lives, they’d only had each other. They were each other’s family. It didn’t matter that they had parents, because Rhi and Con hadn’t been there when they were growing up or when they found Zora. There was even a point where they hadn’t wanted anything from Erith. The goddess hadn’t pushed them, even though she could have.
Now, Eurwen wondered if Erith should have pushed them. But that would be blaming someone else. She and Brandr had made the decisions and taken action. They were the ones to blame for not knowing their parents or the Dragon Kings. At one time, the anger she and Brandr had felt had driven all of their decisions. Now, looking back, Eurwen saw how petty and childish it all was.
Fear clawed at her because she wasn’t sure she would get a chance to tell Vaughn or her parents how she really felt, regardless of what her brother thought. She shouldn’t worry about admitting what was in her heart just because it might upset Brandr. And he should do the same.
When had everything become so confusing? Eurwen screamed Vaughn’s name in her head, anxious to get to him.
That’s when she heard the laughter.
* * *
The sight of multiple dragons lying dead was all too familiar to Vaughn. There was scorched earth everywhere, the product of dragon fire. Constantine was on the ground in human form, leaning over someone. Varek went one way, and V the other, searching for the culprits.
Vaughn saw a Red struggling to get to its feet. He landed beside it. “Wait. Con can heal you.”
The Red turned its white eyes to him and slowly lay on the ground, its breath laborious. “So much pain,” said the male.
“Be easy. It willna be long,” Vaughn said. Then he shouted, “Con!”
When Con didn’t reply, Vaughn looked at him to find the King of Kings leaning over Brandr.
No, Vaughn thought. Eurwen and Brandr couldn’t both be hurt. He watched Brandr, silently willing him to move. Then Brandr’s arm lifted to rub at his brow. Relief surged through Vaughn. Con then rose and hurried to him and the Red.
“Just relax,” Con told the Red as he approached and put his hand over one of the many wounds.
Vaughn backed away and shifted to human form while looking for other survivors. Unfortunately, the rest of the dragons were dead. Including all four generals. Vaughn turned his head to Brandr, who sat with his legs bent and his elbows resting on his knees as his hands held his head.
“Shite,” V said in Vaughn’s head. “Something terrible happened here.”
Varek circled above Vaughn. “It’s a good thing Con was here.”
“Do either of you see anything?” Vaughn asked.
“No’ a bloody thing,” V replied.
Con finished with the Red. The dragon got to his feet and bowed his head to Con and then Vaughn before flying away. Con turned to Vaughn as V and Varek landed behind him and shifted.
“What happened?” Vaughn asked.
Con ran a hand down his face, showing his weariness. “I had a difficult time tracking Brandr because he didna want to be found. I heard the dragons’ screams of pain. That’s what led me here. I saw Brandr and his generals breathing fire in all directions while hovering over these fallen dragons.
“Did you see anyone?” Varek asked Brandr.
Brandr got to his feet and walked to them. “There wasna anyone to see. But we were attacked. One by one, my generals fell. I watched them plummet from the sky as I continued looking for the enemy.”
The anger and remorse in Brandr’s words and on his face was something every King had experienced.
