Page 61 of Dark Dragon’s Mate

“I think if we get into boner show and tell, the field trip has a 99% chance of not happening. So no. Maybe after, if you’re a good little wolf.”

“Hah. I think I have more chance of getting my hands on the boner if I’m a big bad wolf.”

“Probably.”

Emon carried her through the castle, to a corridor on the fourth floor she’d never been to. “These are my official rooms,” he said, pushing the door open. “Which I don’t use. But I could, if you like them.”

It was a suite, with a bedroom similar to hers, only even bigger and more ostentatious, and with even more bloody battle scenes decorating the walls. And an even more fantastic bathroom, and a way-too-formal sitting room.

“I was thinking I could replace the furniture in here with something more comfortable, get another generator so we can have a TV and computers, and a fridge so there’s cold beer.”

Trish’s mouth fell open. “Are you asking me to move in with you?”

He dropped his eyes, rubbing the back of the sofa with one hand. “I guess, yeah.” He raised his eyes to hers. “Would you? I mean, I don’t know if I can sleep inside in a bed, but I could try. And even if I can’t, this could be our place to hang out.”

Trish flung her arms around his neck. “Yes. I’d love to live with you. On one condition.”

“Oh, shit. I hate conditions. What?”

“Can we find different tapestries for the walls?”

Emon laughed. “I thought Layla would like all the blood and death.”

“She probably does. But I’m not so in love with it. Maybe we could compromise? Blood and death in here, and something a little more peaceful in the bedroom?”

“Done.” He kissed her nose. “Now come in the study. This is what I really want to show you.”

The study was exactly what you’d expect—walls of built-ins, leather-bound books, a big manly desk and a comfortable-looking leather chair and sofa for reading. Emon went over to the bookcase to the right of the fireplace, moving one of the books and pressing his thumb to a certain spot on the wall behind it.

The whole bookcase moved, revealing a secret room.

Okay, that was fucking awesome. “A secret bookcase door! Just like one of my books. I’ve always wanted one of these. Is there a nun from like, a hundred years ago, walled up inside?”

“First, I don’t know what a nun is, so probably not. And second, those books are weird and disturbing.”

“I know. So what’s in here, if it’s not a nun skeleton?”

“You’ll see.”

She walked in and gasped. The whole room was filled with beautiful objects made from that purplish metal she’d seen in the drawing room, and a few other places in the castle.

Jewelry on display stands, small statues and ornaments, pieces that looked like magical artifacts, engraved with runes and sigils.

They all radiated energy, as if the room was humming just below her threshold of hearing.

“Wow,” was all Trish could manage to say. “This is… incredible.”

“It’s all made from atherias. It’s one of the most valuable metals in all the worlds—holds magical power better than gold.” He took a deep breath and then said, “It’s my hoard.”

Trish looked around, stunned. A dragon’s hoard was his most precious, most private thing. They didn’t show them to just anyone. Most of them didn’t show them to anyone at all.

She reached up and kissed him softly. “I’m honored,” she said. He smiled—one of his few true smiles that made his eyes light up, and made him look suddenly young and hopeful.

“I have to go out to the mine this afternoon, and I thought—I was hoping—you might want to go with me. I wanted you to see what it is before we went. And to give you something.”

He went to a small cabinet on one wall and opened a drawer, coming out with a rough purple rock about the size of a tennis ball. “This is what atherias looks like in its raw form.”

He put the rock on his palm, held it in front of him, closed his eyes… and began to sing.