The Matchmaker - The Arrax Saga Book 1 Chapter 52

Nikolas led them back to the same clearing where Saphira had transformed, the memory of that moment lingering in the space around them.

As they stepped onto the grass, Saphira inhaled deeply, the air fresh and crisp, carrying the faint scent of earth and leaves. The clearing felt different now, not just a place of change, but something familiar. Something hers.

Together, they set up the picnic, working side by side in an easy rhythm. Nikolas unfolded the blanket, shaking it out before spreading it over the ground. Saphira adjusted the corners, smoothing it down with steady hands.

Then came the food.

They carefully laid out the containers, arranging them in a casual spread, the assortment of drinks placed within easy reach. Each movement was unspoken, a silent cooperation, the kind that required no explanation.

Once everything was set, they settled down, sitting across from each other, the quiet between them comfortable, unforced.

Saphira picked at her food absently, glancing up at Nikolas every so often.

He caught her eye once, lips quirking slightly in amusement.

She huffed softly, shaking her head as she took a bite, but the warmth in her chest was undeniable.

Nikolas leaned back slightly, stretching his legs out, rolling his shoulders as if shedding some invisible weight.

Saphira mirrored him, exhaling, allowing herself to relax.

Once they had eaten what they could, Saphira found herself distracted, barely registering the lingering warmth of the afternoon sun against her skin.

She glanced at Nikolas once. Then again.

Her fingers toyed with the hem of her shirt absently, her thoughts circling the pendant and the photos tucked away in her phone.

*How am I supposed to bring it up? There is no easy way to say, Oh, by the way, I stumbled upon an ancient dragon graveyard.*

Nikolas shifted beside her, catching the hesitation.

“You can ask me anything,” he said, his tone light but knowing, his eyes sharp as he raised an eyebrow at her.

Saphira swallowed. In the short time they had been together, he was already reading her deeper than she realized.

“How… I… erm.” She started, frustration curling through her as she struggled to phrase it right.

Nikolas leaned in slightly, smirking. “Is it really that bad?”

Saphira exhaled sharply, shaking her head. “It potentially could be.”

Nikolas’ expression shifted, his amusement fading into something more serious.

Saphira sighed, pulling out her phone, unlocking it with a few quick swipes before opening the folder of pictures, the ones she had taken of the pillars.

More specifically, of the engravings on them.

She hesitated only a second longer before speaking.

“Before I found you,” she said slowly, choosing her words carefully, “I came across what looked like a grave site.” She glanced at Nikolas, watching for his reaction. “There were five dragon skeletal remains.”

Nikolas’ face changed, his entire presence seemed to shift, though the emotion flickered too fast for her to catch.

But she noticed it.

And then just as quickly it was gone.

He nodded, a silent indication for her to continue.

Saphira cleared her throat, glancing back at her phone before pressing forward. “Behind each one were pillars. Similar to the ones where you were.” She met his gaze. “Except… they were engraved.”

Carefully, she handed Nikolas the phone.

“I couldn’t make out what it meant.”

Nikolas took the device, his fingers brushing against hers for a fleeting moment before he focused entirely on the screen.

Silence stretched between them as he flicked through the photos slowly, each movement deliberate, careful.

Saphira watched him closely, noting how the crease in his brow deepened the longer he looked.

Finally, after a few minutes, she spoke.

“Any idea?”

Nikolas inhaled deeply, exhaling through his nose before finally answering.

“I think they’re some kind of ancient spells,” he said.

Saphira blinked, frowning slightly.

“Ancient spells?” she echoed, questioning.

Nikolas nodded. “The more advanced witches can use them, they require immense power. These look like the ones my mother showed me when I was a child.”

Saphira’s stomach twisted slightly, the weight of his words settling deep inside her.

“Your mother could use magic?” she asked, her voice quieter now, more careful.

Nikolas exhaled slowly, his fingers tightening briefly before he sat forward, staring at the engravings on her phone with a quiet intensity.

“Yes,” he murmured, his voice carrying a weight deeper than just explanation. “She was an extremely powerful witch, more powerful than some of the elders.”

Saphira watched him carefully, seeing the way his jaw tensed, how his fingers traced over the images absently, as if trying to pull more meaning from them than what was already there.

“Myself, Jed and Zafira were born dragons,” he continued, his tone steadier now. “With a dormant witch side.”

He paused, inhaling sharply before exhaling.

“My mother used spells like these to enhance our witch side, to help make us more powerful. As the firstborn, my witch-to-dragon ratio was equal and bigger than theirs, which is why I am more powerful.”

Saphira swallowed, absorbing his words, the sheer gravity of them.

“That’s incredible,” she murmured, though she felt that wasn’t the right word.

Nikolas let out a humourless chuckle, shaking his head. “Yeah. Except mixed species were illegal back then. Especially with the Elders.”

His voice dipped, carrying something unspoken, something that made Saphira’s chest tighten.

“Is that why they’re doing what they are?” she asked, carefully choosing her words. “Why they keep trying to take you?”

Nikolas exhaled sharply, his grip on her hand tightening slightly as he turned to her.

“Yes. I think so.” His golden eyes met hers, filled with something dark, something laced with understanding but also wariness. “They want to remove inter-species for one.” He squeezed her hand once before continuing. “For two, they don't want anyone to be more powerful than them.”

Saphira’s pulse thrummed as the realisation settled.

“There not just normal supernaturals?” she asked.

Nikolas nodded slowly. “Yes, only someone with elder blood can be an elder, it can be inherited or a random choosing. That’s why they’re so strong, it's in their blood."

Saphira watched him carefully, seeing the flicker of vulnerability in his expression before it was hidden again.

“I still don’t understand how you’re my mate,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. “Me being a mixed species… but I’m so glad you are.”

Something shifted in his gaze, something softer, and Saphira felt herself pulled into it, the weight of the moment pressing against her ribs.

“I hope that also means Jed and Zafira have a true mate out there,” he added.

Saphira hesitated, biting her lip, knowing she was about to pull them into something bigger.

“Well…” she began, inhaling deeply, pushing past her hesitation. “There’s something else.”

Nikolas turned to her fully, sensing the shift in her tone.

She reached into her pocket, fingers brushing against the pendant’s cool surface before pulling it out.

Carefully, she passed it to him.

The second Nikolas saw it, his expression collapsed.

His face paled, his breath stilled, just for a moment, before his fingers wrapped around the pendant, his grip firm, almost too firm.

Saphira’s heart pounded.

He knew this pendant.