The words warmed my chest, and I nodded, grateful.
Sofia went back to work, and I sidled up to Nolan, waiting until he'd finished serving the customer to say, "So..."
Nolan turned to face me, his cheeks pink. Taking my hand, he led me away from the counter and back toward the shelves stacked with various bottles of alcohol.
"I'm sorry about the way I behaved," he murmured, his cheeks still flushed.
"I'm not," I said with a shrug, earning a surprised look from him. "I like it when you get all dragony. It makes me feel... adored," I settled on, not wanting to use the L-word when he hadn't done it himself yet. I could see the way he felt about me, but that didn't mean I didn't want to hear it when he was ready.
Nolan
I leaned down and kissed Zamir again, unable to resist the urge. Hearing him say he liked the possessive shit I'd pulled... it made my dragon happy. Really, really happy.
Zamir's hand rested on my chest, right over my heart, as if he knew it belonged to him. Before now, I'd always given pieces of my heart to the people I loved, but Zamir? Zamir got my whole heart, and I wasn't the least bit terrified of losing it, of losing him. I would destroy the world before I let that happen.
Zamir pulled back with a chuckle, and patted my chest. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea, me coming here. I keep distracting you."
"I like having you here," I said, and his dark eyes twinkled as he shook his head.
Around two in the morning, I walked Zamir back to the Sanctuary, and he kissed me at the door before disappearing inside after I promised to be at the door at ten tomorrow.
His excitement was infectious, and as I walked back to my place, I wondered about his friends. I'd met Haruto and Liam, but the others I was curious about. Especially the centaur, since I'd never met one of his kind before. They stuck together in herds, and lived deep in the woods.
I'd started living among humans a long time ago, and even when I ventured into the woods, I'd never gone as far as I would've had to.
I also wanted to meet the sorcerer, if only so I could help him. Zamir clearly cared about the man, and if I could do anything to make his—and Zamir's—life easier, I'd like to try.
Thinking about the sorcerer made me think of another I'd known a few centuries ago. I wondered what'd happened to him. Had he ever escaped? Was he still alive, or long dead?
He was one of the few regrets in my life, someone I'd failed to help, and I hoped that he was okay, wherever he was.
At home, I fed everyone, took the dogs to the backyard, and then finally sank into my mattress. My sheets still smelled like Zamir, and I dragged in deep lungfuls. His scent calmed me, made me feel drowsy and content, and soon enough, I was asleep, though my swirling thoughts followed me into my sleep, and I dreamed of the sorcerer I'd failed so very badly.
*****
"You look strong."
I jumped, then turned to look at the person who'd managed to sneak up onme. A kid, I realized. Fifteen at the most.
"So do you," I said, and he raised a brow at me. Of course, anyone who looked at him would see a gangly teen who was all skin and bones. No one would look at him and think 'strong.' But they wouldn't see him the way I could.
While his physical body was just shy of malnourished, his magic was robust. A sorcerer who would do big things some day, I was sure.
He sized me up for a long moment, his brows twitching. He wanted to say something, I could tell, but he was indecisive.
Pulling out an apple from the bag of groceries I'd purchased, I offered it to him. He stared at the fruit as if I'd offered him jewels from my hoard—not that I had jewels in my hoard—then took it with trembling fingers.
His teeth sank into the apple, his eyes fluttered shut, and I felt the unbearable need to pull him into a hug and shield him from whatever circumstances kept him from having a good life.
A few bites and the apple was gone. I reached for another one, but he shook his head.
"I need help."
"What do you need?" I asked, and he blinked, as if he hadn't expected that.
"I can—I can pay you back," he said, his voice catching. "I know spells. I can work for you. Or do something else. Anything."
His sharp blue eyes gave me a quick onceover, and I swallowed. What trouble was this child in, that he was willing to do anything to get out?
