Page 7 of Dragon Eternal (Dragon Kings 4)
CHAPTERTHREE
Nothing had turned out like she’d expected. Then again, Nia had learned to adjust to the changes and use them to her advantage. She had come a long way from the young girl starving in the streets. Few could have turned things around as she had, but that happened when you grasped any change as good.
She sat in her opulent rooms on the sixth level of Stonemore and stared at the rolled missive in her hand. It was a new directive from the Divine. Usually, Nia opened them immediately, but something about this one sent a chill of foreboding down her spine when it had been placed in her hand. Not only did she not want to open it, but she also didn’t want it anywhere near her.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have a choice.
Many told her she’d never had a choice. Not from the instant the Divine picked her out of the crowd that fateful day. The truth was, she hadn’t. She had done what she had to do to survive. That didn’t mean she didn’t have dreams. It simply meant that she understood where she was in the pecking order.
Nia set the message on the table and rose. She poured herself her favorite tea—jasmine rose—and added honey before stirring. She intentionally kept her gaze from the table…and the note. After stirring the tea, she moved to one of the second-floor office’s large windows. They were her favorite part of the estate with their magnificent views.
During her downtime, she was never far from them. Whether just sitting beside the windows in a large, comfortable chair while reading, opening them to let in the breeze, or simply gazing out—as she did now—she soaked up every opportunity.
Because she had spent years without any windows.
The door to the room opened as Sadie entered, carrying a vase with freshly cut roses from the garden. The heady scent filled the room. Nia loved all flowers, but she had a fondness for roses. When the Divine had granted her access to the estate, the first thing she had done was add a garden.
“Ma’am? Are you feeling well? You look pale,” Sadie said.
Nia shook her head. She never spoke about her thoughts with anyone, much less one of the servants. “I’m fine.” When Sadie turned to leave, Nia called out her name. “Are you happy here?”
“You treat us very well, ma’am,” the slave replied with a smile. “Much better than my last master.”
Nia swallowed her anger. “The man who raped you.”
“He used all of us. It was his right.”
His right. That was horse shite, but Nia didn’t voice her thoughts.
“You give us all hope, ma’am,” Sadie continued. “You were once just like us. Now look at you. You have your own estate.”
Nia forced a smile. Neither mentioned that she was just as much a slave as Sadie. The only difference was that Nia didn’t work for anyone but the Divine. Still, the Divine had complete control.
Sadie smiled again and departed, the door closing softly behind her. Nia returned her attention to the window. A soft breeze rustled through the trees below her. Her gaze moved to the forest beyond, but it was too far away. She couldn’t tell if the limbs moved. Her thoughts bounced around from one inconsequential thing to another until she’d finished her tea.
Her heart thudded against her ribs. She debated getting another cup, but she could only hold off the inevitable for so long. Slowly, she turned and retraced her steps to the table. She gently set the delicate teacup on the tray and straightened, her gaze locked on the missive. She let out a sigh as she reached for it.
It had been years since her fingers had fumbled so to unroll the paper. And all the while, she kept thinking that she might be worried for nothing. It was probably a visiting merchant from another city, and the Divine wanted to make sure they had a proper evening. Sometimes, she didn’t even have to use her body. Occasionally, the men and women simply wanted someone to talk with or to hold.
Nia knew all about loneliness. She had suffered from it greatly in her early years when she’d yearned for her siblings and her mother. She’d eventually grown out of it. Much later, she learned the significance of having time alone. If she had a choice, she would suffer the loneliness to be self-sufficient and make her own decisions. The ability to not have to answer to anyone ever again. That was her ultimate goal.
Somehow, someway she would make it happen.
She focused on the bold script and began to read.
My dearest Nia,
I know I said that you had a month off, but something has come up. Something, I daresay, that will interest you. Two Dragon Kings are in Stonemore. Merrill and Shaw. There is no mistaking them. They aren’t dressed as one of us. Search them out. Pick one—your choice. Use all your skills to seduce him until he is in love with you.
Then, bring him to me.
If you succeed, I’ll grant your greatest desire: your freedom.
D
