Chapter 25
“You did what?”
Eurwen winced as Eilish’s voice rang with astonishment and exasperation, directed at her mate.
Ulrik lifted his hands, palms out. “Sweetheart, please just listen.”
Eurwen looked between them as they stood inside the manor. The other couples and Kings had quickly vanished the moment Ulrik had told them that Vaughn was gone, and Eilish’s fury filled the house.
“When did he leave?” Eurwen asked Ulrik.
The King of Silvers turned his gold gaze to her. He studied her for a moment. “Last night.”
“Why did you send him to Zora?” Eilish demanded.
Ulrik briefly pressed his lips together. “At first, I thought Eurwen had already left. It wasna until I couldna find you on Dreagan that I realized you two might have gone somewhere together.”
“But you didn’t tell Vaughn that.” Eilish shook her head in agitation.
Ulrik blew out a breath. “All right. I can admit. I didna think this through.”
“It’s fine,” Eurwen said, cutting off Eilish before she could respond.
The Druid’s gaze met hers, silently asking if Eurwen were really okay.
Eurwen nodded and returned her attention to Ulrik. “Did Vaughn tell you?”
Thankfully, Ulrik didn’t play dumb about the situation. “He told me enough.”
“Sending him to my realm won’t change anything.”
Ulrik reached for Eilish’s hand. Their fingers tangled as they smiled at each other, the look full of love.
Ulrik’s gaze slid back to Eurwen. “As I’m sure my beautiful mate already told you, we’re a family here.
Vaughn is my brother. He’s hurting, and none of us will sit by and no’ do something to help. ”
“There isn’t anything for you to do,” Eurwen insisted.
Ulrik shrugged. “I disagree. Vaughn believes you’re his mate. A dragon willna live long once he’s found his mate if he can no’ have her.”
“I’m aware of that.”
Eilish tucked her hair behind her ear. “I think what Ulrik is attempting to say—badly—is that there may have been too much here for either of you to have any time alone together. Perhaps returning to Zora will give you both that. A chance to get to know each other better.”
The fact that Eurwen didn’t know what to do was a first. Did she remain at Dreagan and see more of the amazing property? Did she return to her world and Vaughn and the turmoil his arrival brought?
“We’ll give you some time,” Eilish said and started to turn away with Ulrik.
Eurwen stopped them. “Wait. Vaughn, Con, and Rhi mentioned something to me. Since they aren’t here, I thought I’d talk to you about it.”
“What’s that?” Ulrik asked.
“The Silvers.”
He blinked, his expression falling. “I see.”
“They’ve been caged for a long time,” she continued. “There is a place for them on Zora. If you so choose.”
Ulrik bowed his head in understanding, then walked away with Eilish.
With nothing else to do, Eurwen walked up the stairs and didn’t stop until she found herself in front of the door to Vaughn’s rooms. She had thought to sleep in his bed with him, to have his arms holding her once more. How could she want to be with someone and yet know that it was the wrong thing?
She put one hand on the wood and the other on the knob.
Eurwen closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.
As she released it, she opened the door.
She didn’t open her eyes until she stepped into the room and softly closed the door behind her.
She leaned against it and let her gaze move over the space.
It felt like a lifetime ago that she had stood in this exact spot with Vaughn, though it had only been a day.
She remembered his smile, the happiness reflected in his eyes.
They could’ve had a grand time at Dreagan.
She would’ve been free to do whatever she wanted without worrying about what Brandr might say or do.
Why had Vaughn spoken about mates? Why couldn’t he have just left things alone?
Because it wouldn’t have been fair to him. He wanted his mate. To hold onto what he had found. She would’ve done the same thing in his place.
Eurwen pushed away from the door and walked to Vaughn’s bed.
She ran her hand over his comforter. He was charming and gorgeous, and she liked how she felt when she was with him.
It was a dangerous combination. If her situation were different, she might even allow herself to believe that he was her mate.
The fact was, she had no idea.
If she returned to her realm, Vaughn would confront her once more. He would want answers. Answers she wasn’t prepared to give. Then there was Brandr. He would likely be furious to learn that she had left without telling him. On top of all of that, her parents were there.
Eurwen sat on the bed and curled up on her side. “What did I do?”
How could she know that by creating the doorway for her parents, she would let in a world of apprehension and possibly heartache for all involved? All she had wanted was for Con and Rhi to see that she and Brandr thrived and that the dragons had prospered.
She wanted to remain in Vaughn’s room forever, to hide away from everyone. But she couldn’t. She pushed up on her arm into a sitting position. Sooner or later, she would have to return to Zora and face her brother and Vaughn. The longer she put it off, the worse things would be.
Eurwen got to her feet and turned to smooth out the comforter before she took one last look at the chamber just in case she never returned.
Then she walked from the room and down the hall.
She didn’t meet anyone on the stairs or along the way as she left the manor to walk to the Dragonwood.
She opted not to teleport so she could savor the last few moments she had on Dreagan.
She had dreamed of being there for so long. Of experiencing all that was the dragons and magic and Kings. It had far exceeded her expectations, and she hoped that she was able to return and soak up more of it. She longed to shift and fly over the mountains, looking at them from above.
Once in the trees, she slowed her steps even more. She meandered through the thick woods, listening to the birds and the other wildlife. All too soon, she stood before the doorway. She stared at it for a long time, wondering what awaited her on the other side.
The snap of a branch yanked her attention to the side and her gaze collided with Shara’s.
