Page 28 of Hoarded By the Dragon

“Maggie?”

“She acts as the housekeeper and chef. There are a few cleaners that come to do the major upkeep of this place and she manages them. You’ll meet her at dinner. Did you want a tour?”

My eyelids are already heavy. The tiny nap I’d taken before on the dragon’s lap didn’t make a dent in the exhaustion that I’ve spent days fighting. “Can I get one later? This place is huge, and I’m pretty tired.”

“Of course. You can get settled and come down when you’re ready.”

Ben’s agreeableness is so contrary to Kalos that it’s jarring. It’s amazing that he can stand to work with the dragon, but you don’t abandon family. Maybe he likes Kalos’s grumpy nature.

“Sorry you have to babysit me,” I say.

Ben shakes his head, his smile open. “You misunderstand. Kalos entrusted you to me while he’s too busy to protect you. It’s an honor to be the one to help him with this.”

“You think he cares that much? Sorry, I shouldn’t ask you something like that.” We stop before a closed door, and Ben gazes down at me.

“I think he cares so much that it threatens to tear him apart,” he says. “I’ve never seen him as thrown off as he was today.”

“I did surprise him.” My mouth is dry, and my heart is painfully hopeful. It doesn’t seem to matter how many times it gets kicked, it still wants some sort of fairytale ending.

“That you did.” Ben opens the door and enters the room. I freeze on the threshold while he checks the windows and ducks into rooms that must be either closets or bathrooms.

The room is big, almost three times the size of my apartment. It’s beautiful in an odd mix of modern and medieval, with understated patterns in shades of purple and cream. Every detail down to the shape of the furniture is elegant. There’s a sitting area around a modern, enclosed fireplace off to the side of a giant canopy bed with curtains.

“Holy shit,” I whisper.

Ben laughs, returning to be at the doorway. “Kalos does nothing halfway. It’s all clear. Let me put my number in your phone.”

I unlock and hand over the device numbly. Ben inputs all his details and curves his lips as he gives it back.

“I took the liberty of sending myself a message so I have your number and put Kalos’s personal cell in there too.”

“Thanks.”

“Take all the time you need,” Ben says and leaves without ceremony, closing the door as he goes as if he knows I need a minute alone. Or many minutes.

I walk into the room in a daze. There’s a lamp with a quartz base that reminds me of the figurine that started all this. Where did that end up? Does it matter? I’ve stolen so many items in my life that they blend together, but not that one.

Maybe it’s because I’d worried over every curve of the figurine before placing it in the bag that morning. As if I’d been waiting for Kalos to come back out and apologize for his words. The numbness that followed that neediness was a blessing.

And now I’m back in this house under very different circumstances. I frown at the memory before blinking. What if the figurine held fertility magic in it? I curse under my breath. I hadn’t handled the piece with gloves like I should have. It could have had any sort of curse on it, and I’d held it like a lifeless rock.

I set my bag on the floor and throw myself back on the bed. I need to stop being so reckless.

I put my hand over my middle and let the warmth of it seep into my skin. “I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful.”

Some of the nerves dancing behind my sternum settle. It’s comforting to say something out loud. To address the catalyst for all this. “I’ll make it up to you with all the heat and spicy food you want. I’ll keep you safe.”

I swallow. “We’re going to have a good life. Whether that dragon wants to be involved or not.”

With that promise. I relax into the bed for some desperately needed rest.

10

KALOS

“No Ben today?”My driver asks.

“I do leave the house without him from time to time,” I growl.

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