Page 65 of Guardian's Dilemma

He let out a shaky breath. “I see.”

Everything about his body-language was defensive. His smell was… mixed. There was a tang of arousal mixed in there, maybe from what we’d been doing a moment ago, maybe from the thought of us claiming each other. But layered over that was fear and distaste and confusion.

I drew back slightly, not wanting to crowd him. I didn’t want to add to those feelings.

“You don’t like the idea.”

It wasn’t a question. I could tell he didn’t like the idea. It made me feel a bit sick, to realise me mate didn’t want to be claimed by me.

“I- I don’t know.”

“What don’t you like about it?”

“I don’t want to be your property.”

I was so surprised by his answer that I actually half-laughed as I echoed him. “Property?”

He looked up and glared. I didn’t like him glaring at me but I’d take it over him avoiding my eyes the way he had been.

“I know what dragons do, Glimmer. They hoard their stuff because they like to own it. If you claim me, I belong to you and I don’t get a say in my own life any more.”

My mouth actually dropped open. For nearly a minute, I couldn’t say anything. Then I shook my head. “No. No, no, that’s not what it’s like at all!”

“No?”

“A fated mate isn’t property – they’re yourmate.”

“What’s the difference?”

I gaped. “Everything! The gold I was guarding in the vault,thatwas property. And I left it behind to be buried because it’s not important. It doesn’t mean anything to me.”

Kingsley gestured at me. “You nearly got yourself killed going back for that damned gold necklace.”

He jabbed a finger at the locket hanging around my neck and my hand went automatically to cover it.

“See,” he said.

I wrapped my hand around the locket, holding it between my fingers. “This isn’t just a necklace. It’s important. And not because it’s gold, either. Although,” I admitted, “Idolike gold.”

Kingsley raised a sassy eyebrow, telling me he still didn’t get it.

I shook my head. “No, it’s not like that. This isn’t important. It’s what’sinsidethat’s important.”

Lifting it from my chest, I clicked open the locket and laid it flat against my palm. Inside was a lock of light blonde hair, neatly tied. Kingsley’s dark eyes narrowed. “Whose hair is that?”

“Seren’s.”

“Who’s Seren?”

I couldn’t help the little smile of joy that pulled at my mouth. My mate sounded jealous.

“He’s my cousin. We grew up together.”

“Why do you have his hair in your locket?”

I stroked a finger along the golden lid of the locket. “Because he trusts me with it. It’s part of him. You’ve seen yourself how valuable a dragon’s body is, what it can do. This lock of hair saved his life once, when he’d been kidnapped and we couldn’t find him. All we had was this lock of hair and a witch managed to locate him with it.”

“Is that why he gave it to you?”

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