Page 11 of His Greatest Treasure

“It’s really hot in here.”

I shivered. It wasnothot in here.

That might have been because I was a fire spirit, used to the warmth of an actual fire, but even so, Ididn’t think anyone would find it so warm in this little hut that they’d start sweating.

Alfie gave a little jump.

“Oh, actually, I meant to give you this.”

He stood up and unzipped his coat, shrugging out of it. Then he pulled off his jumper, too. I couldn’t help but notice that he revealed a strip of slim, toned stomach when he did so. His skin was very pale, almost like porcelain. He had a delicate beauty that made him seem fragile and expensive.

I actually jumped when he held the jumper and coat out to me.

“For me?”

“Yes. Unless you don’t want them. I just thought it would get chilly out here tonight. You are staying the night, aren’t you?”

“Is that okay?”

I didn’t know where I would go if he said no and I had to leave the territory, but I wanted to check. I wanted to hear Alfie tell me that I could stay. That hewantedme to stay.

“Yes. I don’t mind. You can stay here for as long as you want. Oh, actually, you probably meant was it okay with our clan elder. I, um, don’tknow about that. Perhaps we’ll ask him later. Not tonight.”

I nodded, accepting the jumper and sliding into it. It was warm from Alfie’s body heat and I took a deep breath as I slid it over my head and was disappointed to smell only fabric softener. It was a nice smell but I’d hoped it would smell a bit like Alfie. I’d forgotten for a second that dragons concealed their scents.

Alfie held out the coat and I slid my arms into it. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had helped me into a coat. It was… nice.

Almost nice enough for me not to notice that Alfie was keeping me secret from his elder. Almost, but not quite.

We stood there in the little hut, a bit closer together than was natural but neither of us moved apart. I was just starting to wonder if he was feeling the same blossoming desire that I was when he blurted out, “How do you keep your clothes?”

Alfie seemed more startled by his own question than I did. He gasped and then hurried to explain. “I didn’t mean to be rude, I just meant that you were flame a minute ago and you didn’t haveclothes then. You would have burned them. But now you’re fully dressed.”

His cheeks flushed again but this time I didn’t mind so much. The sight made me feel warm. It had been a long time since anyone had shown an interest in me, and he asked with such an air of innocent curiosity that it was impossible to take offense at how personal the question may or may not be.

“The clothes are a part of me. They can’t burn.”

“That’s much more convenient than for shifters. We have to take our clothes off or they rip apart. If we have a big animal, that is. Smaller animals probably don’t have that trouble. It means we have to remember to pick up our clothes when we fly off, though. Glimmer’s always flying round and most of the time he has his clothes bundled into a ball that he carries in one of his claws, so he can change into the clothes when he shifts back.”

“Is Glimmer the one patrolling the borders?”

Alfie nodded, looking proud. “He’s our Guardian.”

I didn’t want to pry in case I pushed my luck and Alfie decided he didn’t want me here after all.Instead, I said, “Are you going to come back and see me tomorrow?”

“Can I?”

“Of course.”

After all, it was his hut and his territory.

Alfie grinned. “I’ll try and bring you some breakfast. Do you have everything you need tonight?”

I pulled the coat tighter around me. It was ever so slightly too big for me, but I actually liked that. I felt very warm and snuggly inside it. Alfie’s body heat had warmed it up and I felt as though it were his arms wrapping around me.

Perhaps it had been too long since I’d been in my human form, too long since I’d spoken to another person. I hadn’t realised that I’d miss this as much as I had while I burned and burned.

“Yes, I have everything I need, thank you.”

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