Disguise 39_The Matchmaker

CHAPTER 39 

 Saphira stirred at the sound of rustling, her senses slowly pulling her from sleep. Her eyes blinked open, adjusting to the dim them, and abe unfamiliar surroundings. Dark walls, bare of memories, heavy silk sheets draped over the bed

 This wasn’t her room..

 Then–Niks‘ voice, warm and familiar.

 “You’re awake.”

 She turned her head, catching sight of him as he finished dressing. A slow smile curled on her lips.

 “How did you sleep?” he asked, his tone softer than she expected.

 “Good, thanks. You?”

 was something unspoken in his words, a quiet weight behind them.

 “The best I have in a while,” he admitted.

 Therence

 steady, grounding, as he perched on the edge of the bed

 Once fully dressed, he crossed the room toward her,

 “We need to speak to Asher today,” he said. “Raven let me know he’s awake and doing well.”

 Saphira pushed herself up slightly, brushing her hair back. The mention of Asher tugged her mind back to everything from the night before, the chaos, the 

 revtions. 

 “You want me to join you?” she asked, still unustomed to this–working together.

 She wasn’t used to it.

 Niks‘ golden eyes flickered with something warm. Then–his fingers gently cupped her face.

 “I need you to join me, if you will,” he murmured, his touch sending a soft shiver through her.

 Her breath hitched, warmth creeping up her cheeks.

 She leaned into his touch, savoring the steady heat of his palms against her skin.

 “Of course,” she whispered.

 Niks exhaled, thumb brushing lightly against her cheek. 

 There was something undeniable in this moment–something neither of them could put into words yet.

 She allowed herself to linger in it, just for a second longer.

 Then, with a quiet inhale, she pulled back.

 “I’ll get ready now.”

 Saphira and Niks stepped out of the room, the fingering warmth of their earlier exchange still humming in the back of her mind. But she pushed it aside -there were more pressing matters now.

 They moved through the halls, the quiet hum of the stronghold surrounding them, until they spotted Raven standing near one of the side corridors, arms crossed, as if she had been waiting for them.

 “You’re up,” Raven remarked, her sharp eyes flicking between them before settling on Niks. “Asher’s awake. He’s still weak, b

 Niks nodded, his grip on Saphira’s, hand firm but absent–minded. “Take us to him.”

 lucid.

 CHARTER 3D.

 Raven didn’t hesitate, turning on her heel and leading the way 

 Saphira followed beside Niks, her mind swirling with thoughts about Asher–whit was be? How had he ended up chansed beh?c nhi Importantly, what did he know? 

 They reached the guest room soon enough.

 Raven pushed open the door, stepping aside as Niks and Saphira entered.

 Asher <by on the bed, his auburn hair slightly dishevelled, his posture tense despite the exhaustion clinging to him. His eyes flickered open in their sharp yet tired, assessing them both.

 Niks stepped forward first. “I’m Niks,” he said evenly. “And this is Saphira.”

 Saphira offered a small nod, watching Asher carefully.

 His gaze lingered on her for a moment, something unreadable flickering behind his expression before he exhaled and rasped, “I remember you 

 “You’re a dragon,” Niks stated, his voice steady but filled with quiet curiosity. The words seemed to jolt Asher back to full attention, his tired eyes flicking toward Niks as if assessing whether he could be trusted.

 “Which pack are you from?” 

 Asher hesitated, his gaze shifting between them, as if weighing the consequences of his answer. Then, with a short, uneven breath, he finally spoke.

 “We don’t have a pack,” he admitted. His voice carried a weight–something old, something tired. “We were actually looking for the </bst remaining dragons. 1 assume that’s your pack.”

 Saphira’s breath hitched slightly.

 Niks‘ expression didn’t falter, though she saw something flicker beneath his golden gaze. “Yes. I was actually on a quest to find your pack… before things happened, anyway.”

 A bitter smile yed at the edges of Asher’s lips before he shook his head. “There isn’t much of a pack left.” His voice dipped lower, heavier.

 Niks turned to Saphira instinctively, and for the first time since entering this room, she saw the raw concern written across his face. He wasn’t just curious anymore. He was worried.

 “What do you mean?” he asked, his focus shifting back to Asher.

 A slow, deep breath passed through Asher’s lips, like the weight of the truth was pressing against him, like saying it aloud made it real.

 “There used to be around seven of us,” he said, voiceced with something distant–grief, maybe. “But we were hunted. We were all captured.* 

 Saphira felt her stomach twist, the air in the room growing heavier with every word.

 “I found five dead dragons while I was looking for my mother,” Asher continued. His voice was quieter now, restrained, but the pain was there–woven into every syble. “Then I was caught when I found her.” 

 Saphira sucked in a breath, her pulse quickening.

 “What happened to her?” she asked, though part of her didn’t want to hear the answer.

 “She was being kept in another ce, like the one we were in,” Asher said, directing thest part toward Niks, almost as if searching for some kind of validation, confirmation that he understood. “Before I could help, I was attacked and taken.. I don’t even know if she’s still alive.” 

 Silence stretched, thick and unrelenting.

 Saphira swallowed against the lump in her throat. The weight of his words sat heavy on her chest. How many more were lost? How many had suffered the 

 same fate?

 CHAPTER 19 

 “I’m sorry, ale murmured, the words barely enough,

 Asher gave a snill nod, his gaze softening slightly. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. 

 Then–his expression shifted.

 “You should know… there was another dragon.”

 Saphira’s breath caught. Another?

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Disguise 39