Page 35 of Dragon Keeper
Mate. I’m going to find a cool swimming hole and bathe. If I fall asleep there, don’t worry.
Don’t worry? That’s ominous. Can I come along?
Of course you can. If you want to.He wasn’t exactly sure where he was going. He just wanted somewhere cold. Maybe up the mountain. It never got terribly hot up there.
Of course I want to. Or—There was a hesitation, a low chuckle that he could hear through their bond.You could come down to the basement. And see what I’ve wrought.
Tyr really wanted to swim, but he needed to see Sloan smile, and going to see what was in the basement, it would make Sloan smile.
Tyr could just take a bath, after. Maybe he could just lay on the floor of the basement and be cold down where the storage area was cool. Regardless, he would do it.I’ll be there in a minute. Would you like some honey tea?
That would be fabulous.Do we have any of those sweet rolls left? The ones that you traded for? The spicy ones?
The ones that look like moons? I do. I’ll bring them.
There was a little part of him that was a bit grumpy. He was exhausted, and he didn’t want to pour drinks and bring pastries and go downstairs. He wanted to go get cold and wet.
That was mean, though, to be mad.
He wasn’t really mad; he was simply tired.
He shrugged and poured two great big glasses of honey tea. Then he grabbed a basket and threw in the pastries along with a big hunk of cheese and some nuts.
He liked nuts, and Sloan had cracked all of the nuts without even being asked, which was lovely of him.
And he was almost not stomping when he went down the stairs. He was stomping a little bit, because otherwise, he might fall because he was very tired. It was cooler down here though,and he stood in the cold storage area and waited.Which way do you want me to go?
I’ll come to you.Sloan sounded so happy, and Tyr was willing to be the recipient of that joy.
Excellent.He could just wait right there and sip his tea. He was cooler down here, and as the heat dissipated, his mood improved.
In fact, by the time Sloan reached him, he was singing and reorganizing some of the stores that were down here. It really needed a bit of a sweep and a dusting.
“You sound so happy, love.” Sloan took the basket and gave him a kiss, the connection making him a little bit dizzy. “How are you? How are the hives?”
“Cooler, now. The sun is blessing the ground and the honey, and the bees are buzzing about, heavy and lazy, but I am feeling it, in my scales.” He rubbed noses with Sloan, basking in the sensation, letting it lift him up. “How about you? Have you had a lovely day?”
“I have.” Sloan’s brilliant blue and green eyes were alight with pleasure and… mischief? “I have a lot for you to see.”
How much could Sloan have done with such a small amount of space? Still, Tyr was happy to follow along and look at whatever his mate wanted to show him. “Lead on!”
“Come along, love.” Sloan grabbed him by the hand and tugged him deeper into the cellar area of the house, which…
“This is all new.” Surprised, he looked around, his eyes widening. There was a lovely hall now with lighting somehow inserted. He thought it was magical, but the sconces threw out good illumination without being glaring.
Rooms opened up off the hall, the first one a gaming room, with a table for cards or dice, and what he knew from the Rocky Mountain clutch to be a billiard table and dartboard. There were a few games from their village area as well, and comfortablefurniture. Chairs and tables for sitting and having a drink or food.
“You like it?” Sloan asked.
“It’s amazing! Look how pretty.” He moved into the room so he could plop on a chair. Oh, that was comfortable. He could sit here and watch Riley and Brayden argue about their games like they squabbled about everything.
“So it’s good?”
“It is!” It would stay at a set temperature, too. Cool now in the summer, and in the winter, they would have to use blankets and sweaters but never be truly cold.
“There’s more.” Sloan took him through to another room, and this one was…
“Sloan! You made a reading room and snuggling space.”
