Page 74 of Sanctuary with a Dragon
“See, you’ve only been here a few moments and you’re already reading the room better than Shay could with a map.”
I laughed. “Poor Shay. You constantly tease him.”
“Oh, trust me,” Alaric said with a rueful grimace. “It goes both ways.”
“Some friends become family. From what you’ve told me, you and Shay have been friends so long you may as well be.”
He nodded. “It’s true. This is the kitchens,” he said. We passed through a pair of swinging doors into the kitchen, where chaos reigned. A stout woman was yelling at a tall, thin man brandishing a rolling pin like a sword. Around them, cooks chopped, stirred, and darted through the haze of delicious smells.
No one noticed us, and Alaric pulled us back through the door before someone could. He grimaced. “Our baker and cook.”
I could still hear them shouting, even through the closed door. “I’m guessing they don’t get along.”
“They were college sweethearts, if you can believe it. But they’re both badger shifters, and badgers can be prickly sometimes.”
“Ah,” I said with a nod. I could actually believe it. It had seemed like my girlfriends in college were always arguing with their boyfriends. It had ruined many girls’ nights. Probably because of this, I was very much anti yelling. Problems should never be solved by screaming at each other... unless of course the house was on fire.
We hurried through the dining hall, past gleaming chandeliers, then up several flights of stairs. I lost count of how many doors and corridors we passed and finally gave up trying to remember the way.
“I’m going to need a map,” I muttered.
He chuckled. “This is the family floor,” he said, leading me down a wide hall.
“Shay’s rooms are on this level, aren’t they?” I teased, smiling when his ears flushed pink again.
The room was bright and airy, decorated in soft cream and emerald green. A massive bed stood before a bay window that overlooked the ocean far below.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around him. “I’m glad I’m here with you.”
“Me too,” he murmured, kissing me softly.
When Alaric kissed me I tended to forget everything happening around me, and just sank into the moment.
Which is why I jumped about eight feet like a startled cat when Shay barged in and said tensely, “I’m not sure I can save him. Do you have any ideas.” And then. “Oh, were you guys in the middle of something.”
“Yes,” Alaric said with a snarl. After I’d gotten my heart to restart, I gripped Alaric’s forearm so he didn’t do something hasty, like throw his best friend in the dungeon.
When I finally looked over at Shay, he was swaying on his feet.
“Whoah, whoah, whoah,” I said, moving quickly to catch him before he fell. “Alaric,” I said in distress. I didn’t know what I wanted him to do, I knew I just wanted him tofix it.
Alaric took charge. “Okay,” he said, coming up alongside his best friend, and slinging one of Shay’s arms around his shoulders to help him to hisbedroom. “You need sleep. You’ve expended a lot of magical power in the last few hours, you’re possibly hypothermic, and whoknowsthe last time you ate something.”
“I have to do something about the dragon, Alaric,” Shay said, his words slurring in exhaustion.
“And we will,” Alaric agreed. “Everly and I will put our heads together and come up with something. “You. Bathe. Eat. Sleep.”
“Caveman,” Shay scoffed exhaustedly, then collapsed onto his bed, stomach first, and snuggled in with his pillow.
I bit my lip, trying not to laugh.
“Get up and get in the shower,” Alaric said.
“Don’t... wanna.”
Alaric sighed. “You asked for it.” He hoisted Shay up one-armed and carried him into the bathroom, turned on the shower, tested the water, then dropped him in fully clothed.
Shay yelped. “Too hot!”