Eurwen was surprised to see the Fae. She was one of the few Dark Fae who had turned Light.
Usually, it was Light who turned Dark. So much so, that many Dark assumed they could never return to being a Light Fae.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Shara said in the Irish accent all Fae possessed.
Eurwen smiled in greeting. “I was lost in thought.”
“I noticed.” Shara tossed aside the stick she had been holding and straightened from where she reclined against the tree.
The thick silver stripe on the left side of her long, inky hair was all that remained to prove that she had once been Dark.
“I’m sure it seems like I was lurking, waiting for you. ”
Eurwen raised her brows. “Were you?”
“I was,” Shara admitted with a smile.
They shared a laugh.
Shara walked towards her. “Are you going back already?”
“Yes.”
“That’s too bad. I hoped you’d stay longer. And I’m not the only one. Though, I’m sure you want to spend more time with Con and Rhi.”
Eurwen inwardly winced. She hadn’t thought too much about her parents. Thoughts of Vaughn and the conflicting emotions within her occupied her mind.
“I’ve heard from some Halflings that it’s difficult being from both the Fae and human worlds. I can only imagine it’s worse for you, coming from such worlds as you do,” Shara said into the silence.
“You could say that.”
The Fae’s silver eyes were filled with kindness. “You have friends here. Given who you are, Con and Rhi will ensure that you and your brother are always welcome.”
“Things are complicated.”
Shara shook her head. “No, they aren’t. We’re the ones who muddle things. Things can be as simple or as complicated as we want them to be. I hope you return soon.”
With a wave, the Fae teleported away.
Eurwen considered Shara’s words long after she was gone. There was truth to them. If she didn’t want a complicated situation, then she shouldn’t allow it to become so. She was in charge of her life. She could decide who she spent time with. It was no one’s decision but hers.
She felt infinitely better when she stepped through the doorway.
However, the minute she returned to her realm, she frowned.
Something dark and sinister rushed through her upon entering.
It had been only a flash, but she was sure she had felt it.
Yet, now that she looked for it, she couldn’t sense anything.
Eurwen looked around. Nothing seemed out of place. But she knew what she had felt.
“Brandr,” she said, calling for her brother.
The sound of dragons filled her ears. Eurwen sighed, not realizing until that moment how much she had missed their roars. Earth wasn’t silent, but its noises were the human kind. The more time passed without Brandr answering, the more concerned Eurwen got.
“Brandr,” she said through their mental link.
“Finally back?”
There was no denying his irritation. “I just came through the doorway. I felt something…off.”
“I’m aware of it.”
That made her frown. “For how long?”
“A wee bit.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I assumed you felt it, as well.”
She breathed out her anger, trying to stay calm. “Why didn’t you talk to me about it?”
“Maybe the same reason you didna tell me about Vaughn. Or about going to Dreagan.”
“You’re cross with me.”
“What I am, Eurwen, is doing my duty. Something you might want to remember.”
He severed the link before she could reply.
Eurwen was just furious enough to immediately reopen it, but it wouldn’t serve either of them.
This wasn’t the first tiff she and Brandr had had, and it wouldn’t be the last. They knew when not to push each other.
This time, she relented to give him time to calm down.
Hopefully, he would.
Eurwen started to teleport to her cottage before she remembered V and Claire. She didn’t want to disturb the couple. She didn’t know if the bairn had come yet, but it was better to let them be for the moment.
She didn’t want to go to Brandr’s, either.
Eurwen sighed and began walking in an effort to burn off some anxiety.
When that didn’t help, she shifted and took to the skies.
As she flew among the other dragons, she wanted to tell them how lucky they were.
She couldn’t stop thinking of the sleeping Silvers at Dreagan, or the Kings themselves, who couldn’t be in their true forms until night had fallen.
Of all the things she had expected to learn from her parents and the others at Dreagan, it wasn’t how to empathize with the Kings and the decisions they had made. For all she knew, she would’ve made the same ones had she been in their shoes.
As she flew, she searched for Vaughn. The longer she went without seeing him, the more worried she became that he had left. Her stomach clutched painfully. It was a hollow ache, one born of angst and worry. The more those emotions grew, the more her stomach churned nauseously.
Finally, she saw the loch where she and Vaughn had spoken. Eurwen landed and returned to human form to sit on the rocky bank and watch the water lazily lap at the beach. The sun glittered like diamonds on the water while a soft breeze teased her hair.
The beat of wings drew her gaze skyward.
The instant she caught sight of teal scales, her heart skipped a beat.
This was the first time she was getting to see Vaughn’s dragon form.
She jumped to her feet as Vaughn circled her.
She took in the sight of him, noting how his scales darkened on his back where a semi-transparent membrane crest ran down his spine.
He landed softly, belying his huge form. Deep-set yellow eyes stared at her. Bony knobs surrounded his mouth where his lips covered his large teeth. His wings tucked against his side and his tail, with its axe–like extension, curled around him.
There was no denying the pleasure she felt at seeing him in his true form. His nearness immediately brightened her mood. A strong woman would look deeper at those emotions. But Eurwen didn’t want to think about any of that right now.
Suddenly, he shifted into human form. Her gaze raked his naked body. She paused to look at his tat again. A shiver ran through her as she recalled how his fingers had softly caressed her spine down her dragon tattoo.
Despite everything she had said to Ulrik and Eilish—and even herself—all she wanted was to kiss Vaughn. To feel his arms wrapping around her. To be near him.