Page 101 of His Greatest Treasure

“So?” asked Glimmer at last.

“What?”

“Am I banished?”

There was something harder in his voice this time, a hint of his dragon. He almost shimmered out of sight, as though he was gathering his magic to him in case he needed it. Behind him, the man readjusted his grip on his sword.

“No, you’re not banished. I want you back. You’re my clan.”

That hint of dragon was still there as he declared, “I won’t come back without my mate.”

“Isheyour mate?” I nodded over his shoulder to the man.

“Yes, he is.”

I heard the pride in his voice, and the challenge. He thought he’d need to fight about that?

Then I realised why, as my mother limped up to me.

“His mate is aridire,” she whispered.

I gawped at Glimmer. “Is hereally aridire?”

I glanced over at the warrior who was looking at me with dark eyes and an intensity that made me nervous. He was still holding his sword.

Glimmer, though, laughed.

“See, Kingsley. I told you that you still look like aridire.”

The man sounded exasperated as he said, “I’m not wearing the armour any longer. This isn’t even my sword.”

Glimmer grinned. “It’s in the way you move. The power you radiate. You’re strong.”

Theridire– Kingsley – rolled his eyes. Then he looked at me again, and I stood up straighter, like I did when I was standing before my father. I didn’t want to make a bad impression on Glimmer’s mate.

“I’m not aridireany longer,” he said.

“So you’re not a danger?” I just wanted to be sure.

Kingsley shook his head but Glimmer answered for him. Loudly.

“Ofcoursehe’s dangerous. Didn’t you see the way he fought? My mate is such a badass.”

He was practically crowing. Where he was tucked mostly out of sight behind me – and Iwasn’t sure whether that was his instinct to shelter behind me or my instinct to shield him – Blaze sniggered softly.

It made me feel better.

Kingsley took a step forward. He didn’t get too close. Not right up to the boundary. I wondered if he and Glimmer were still preparing to flee, if I didn’t take them back into the clan.

His dark eyes locked on mine as he said, “I won’t hurt you or your clan. You’re Glimmer’s… family.”

There was something about the way he said ‘family’ that sounded a bit off, like he’d been about to say something else instead but changed his mind. It was difficult to catch his scent through all the surrounding mess, the blood and singed spells and burned bodies and the churned earth, but I didn’t smell any deception on him.

And I looked carefully at the bond between him and Glimmer. It was strong and hard. Two warriors, protecting each other. That bond radiated respect and strength and loyalty.

I stared as I caught sight of something else, too. Kingsley had a small, thin little bond withme. I had to focus in order to see it, since it was pale, almost as though it wanted to be invisible.

It was there, though. I searched Kingsley and saw that he had more of those bonds.

---