Page 62 of Guardian's Dilemma

“Yeah. I hated it at the time but I think… do you suppose that’s when they began to drink that blood?”

I shuddered and Glimmer snapped, “Doesn’t matter now. It’s all gone. You’re training withmenow.”

I couldn’t meet his eye as I admitted, “I feel naked without my armour.”

“Of course you do. You’re used to wearing it and used to knowing those protections are on you.” He drew back, as though he’d suddenly thought of something. “You don’t want it back, do you? Your armour?”

“No, I don’t.”

I still felt vaguely sick at the thought of wearing it. I didn’t want that touching my skin again.

“Good.”

“I’m weaker, though.”

“Weaker than what?”

“Than I was before, when I was wearing it.”

“Huh.”

Glimmer tilted his head to the side in that adorable way he had, and I asked, “What?”

“I think you were channelling magic through it. Some people can’t do that, not with dragon’s skin – it has to be blood. Anyone can channel through blood.”

“I didn’t realise.”

“I know you didn’t. It’s ok. You’re not wearing it any more.” His face suddenly lit up again. “Hey, we could try taking a scale from my dragon and seeing if you can channel through that.”

“No.”

“Only one scale. It won’t hurt much.”

“No, Glimmer. I’m not channelling through dragon scales, ok?”

He must have heard the determination in my voice because he didn’t push it. “Fine. I want to practice some defensive spells, though. Can I put some on you?”

Allowing a dragon to put any kind of spell on me should have sent me running but it didn’t. I found myself nodding and then I was glad I had because Glimmer’s beautiful blue eyes were alight with wonder and excitement.

He stood close to me and I looked down at his face as he worked. His eyes scanned my form as he layered up some protections and I felt them touch me. They were warm, like sunlight, and they sank into my skin as easily and naturally as my own spells did. While he worked, I studied his face and counted the spray of freckles across his nose and cheeks and longed to lean in and brush my lips over them. He had one freckle just above his lip that I wanted to run my tongue over.

“There, all done,” he said, and his voice had sunk low.

I looked down at myself and couldn’t see any of the spells he’d placed on me. I could feel them, though, and they fitted against my skin so neatly, so naturally, that they were hardly there at all. If I was wearing armour, it would be bulky and the weight would pull at my shoulders. These spells, though? They weighed nothing and I moved my arms around, twisted my torso, bent and flexed until I was sure: they didn’t restrict my movement at all.

“They’re remarkable,” I said.

“So are you.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I said, “Let’s fight some more.”

Chapter 23: Glimmer

We were both panting and sweating, and already I could feel the ache in my muscles where I’d used them well.

“You have the first shower,” I said. “I want to stretch out.”

What I meant was that his human muscles would cramp much faster than mine and I wanted to ensure he had the hot water, and he eased his body out after that exercise.

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