Page 7 of His Greatest Treasure

“You have plenty of time to learn to shift, if that’s what you’re meant to do.”

“I suppose.”

He didn’t look happy. He was looking down, picking at that sticker.

Something in me stretched out towards him, yearning to make him smile. My body burned brighter and he looked up, his face lit by my flames in a rosy hue. He was stunning. My light danced across his pale skin and caught on his blonde hair so it lit up like a halo and I’d never seen anyone like him.

He stared back at me, seemingly as captivated by my form as I was by his. Then he blinked and jerked to one side, patting at the tree and stamping on the ground.

“Oh, watch out, you’ve set the leaves alight.”

He stamped and patted some more until the flames were out. I shrank down, trying to pull my flames in so they didn’t touch anything else.

“Do you have another form? I don’t want to set the whole woods alight. People will notice. Glimmer might come to investigate. Are you the one who broke in this morning?”

I nodded.

“How did you manage it?”

“I became flame.”

“Hmm, okay, that’s interesting. I’ll have to tell Glimmer that his protections aren’t solid. They let flame in. Are you going to hurt any of us? I suppose I should have asked that at the beginning but you don’t seem dangerous.”

“I won’t hurt any of you. I just wanted somewhere to stay for a while.”

“Oh, okay. About your other form…”

I felt my body solidify and the dragon gaped at me. I glanced down, wondering for a second whether I’d lost my clothes or something. I hadn’t. I was dressed. He stared at me with his mouth open for several seconds before he blurted out, “You canstay with me.”

The way his eyes fixed on me with intense focus made me feel hot, even though I wasn’t flame any longer. His gaze burned into my skin and branded me. In that instant, I felt like prey.

Even though he said he wasn’t able to shift yet, I knew he was a dragon. He was dangerous.

Coming from where I had, with the fear of other people fresh in my mind, I should have turned and fled from this dragon.

I didn’t, though.

I actually considered his question. Considered going with him. I cocked my head to the side. “You mean I can stay with you in the castle?”

“Yes.”

I wanted to say yes. If nothing else, it wouldn’t be damp in there and I longed to be dry and warm again.

I could end up trapped inside, though. And I didn’t trust the dragons.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. The dragons might find me in there. I just want somewhere safe to sleep; I don’t want any trouble.”

“Oh. In that case, I’ve got somewhere else you can stay.”

Chapter 4

Alfie

Ididn’t mean to stare but the fire spirit was absolutely stunningly gorgeous.

I’d never seen anyone like him. His hair was long, hanging past his shoulders in waves and even when he took his human form, strands of hair floated out from his body like they were riding heat waves. And the colour of his hair? It was impossible to describe. All the hues of red and orange and gold, blended together into the most fascinating fire colour.

I really, really wanted to touch his hair and see if it burned but I figured that would be rude. We’d only just met, after all.

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