Page 32 of Dragon Mine (Dragon Kings 2)
Chapter Twelve
There was a dozen different reasons Vaughn thought that Eurwen should come with him to Dreagan.
And a dozen why she wouldn’t.
He wanted to pace, fly, roar, do something. Instead, he stood calmly in the same spot she had been in when he, Rhi, and Con had emerged from the doorway the day before.
“You doona fool me,” Con said as he walked up beside him.
Vaughn looked at him and grinned. “Oh?”
“The stiller you are, the more torn-up you are inside.”
“When did you learn my secret?” Vaughn asked with a frown.
Con laughed and clasped his hands behind his back. “Long, long ago, brother. It’s what makes you so formidable as a lawyer.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“Rhi wanted to talk to Eurwen.”
Vaughn wrinkled his nose. “Is that good?”
“I can never guess these things. Rhi saw something, and she obviously believed it would be better if she were alone with Eurwen. Did last night go well?”
“I thought so. Now, I’m wondering if I was wrong.”
Con’s gaze locked on a trio of Violets flying in the distance and followed them. “There are many explanations for why Eurwen would refuse to go to Dreagan. The main one, I suspect, is Brandr.”
“Varek speaks highly of him.”
“I’d like to meet my son, but I’m no’ sure that will happen this trip.”
Vaughn turned his head to Con and waited until the King of Kings met his gaze. “Will you force it?”
“It would be beneficial to everyone if I didna. It’ll crush Rhi, but getting to spend even a little time with Eurwen will make up for it somewhat.”
“Maybe you and Rhi should take Eurwen to Dreagan,” Vaughn offered.
Con shook his head. “We’re going to remain in Zora. I want Brandr and the dragons to know that we’re no’ coming to take control.”
“I doona feel good about leaving you without backup,” Vaughn said as he faced Con.
“You think my son might challenge me?”
Vaughn’s brows rose. “He could.”
“If he does, he does.”
“You want to subject Rhi to witnessing a fight between her son and husband? Knowing that one will lose? What if it’s you? Then she dies. And if you kill Brandr? What would that do to your relationship?”
Con’s eyes lowered to the ground as he stayed silent for a time. “I know my words make it sound as if I’ve no’ considered any of this. I have. Rhi and I have spoken of it several times.”
“Speaking of it and being here are two different things.”
Finally, Con looked at him. “I’m no’ sure it’s sunk in with Rhi yet. But I became acutely aware of things when the Golds wouldna answer me.”
“You could’ve made them.”
Con smiled sadly. “Could I have? I’m no’ so sure. We may be Dragon Kings on Earth, but what are we on other realms? What are we here?”
“We’re Dragon Kings.”
He shook his head. “We’re dragons who can shift. Nothing more. Nothing less.”
“You and I both know that we Kings could take back control of the clans if we wanted.”
“Is that what you want?”
Vaughn hesitated, unsure of his answer.
“Exactly,” Con replied. “We want to return to normal, but after seeing the dragons, it’s hard to think of forcing them into a life they no longer know. The world we knew and loved, the one we fought for, is gone. The dragons we knew and loved, those we sent away to save them, are gone. They have a beautiful, protected place here. I willna take it from them. Nor will I allow anyone else to take it from them.”
Vaughn nodded in agreement. “What reason do we have to stay on Earth?”
“It’s our home. No being has more magic than us there. We’re the realm’s protectors. Perhaps that was what we were destined for all along.”
“Some Kings will want to live here.”
Con’s lips flattened. “My children willna accept that. The dragons willna accept that. Something has to be set up so the Kings and their mates can come for short periods of time, never interfering with how Eurwen and Brandr reign here.”
“Seems logical and fair. I hope the twins feel the same.”
