Page 8 of Dragon Eternal (Dragon Kings 4)
Nia’s knees went weak, forcing her to drop the missive and grab hold of the table. The paper re-rolled and rocked gently back and forth before going still. She stared at it while her mind stayed stuck on: Dragon Kings. Two were in the city. Only a short week ago, a dragon had terrified everyone by flying over Stonemore. Now, two Kings were here? Why?
Her legs steadied enough that she could stand, but she remained bent over. Partly because her dream was nearly in her grasp. Yet, a tiny voice in the back of her mind reminded her what hadn’t been in the note from the Divine—what would happen if she failed. Nia knew what that was. She’d be killed.
She had seen the Divine take many others’ lives, those who failed in whatever mission they had been sent on. To Nia, there was no other option. She would succeed. She had to. Her freedom was right there, so close she could almost taste it. Despite the rampant fear she felt for anyone with magic, much less a Dragon King, she would find a way to achieve what the Divine asked.
The taste of freedom was so strong it overshadowed her terror. She would be able to choose what she wore and whether she wanted to take anyone to her bed again. She could also leave Stonemore. She was dizzy from all the thoughts rushing through her mind, visions of the future she had dreamed of being so close she could almost touch it.
Nia straightened and whirled around to hurry to her chamber across the hall. She went to the wardrobe and looked through the dozens of items until she found the one she wanted. After ringing for Sadie, she kicked off her shoes and sank onto the stool before her vanity.
“I’m going out,” she told Sadie when the servant arrived. “I have to look my best.”
Sadie didn’t ask questions as the two of them got to work. In less than an hour, Nia stood in front of the mirror, examining herself. She ran her hands down the dark blue tunic that showcased her small waist while the plunging neckline showed her full breasts. The cuffs of the long sleeves were embroidered with silver roses. The dark blue skirt brushed the tops of her sandaled feet and molded to her hips. The long length of her brunette waves was gathered artfully away from her face to fall down her back.
“You’re stunning, ma’am,” Sadie said as she gazed wistfully at Nia’s reflection.
Nia touched her hair. “You’re amazing with what you do with my hair. Thank you.”
“I love hair. It’s my favorite thing.”
Nia wished she had something she loved to do. She shoved aside that thought. There would be time to figure that out once she had her freedom. For now, she needed to focus on the task at hand. She wasn’t worried about seducing the Dragon King. No man or woman yet could say no to her. The tough part would be hiding her fear. But she would manage.
The worst part would be getting the King to the Divine. It might be one of the hardest tasks she had been given, but Nia didn’t know how to quit. There wasn’t a time limit, so she would keep at the King until she had him eating out of her hand. Then she would deliver him to the Divine. After that, she didn’t care what happened. She would have succeeded. Which meant she would be free.
The instant that happened, she was getting as far from Stonemore as possible. She didn’t care where. If she never saw the city again, it would be too soon.
The sun hung over the horizon by the time Nia left the house. She used her carriage to take her to the gate that separated the upper levels from the lower. From there, she disembarked and waved her driver away. If things went as planned, she wouldn’t need her carriage tonight.
Nia nodded to the soldiers guarding the upper levels as she left behind the luxurious homes and shops and mingled with what the wealthy described as trash. It was laughable since Nia knew that some of those so-called wealthy had once lived in the lower parts of the city. She had come from such beginnings. But no one ever mentioned that. It was as if they wanted to ignore where they had come from.
She refused to forget. Her mother had done the best she could, and she had been good to them. She’d taught her children to be good, and to do good. One day, Nia would be able to be all the things her mother had wanted for her. For now, she was still surviving.
The unease from earlier returned, and she tried to shove it aside. She was good at that. Usually. But she kept thinking about there being Dragon Kings in the city. It would take every ounce of skill she had to complete the task ahead. There was a time and a place to give in to emotions, but now wasn’t one of them. She had to be at the top of her game. Once she found the Kings, anyway. The Divine’s missive hadn’t said where they were or what they looked like. Only that there was no mistaking them. That meant they must be easy to find. At least, that’s what Nia hoped.
She hadn’t gotten into her finest dress to waste a night. She would track down the Kings. The first one she saw would be her target.
She meandered through the lower levels for over an hour without finding them. Had the Divine set her up? Was this some trick? The Divine had connections that astounded Nia, but that didn’t mean the Divine could determine when a Dragon King entered Stonemore. What would a King be doing there anyway?
Nia found herself near the temple. The priests watched her as they came in and out of the building. The way they stared at her with lust in their eyes turned her stomach. She was used to men gazing at her with licentious thoughts, but there had always been something about the priests that put her on edge from an early age.
She paused and remained in the courtyard, moving as far away from the temple—and the priests—as she could. Finally, the group of them began to disperse. Just as she was releasing a breath of relief, two soldier priests looked her way. Nia kicked herself for staying in hopes they would lose interest. The priests and soldier priests ran the city. Even the Divine was hesitant to step in where they were concerned.
Nia usually made sure to keep far away from the priests and soldiers. The worst thing would be to let them know they’d made her uncomfortable. These men liked their power. All men did, but these even more so. She wondered if they would feel so powerful if they were castrated.
The closer the soldier priests came to her, the more she wanted to flee. Images of a horrible night flashed in her mind. She had been frozen, unable to move. Because if she did, she would start screaming. She knew better than to get close to the temple. But it was too late now. They had her in their sights.
She was so lost in thought that it took her a moment to realize that a large form had moved closer. He said nothing, just stood near her, staring at the soldier priests. She kept her gaze on the soldiers and her attention on the man. Eventually, the two soldiers paused and turned to walk away. Shock went through her. She didn’t know why such good fortune had come her way, but she wasn’t going to concern herself with it. The soldiers never did anything like that. If they wanted something—or someone—they got what they wanted. Always.
Nia breathed easier when the soldier priests no longer watched her. She finally turned to face the man. He casually leaned his tall form against the wall, but nothing about him was laidback. She gazed at his profile and strong jaw and then moved down to his beige shirt and black pants. He still stared intently at the soldier priests with his arms crossed over his chest—as if daring them to walk closer. If that unwavering gaze had captured her like that, she would’ve stopped in her tracks, too. There was something about him. Some essence that let others know not to mess with him.
He turned his head to her. She found herself gazing into the most amazing green eyes when he did. They were a vibrant green ringed with a deep green. The only other time she had seen that color was on a fern. Thick, black lashes framed his eyes and drew her gaze up to black brows. His face had a rugged look, one that might almost be considered harsh but somehow worked perfectly with his wide lips and stubborn chin.
His hair was as black as night and just brushed the tops of his shoulders. She wondered if the thick strands were as silky as they looked. That thought fell away when he turned to her more fully, and she got a glimpse of his broad shoulders. Tall and strapping. Nothing about him was polished. His raw masculinity made her blood heat. She couldn’t catch her breath.
Or stop looking at him.
This man wasn’t just handsome, he was appealing in ways she couldn’t begin to name. Her targets had been attractive a few times, but she had never met anyone like him. One side of his lips curved into a smile, and she realized that she had been staring. Nia inwardly shook herself. She didn’t have time for this. She had to find herself a Dragon King.
“You look calmer now.”
