Page 76 of Sanctuary with a Dragon
I sighed. My mate was a broken record, but I tried toput myself in his place. He’d waited an awfully long time for me to come into his life. It would be a shame if I flashed briefly into it only to die within the first month.
I nodded. “Okay. You can come. But you’re intimidating, so you have to stand well away.” I held up a hand. “Close enough to intervene if necessary, just not… crowding him.”
He folded his arms, frowned, then finally nodded. “Deal.”
Chapter 22
Everly
Ishifted my weight again, fidgeting on Shiloh’s front porch. Alaric was within shouting range if I needed him, but I was hoping I wouldn’t, and that this would go smoothly. Clearly, I was being realistic.
I took a breath and gave myself a little shake.Okay, just knock on the door. The worst that can happen is he yells at you.
Just as I raised my hand to knock, the door jerked open.
“What are you doing here?” a growly, irate voice demanded.
I stepped back quickly, waving Alaric off behind my back—because I just knew he was about to charge in—and tried to look as nonthreatening as possible. Which wasn’t hard, considering, as Elandor liked to remind me, I was about as frightening as a puppy.
Shiloh was tall, maybe six feet, with curly dark hair and sapphire-blue eyes. His frame was leaner than I’d expected, probably from all the running he did in his unicorn form. His dark skin had a faint, pearly luminescence that no other supernatural I’d ever met possessed. I guessed it had something to do with his horn and the way his magic fused with it. The only reason I knew that was because I’d pestered Alaric for every last detail about both Shiloh and unicorns on our walk here.
“Hello,” I said, keeping my hands clasped behind me in a non-confrontational stance. Shiloh didnotlook like the fairytale unicorn healer I’d imagined. Instead, he looked haunted, scarred, and more than a little angry.
Also, he had a golden thread, glowing, shimmering, and waving faintly in the breeze as if trying to get my attention. It was visibly connected to both of us.
My instincts were right. He’s one of those I’m meant to help. Well, this request just became doubly important, then.
I straightened my shoulders and met his piercing gaze, half expecting laser beams to shoot out and reduce me to ash where I stood.
“I’m Everly,” I said, shifting my weight again. “Alaric’s mate.”
Shiloh did not look impressed.
“Get to the point,” he said flatly.
Right. The point.
“We found a dragon, andwe need you to heal him.”
I was proud of myself for getting that out without tripping over my words—right up until he snarled, “Not a chance,” and slammed the door in my face. He slammed it so hard, something on the adjoining wall inside fell and shattered on the floor
Well. That could have gone better.
“I don’t do healings anymore!” he shouted through the door. “Go away!”
I inhaled slowly through my nose. Sure, I—or technically Alaric—had the power to force him, but that wasn’t what I wanted, and that wasn’t the queen I wanted to be. It would be the most ideal if hechoseto help. Maybe I could just… outstubborn him.
“You’re our only hope, Shiloh!” I called through the door, trying to sound persuasive.Star Wars reference for the win.“Shay’s done everything he can. We need you!”
“No!”
I folded my arms and glared at the door. “Fine. I didn’t want to have to do this, but I’m not leaving this porch until you at least agree to go look at him!”
“Then prepare to be there a long time, lady, because I’m not helping you!”
“Challenge accepted.”
I turned as Alaric approached, his expression wary, as if he already knew the next words out of my mouth were going to give him a headache.
