Page 66 of Dragon Eternal (Dragon Kings 4)
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
The sun had already set when Shaw descended the stairs to look for Nia. He looked out back first. His gaze immediately lifted. He could see only small slivers of the night sky through the thick vines of the climbing roses. Their scent hung heavy in the air while torches placed strategically around the perimeter offered light.
Shaw appreciated beauty like anyone, but he had to admit that he had never looked too hard at flowers before. He enjoyed them as anyone would, but now he viewed them differently. He would like to say it was because they were a different variety than he knew, or that it was because they grew on the mountain. But the real reason was because of how Nia’s face lit up whenever she saw them.
He could’ve sank into one of the chairs and remained outside, utterly content. There was a part of himself that demanded he do just that, but it was the other part of them, the more insistent one that urged him to find Nia. This was a dangerous game they played. The estate didn’t belong to Nia, nor were the servants hers. Everything they said and did was under scrutiny.
Shaw was used to this. Nia, too, to an extent. But that didn’t calm his worry or ease any of his concerns. In fact, it heightened both. One wrong move could cost Nia her life. That was what had him seeking her out. He needed to know she was all right.
He had to continue to remind himself that he was on another realm and that none of the Kings knew if they were the most powerful beings on the planet. The Divine might hate anyone with magic, but that didn’t necessarily mean he didn’t have magic himself. The council leader in Orgate had said the same thing, and he had been able to do magic. The Kings were wading into dark, turbulent waters with vicious currents that kept trying to knock them off their feet.
And this didn’t even include the new foe they sought.
Shaw crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head as he thought of the adversary—an invisible one, at that. He fought the urge not to call out to Erith and demand an explanation from her. But Death and her Reapers had their own issues at the moment. Still, Shaw suspected there would come a time where Erith would have to come to Zora.
Would she, though, was the question.
She had created the realm for the dragons, as a favor to the Kings. In his mind, she was responsible for the realm. No doubt others would argue that just because Erith created the realm didn’t mean she had any say in what went on with its occupants.
The hairs on the back of Shaw’s neck rose in warning. His advanced hearing picked up the sound of breathing. He recognized it as Sadie’s. Shaw dropped his arms to his sides and waited for the servant to come to him. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Sir?” she said as she came from the shadows.
He looked her way and quirked a brow. “Aye?”
“Is there anything I can get you?”
“I’m enjoying the night.”
Her brown gaze shifted upward as a smile pulled at her lips. “This is my favorite place on the entire estate.”
“I can see why. Have you always worked here?”
She glanced at him nervously. “I have. I was brought when I was very small.”
“You’ve done well for yourself then, working your way up.”
“I suppose you could say that.”
“Do you get out?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’ve gone with ma’am before, but I prefer to stay here.”
“It is beautiful.” He spotted the moon through the rose leaves.
“She’s happy. You make her happy.”
Shaw swung his gaze to her. “I’m glad.”
“There’s a sparkle in her eyes I’ve never seen before.” Sadie smiled and lowered her eyes. “Thank you for that. She deserves happiness.”
“Everyone deserves that.”
Sadie flashed him a soft smile and turned on her heel to leave.
