Page 86 of Guardian's Dilemma

Randall had apparently decided that he wasn’t afraid of me after all, because he was pottering round the kitchen. Broadmire stood somewhere between me and his mate at all times and glowered, but I didn’t mind that. The man was only doing what I’d do, if Glimmer were in danger.

“You can tell your sister and her mate it’s safe to come back, if you want.”

Randall spun to look at me, eyes wide and hopeful. “Really?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Are you sure?” he asked, and I tried to hide my amusement that he was asking Glimmer. Just checking in with the vicious dragon. It suddenly seemed very funny.

“Yes,” Glimmer assured him. “Kingsley reported that she’d left the area, and Douglas will nix any suggestions to come and check it out again. As far as theridireare concerned, that dragon has moved on.”

Randall beamed and his eyes nearly closed with how hard he was smiling. Broadmire grunted at us. Randall said, “Don’t be rude. They’ve come to help.”

“Don’t care. Want them out. Want to fuck you in here before Marcy gets back and won’t let me do it again.”

“It’s not hygienic.”

“Don’t care,” said Broadmire again. He was already moving towards his mate, a determined look in his eye.

At that point, Glimmer and I decided it was time for us to leave.

We bought sandwiches made from freshly-baked bread and two large slices of carrot cake, leaving the money on the counter, and then walked slowly back along the paths towards our cottage. It was all very domestic. It was all very pleasant. But I had been thinking.

Eventually, I asked, “Seren knows, doesn’t he?”

“What?”

“That your family is your treasure.”

“Yes, Seren was going to be the Guardian, once. He knows.”

“But his mate doesn’t.”

“No.”

I hadn’t been sure about that. There was just something in the way Seren had danced around the fact, not said the word ‘treasure’ or ‘family’ but had wanted to know whether Glimmer would stay to guard them nonetheless. It had made me sure he knew more than he was saying.

“Why hasn’t he told his mate?”

“Because they don’t know. They don’t know what the Somervilles are capable of. We know. And we can’t tell anyone else without betraying our clan.”

“They’re not your clan any longer, though.”

“They’re my treasure, though. They’re mine to protect.”

“But not Seren’s clan. He has a shiny new clan. Why wouldn’t he tell them all about his old one?”

“Because Somerville has a secret. And if it got out, it could be dangerous. There are a lot of people who would be worried about it – dragons andridireand covens of witches or packs of shifters – and they might attack quickly, to stamp out the threat. You’ve seen for yourself that the territory wouldn’t withstand that kind of assault. Especially not without me there. If we talk about it, the secret is out and then every Somerville inside that territory is in danger. All my treasures.”

“Alright,” I said. “I won’t ask. Not yet.”

“Soon,” he promised. “I’ll tell you as soon as Alfie learns to shift and comes into his power. Then he’ll be able to protect himself.”

I nodded. “In the meantime, we’ll be nearby. Nobody will get in while we’re here.”

Glimmer twisted quickly and pressed his nose into my neck, kissing and tasting the skin there. “I knew you’d be a Guardian, too.”

The strangest thing was, it was true.

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