Page 9 of Dragon Eternal (Dragon Kings 4)
She reached for the wall beside her at the sound of his amazing accent. It was deep and oddly lilting, and his vowels were pronounced in a way she had never heard before. She needed to hear more of it. “Excuse me?”
He jerked his chin to the soldiers. “You looked anxious. I’m new to the city. I hope I didna overstep.”
Did he just mesh the did and not into one word? It almost sounded like didna instead of didn’t. She stared at him, trying to think of something to say so he would keep talking.
His smile faltered. “I must have.”
“No,” she hastily said. “You didn’t overstep. I apologize. I’m flustered. I’m usually here with my maid, but she wasn’t feeling well. I thought I could come alone.”
“You should be able to move about in your own city.”
She smiled when he said about as aboot. Where was he from? “We should, yes.”
His eyes crinkled at the corners.
She glanced at her feet. The strange sensation in her belly made her want to giggle, something she had never done in her life. She smiled warmly. “Thank you for your assistance. I’m Nia.”
“My name is Shaw,” he replied with a bow of his head.
Her knees nearly buckled when she heard the name. This was Shaw? A Dragon King. She was actually standing in front of a magical being—the most powerful on the realm. He looked normal. He spoke normally, but she knew that he was anything but.
Get control of yourself before he notices, she chided herself. After everything she had endured, Fate owed her one. Nothing had ever fallen so easily into her lap.
That voice. That face. Will it really be that much of a hardship to seduce him?
The answer was a resounding no.
If she could get past the deep-rooted fear.
“Lass?” he asked with a frown. “You’ve gone pale.”
Nia swallowed and turned to her years of training to school her features. “I’m still a little shaken. Would you mind walking me past the temple? I think if I had a drink of something it might settle my nerves.”
He pushed away from the wall and towered over her. “Of course. I’ll take you anywhere you wish to go.”
If only she didn’t know who he was. If she didn’t, she could almost believe he would protect her against anyone. He had that kind of quality about him. But she did know. And that was the problem. She swallowed, not having to fake being upset. “I like to walk. It probably wasn’t wise to come alone.”
“I take it you doona live on this level.”
She shook her head, lulled by his voice. “I live on the sixth.”
“I’ll make sure you safely get wherever you wish.”
A stranger to the city. One that compelled the soldier priests to turn away. A man who had an air about him that was different than anyone she’d ever encountered. Even if she hadn’t known his name, she would’ve guessed him to be a Dragon King.
She had found him by accident, but now that she had, she couldn’t let him go—even if she wished she could. “A drink first, if you don’t mind.”
“Right this way.”
He walked her to a café. It was farther down the street as if he were conscious about getting her away from the temple. She was thankful for that, at least. It made her curious about him. Was he being nice to get something? Or was this just who he was?
Once they were seated and she had ordered for them, she turned to him. He was so close, she could reach out and touch him. His nearness both calmed and flustered her. Just as her excitement to have found the King warred with her panic at being near him. The two emotions swirled within her, neither gaining ground.
His fern green eyes held hers. No longer did he look as if he were about to murder someone. His expression wasn’t exactly soft, but it had softened. The way he drank her in wasn’t something new to her, but the sensations it caused certainly were. She had never experienced desire before.
But she suspected that was exactly what she felt.
“Why do you no’ like them?” Shaw asked.
She folded her hands in her lap and didn’t pretend not to know who he referred to. “I never said I didn’t.”
He quirked a brow, not buying her words. “It was written on your face.”
“They make me uncomfortable. They always have.”
He studied her for a moment, his fern green eyes steady on her face. “It’s because you innately know there are things about them that are no’ what they seem.”
“I never thought about it like that.” Was she really hanging on his every word? What was wrong with her?
Why was she even questioning it? Shouldn’t she be happy that she liked conversing with him?
Shaw was still and comfortable, while she felt as if she were about to jump out of her skin. He unsettled her. She needed to change the topic and put it back on him. “Where are you from?”
“Far from here.”
He glanced away, and in that moment, she saw how he sized up the room and the occupants with one look. Anyone who had been staring at him hastily looked away. No one even dared to look her way.
She fought to hide her smile. Did everyone realize who he was? Or was it just the look he gave them? Probably a little of both.
“You’ve traveled far, then. Why come to Stonemore?” she pressed.
“I suppose you could say that Fate led me here.”
Nia grinned. “Fate has a way of doing things we don’t plan.”
