Page 34 of Dragon Mine (Dragon Kings 2)
“How do you leave?” she asked in wonder.
He shrugged. “It isna easy. I think it’s knowing that we can return that allows us the ability to leave.”
“This is where you came after you sent the dragons away?”
He pointed to the mountains surrounding them. “Dreagan is sixty thousand acres. Most of it is comprised of mountains. Each of the Kings has their own mountain, a place we go to be alone. For many of us, we slept away centuries. Only two Kings never slept.”
“Which ones?”
“Ulrik. And your father.”
Her lips twisted. “Somehow, I knew Con would be one of them.”
“He takes his duties as King of Kings seriously. He’s always protected us, Dreagan, and the world.”
“Including the humans, even though it meant sending the dragons away.”
Vaughn sighed as he nodded slowly and looked to his mountain. “That’s right.”
“You were right, you know.”
He jerked his head to her. “About what?”
“Telling me that just because I heard the story didn’t mean I knew what happened. Or how it made any of you feel.”
“I’m sure Erith did her best while sharing the story.”
“I’d like to hear it from you. If you want to tell me.”
He flashed her a smile. “I doona like to talk about it. None of us do. But you have a right to know. All the dragons have a right to know everything.”
“I agree.”
“There is something I’d like from you, though.”
Her lips curved. “What would that be?”
“For you to explain why you and your brother hate us so much.”
“I think you deserve to know. Brandr might not agree with me, but he hasn’t agreed with me in some time.”
Vaughn turned her toward him. “You’re twins, siblings. For the longest time, it was only the two of you. Whatever created the rift surely can be mended.”
“I’ll make sure of it,” she said with a nod.
Vaughn glanced to Varek and Jeyra, who were almost to the manor. “Are you ready? There will be a lot of people. We could bypass them, and you could teleport us to my room.”
She laughed, her face lighting up. “I want to do this properly.”
“Then proper it is,” he said as they faced the manor and began walking.
