Page 80 of Dragon Eternal (Dragon Kings 4)
Eurwen stood outside on the cliff at Cairnkeep and exchanged concerned looks with her mate, Vaughn, and her parents. “We didn’t want a war.”
“Where’s Brandr?” Con asked, his black eyes searching for his son.
Vaughn shrugged. “He’s been patrolling. He knows what’s going on.”
“He should be here,” Con stated.
Rhi touched his arm, her face grim. “Our son knows what’s at stake. You can communicate without him having to be here.”
“What if the Divine tries to attack Shaw and Merrill?” Eurwen asked.
Vaughn crossed his arms over his chest. “That would be stupid.”
“There’s magic being used there,” Rhi reminded them.
Con shook his head of blond hair as his nostrils flared, a sign that he was furious. “I’d feel better if Brandr were here.”
“We have the Kings. And the four of us are here,” Vaughn reminded them. “Let’s no’ forget that Cullen is close to Stonemore.”
Rhi shoved a lock of black hair from her face. “Two Kings are in Stonemore. That should be enough to make any human tremble with fear. Though I find it ironic that the one King who hates to talk is the one going before this leader.”
“It should’ve been Merrill. He’s the calmer of the two. But what’s done is done,” Vaughn said.
Eurwen looked around at the dragons. She didn’t want a war. Everything she and Brandr had done was to prevent that from happening. How had they come to this?
“It hasn’t happened yet,” Rhi said as she came to stand beside Eurwen. “There’s no use worrying about it until it happens.”
Eurwen looked from her mother to her mate. “It’s an eventuality. I just have to accept that.”
“It willna be a long war. That, I can promise,” Vaughn replied.
Con nodded before storming away. “We need to ready everyone.”
Eurwen called Brandr’s name in her mind once more. “Enough, brother. You answer me soon, or I’m coming to find you.”
* * *
Brandr paused in his trek. He looked over his shoulder and gazed in Eurwen’s direction. He knew that tone in her voice. She would make good on her threat. They might need him if the Divine decided to attack the Dragon Kings. It was his duty to stand next to his sister. She had Vaughn now, though. Con, Rhi, and the other Kings would also rush to aid Merrill and Shaw if it came to it.
“Brandr!”
“I’m here,”he answered.
“You’re needed at Cairnkeep. When are you coming back?”
He hesitated a little too long.
Eurwen sighed loudly. “Do I need to be worried?”
“No.”
“That means yes. Tell me what’s going on. Please.”
Brandr squeezed his eyes closed for a moment. He didn’t want to tell her, but he’d known it was only a matter of time before she demanded a reply. “I’m getting answers.”
“Bloody hell,” she gasped. “You’re with the humans.”
“We both know we should’ve done this a long time ago. I’m correcting that mistake.”
“You shouldn’t be alone.”
“That’s exactly what I should be.”
She was silent for a heartbeat. “And if you run into our new enemy? Or what if you encounter others with magic who attack?”
“Then I’ll deal with it. I have to do this, sis.”
“I know,”she said softly. “Stay in touch, or I will come looking for you.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “I will.”
Brandr severed the link. Eurwen was used to him disappearing for long periods of time. She would halt anyone’s questions about his absence. For now. The last thing she wanted was war, so Eurwen would make sure that no matter what happened at Stonemore, the killing stopped.
Brandr wondered if it would’ve been better if only Eurwen ruled. It wasn’t the first time he’d had that thought. He slowly faced forward. He hadn’t answered anyone who’d communicated with him, but at least he knew what was going on. There was no doubt in his mind that the dragons would triumph.
Unless the unknown adversary made an appearance.
His hand curled into a fist. The attack on him had been the first, and it wasn’t a good experience. Con and the Kings had been in battle after battle since they’d first become Kings. Eurwen and Brandr had lived in relative peace since arriving on Zora. But all of that was about to change.
“Unless I stop it.”
He lifted his chin and kept walking.
