Page 86 of Dragon Eternal (Dragon Kings 4)
The atmosphere of the city had changed. Merrill walked from the bar onto the street. Mothers hurried their children into buildings. Men kept their gazes on the ground, seemingly too afraid to meet anyone’s eye.
And the soldiers watched all of it with gleeful enjoyment.
The resentment inside Merrill festered. The best thing for everyone would be for him to find his mountain on Dreagan and sleep. Too bad for everyone in Stonemore that couldn’t happen. Merrill looked at the sky. It appeared as if someone had drawn a horizontal line. Above it was a deep blue. Below it, everything was vibrant orange and coral. It didn’t last long as the mountains swallowed the last bit of sun, devouring it and sending them into darkness.
Merrill had never minded shadows or the night. They hid so very much. Monsters lived in the dark. If Stonemore wanted to see a monster, he would show them one.
His head swiveled so he regarded the citadel. Shaw and Nia were there. He should be with Shaw, not waiting for something to happen so he could join the battle. Because there would be combat. No ruler lined the streets with soldiers without preparing for a fight.
Merrill suddenly realized that he was alone on the street with the soldiers. The door of the pub behind him slammed shut with finality. He smiled as he dropped his gaze to the soldiers. Their fear and apprehension filled the air.
“This is almost too easy,” he murmured.
