Page 50 of Dragon Eternal (Dragon Kings 4)
“They see death coming. For Tamlyn, she specifically sees the death approaching the children with magic.”
Nia pressed her lips together. “I see.”
“Do you want to meet them?”
“It wouldn’t matter if I did. I can’t leave.”
Shaw wanted to bellow his fury. “You can. You have the power. The only hold the Divine has over you are the words he’s put into your head all these years.”
“If I left with you, I’d be beholden to you.”
“Nay,” Shaw said with a shake of his head.
She smiled sadly. “It’s true, and you know it. I will have my freedom, but I’ll do it my way. With you.”
“What?” he asked, taken aback.
“You want to save the children, don’t you?”
“Aye, but—”
“And meet the Divine?”
“True, b—”
“Then you’re going to need my help,” she stated.
Shaw started to argue, but damn if she wasn’t right. “Just until you’re to bring me to him. Then you leave.”
“We’ll work out the details later.”
“No,” he said flatly. “Whatever we’re doing, we discuss it now where there are no’ any ears to overhear anything.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Good point. The plan is simple. We keep up what we’ve been doing. The spies will think you’re falling for me just as it’s supposed to happen. The soldiers will report that to the Divine. Then, it’s simply a matter of going to the citadel.”
“Which you willna accompany me to.”
Nia rolled her eyes. “I’m the only way you’ll get in.”
“No’ if I say you’re ill. It’ll happen at the last moment. Food poisoning, perhaps. You willna be there,” he repeated, letting her know in no uncertain terms that this was the only way he would proceed with the plan.
“All right.”
Her quick agreement didn’t fool him, but she wouldn’t change his mind. “You’ll have safely left the city with a King before I meet the Divine.”
“You mean Merrill?”
“He’ll remain in Stonemore. We’re being watched, too. We doona want to give anyone any ideas that we know what’s going on. It’ll probably be Cullen. He’s the closest, and he knows the city and woods.”
Nia released a breath. “That might work.”
“It will work. The Divine will try to use you against me. As long as you are no’ in the city, everything will work perfectly.”
“You sound very sure of yourself,” she said, perturbed.
He shrugged. “I am.”
“If this is going to work, then you have to stop using your magic on me.”
Shaw blinked, not sure he’d heard her correctly. “Lass, I’ve no’ used any magic on you.”
Nia stared at him for a long time before looking away and shrugging nonchalantly. “Just make sure you don’t.”
He was more confused than before. Why did she think he had been using magic? He wanted to ask, but she had already moved on.
“We’re going to have to be careful when we return. Not a word about any of this. You can’t act as if you know about my encounter with the priest. Nothing can change in how it was before we walked out of the city.”
Shaw nodded because he couldn’t form words as his rage enveloped him when he thought of the priests and Nia’s assault. He would be hard-pressed not to take out every priest and soldier who called the temple home.
“I’m serious, Shaw.”
He focused on Nia’s face when she said his name. He liked the sound of it on her lips. “You doona have to worry. I willna do anything that would harm you.”
“You recently discovered I was sent to seduce you, and now you’re protecting me?”
He grinned as he shrugged. “I’m a complicated man.”
“You also need to tell Merrill to be careful with who he talks to. Some are fanatical about the Divine, the priests, and the religion.”
“And their hatred of those with magic.”
“That, too. If they hear anything, they’ll report it.”
Shaw nodded his thanks. “I appreciate the heads-up. We’ve been through this enough times to know how it plays out.”
“How many times?”
“I’ve lost count.”
Her gaze raked him up and down. “You don’t look that old. You must have started early.”
“Something like that.”
Her brow furrowed. “How old are you?”
“A lot older than you think.”
