Page 75 of Dragon Mine (Dragon Kings 2)
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Vaughn watched the sunset from atop the mountain near Eurwen’s cottage. They had spent hours going over different strategies until a plan formed. His gaze tracked the various dragons as they flew all around him. He noted they liked to stay near Cairnkeep, and he couldn’t blame them.
“I wondered where you went,” Eurwen said as she walked up.
He glanced at her and smiled. “I didna expect to come to Zora for battle. I hope we didna bring this to your realm.”
Eurwen sighed loudly. “No doubt that’s exactly what my brother thinks, but I don’t believe it. Brandr even admitted that he’d felt something off for a few days, which meant it was before you came.”
“As in when Varek was brought here?”
“Maybe,” she answered with a shrug.
“Or once he got free of the mortals.”
Eurwen’s lips twisted. “Possibly.”
Vaughn nodded and returned his attention to the dragons. “On Earth, clans stayed together. It wasna that they were no’ allowed to mix, they just didna. Mainly because it was hard for any dragon no’ of that clan to fit in. Here, all colors mingle.”
“This is a different realm. The way things were on your planet was how they needed to be. When Brandr and I first came here, we learned from some of the eldest dragons that they began keeping clans separate because that’s how it had always been. Without Kings, however—”
“Things fell apart,” he finished.
She twisted her lips in a rueful smile. “Yes. Now, this is what works for them here.”
“I’ll never grow tired of watching and hearing them.”
Eurwen moved closer, her shoulder brushing his. “I’m glad you’re here. The generals and the army are good, but they aren’t Kings.”
“We’re going to figure out what’s going on,” Vaughn promised as he looked down at her.
“Yes, we will.”
They stood in silence for some time, watching the dragons. The sun descended behind the mountains, and the colorful sky gave way to a pale blue that finally faded to black. But Vaughn’s thoughts weren’t on the striking scenery.
“I think you should remove the doorway to Earth,” Vaughn said.
Eurwen’s head whipped to him. “Why?”
“We need to make sure the evil from our realm isna passing to this one.”
“Or can’t get from here to yours.”
Vaughn nodded once as he looked at her. “Exactly. Another doorway can be constructed later.”
“Should we send Claire and the bairn through first?”
“No.”
Her eyebrows shot up on her forehead. “If something’s here, Earth would be safer for them.”
“We doona know what’s here. No one has seen the infant, and it needs to stay that way until we can decipher what is going on.”
“In case whatever this is, tries to attach itself to the baby. Bloody hell. I didn’t even think of that.”
Vaughn glanced at the cottage. “Unfortunately, we’ve come across all kinds of evil. I’ve learned no’ to assume anything.”
“Apparently, I have a lot to learn.”
He reached for her hand. “I’m glad you’ve no’ had the battles we have. They leave scars that are hidden and never fully heal.”
“But when something does come, you know how to handle it. Look at all the battles the Kings have won.”
“Because we work together. We move as one cohesive unit.”
She grinned. “It also helps that you’re all excellent warriors.”
“Aye, it does,” he said with a chuckle.
“Give me a second,” she said before disappearing. A heartbeat later, she was back. “The doorway is gone.”
“It’s for the best.”
Her fingers found his again as her smile dropped. “We’ve had peace for many, many years. I foolishly believed we would always have it, simply by us not making the same mistakes as…”
Her voice trailed off. Vaughn looked at her and said, “As we did.”
“Yes,” she replied in a soft voice.
