Chapter 28
Vaughn watched the sunset from atop the mountain near Eurwen’s cottage. They had spent hours going over different strategies until a plan formed. His gaze tracked the various dragons as they flew all around him. He noted they liked to stay near Cairnkeep, and he couldn’t blame them.
“I wondered where you went,” Eurwen said as she walked up.
He glanced at her and smiled. “I didna expect to come to Zora for battle. I hope we didna bring this to your realm.”
Eurwen sighed loudly. “No doubt that’s exactly what my brother thinks, but I don’t believe it. Brandr even admitted that he’d felt something off for a few days, which meant it was before you came.”
“As in when Varek was brought here?”
“Maybe,” she answered with a shrug.
“Or once he got free of the mortals.”
Eurwen’s lips twisted. “Possibly.”
Vaughn nodded and returned his attention to the dragons. “On Earth, clans stayed together. It wasna that they were no’ allowed to mix, they just didna. Mainly because it was hard for any dragon no’ of that clan to fit in. Here, all colors mingle.”
“This is a different realm. The way things were on your planet was how they needed to be. When Brandr and I first came here, we learned from some of the eldest dragons that they began keeping clans separate because that’s how it had always been. Without Kings, however—”
“Things fell apart,” he finished.
She twisted her lips in a rueful smile. “Yes. Now, this is what works for them here.”
“I’ll never grow tired of watching and hearing them.”
Eurwen moved closer, her shoulder brushing his. “I’m glad you’re here. The generals and the army are good, but they aren’t Kings.”
“We’re going to figure out what’s going on,” Vaughn promised as he looked down at her.
“Yes, we will.”
They stood in silence for some time, watching the dragons. The sun descended behind the mountains, and the colorful sky gave way to a pale blue that finally faded to black. But Vaughn’s thoughts weren’t on the striking scenery.
“I think you should remove the doorway to Earth,” Vaughn said.
Eurwen’s head whipped to him. “Why?”
“We need to make sure the evil from our realm isna passing to this one.”
“Or can’t get from here to yours.”
Vaughn nodded once as he looked at her. “Exactly. Another doorway can be constructed later.”
“Should we send Claire and the bairn through first?”
“No.”
Her eyebrows shot up on her forehead. “If something’s here, Earth would be safer for them.”
“We doona know what’s here. No one has seen the infant, and it needs to stay that way until we can decipher what is going on.”
“In case whatever this is, tries to attach itself to the baby. Bloody hell. I didn’t even think of that.”
Vaughn glanced at the cottage. “Unfortunately, we’ve come across all kinds of evil. I’ve learned no’ to assume anything.”
“Apparently, I have a lot to learn.”
He reached for her hand. “I’m glad you’ve no’ had the battles we have. They leave scars that are hidden and never fully heal.”
“But when something does come, you know how to handle it. Look at all the battles the Kings have won.”
“Because we work together. We move as one cohesive unit.”
She grinned. “It also helps that you’re all excellent warriors.”
“Aye, it does,” he said with a chuckle.
“Give me a second,” she said before disappearing. A heartbeat later, she was back. “The doorway is gone.”
“It’s for the best.”
Her fingers found his again as her smile dropped. “We’ve had peace for many, many years. I foolishly believed we would always have it, simply by us not making the same mistakes as…”
Her voice trailed off. Vaughn looked at her and said, “As we did.”
“Yes,” she replied in a soft voice.
“That isna a bad way to do things. However, new mistakes will inevitably be made. I’m no’ saying anyone has made a mistake. I’m merely pointing out facts.”
She let out a breath. “You’re right. It’s something Brandr and I have discussed. We do the best we can.”
“That’s all anyone can do.”
“If we learn that the mortals are responsible for Nundro’s attack, we will retaliate.”
Vaughn had feared she would say such words. “That isna the answer.”
“You think we should stand by and not punish the one who hurt one of us?”
“That isna what I said. You may no’ have made the same vows about protecting the humans as we did, but by wiping them out, you’ll change something within yourself—and every dragon who helps—forever. You’ll never be able to come back from that.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “We don’t have the same magic you do on Earth. Nothing here will remove Brandr and me from our positions.”
“Your morality will be compromised. And if you doona think that’s a big deal, then it proves that you have no idea of the true consequences of what you’re talking about.”
“I won’t allow humans to jeopardize what we have here,” she argued.
Vaughn faced her. “I’m no’ asking you to. I’m asking you to find a way to make peace for everyone.”
“This is our realm. Why should we compromise?”
He could’ve given her a million reasons, but they all sounded hollow to him. Being with the dragons again had brought back all the Kings had sacrificed for the mortals to live. Being on Zora made Vaughn wish that things had turned out differently on Earth.
“I know what you’re saying,” Eurwen continued. “I’ve thought about it myself. But at the end of the day, I have to look out for the dragons. They shouldn’t have to find another home or fight for another one.”
Vaughn couldn’t argue with that. He nodded and faced forward. Then, he did a double take when he saw a speck of pink in the night sky. To his shock, there was more than one pink dragon. There were over a dozen.
“I can no’ believe my eyes,” he murmured.
“The Pinks?”
“We thought they were extinct, killed by humans.”
Eurwen shook her head. “Eggs were found on their land as the dragons were called across the bridge. The dragons gathered up all they could find and brought them when they left your realm.”
Vaughn’s throat clogged with emotion as he saw the Pinks fly around the mountain and then disappear. “All this time, we believed they were no more. We mourned them, wishing we could’ve done something to prevent their slaughter.”
“They’ve thrived here. All the dragons have.”
“The Pinks are alive. Varek said as much, but I didna truly believe him. I thought maybe one had managed to live, but an entire clan? It’s more than we could’ve hoped for.”
Eurwen hugged his arm against her. “There will always be dragons. I’m going to make sure of it.”
“Me, too,” he said as he looked down at her.
“Do you wish to stay out here tonight?”
Vaughn glanced at her cottage. “Your place is taken, and I think Brandr would rather eat glass than allow me inside his place.”
“You’re growing on him.”
He snorted. “I highly doubt that. However, he does know that us helping right now is for everyone’s benefit. I’m glad he accepted Con’s offer.”
“Me, too,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “I love my twin, but he can be obstinate at times. I wasn’t going to refuse Con. Brandr knew that.”
“Maybe us working together will create a bond. I know it will make Con and Rhi happy.”
Eurwen looked up at him. “And me.”
He swallowed and leaned down to press his lips to hers. “Let’s sleep under the stars.”
“So you can see the dragons?”
Vaughn shook his head as he grinned. “So I can see the stars shining in your eyes.”
“You know just the right things to say.”
“I’m saying what’s in my heart. The things I’ve wanted to say since our first night together.”
She cupped his cheek with her free hand. “You make me feel special. As if I’m the only woman in the world.”
“In the universe,” he corrected. “And that’s because you are.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “Let’s find someplace more private.”
“The loch?” he suggested.
“You read my mind.”
They ran to the edge of the cliff and jumped, shifting and flying toward the loch, side by side.