Page 25 of Dragon Keeper

“Yeah, he’s been spending a lot of time with them. I think that’s good for him. Better than the tavern.”

“Mmm.” Cade toasted him. “So have you explored your home?”

“Sure. I mean, I’ve been in every room. I think.”

“Ah, but have you thought about whatyouwant out of it.”

Sloan raised his eyebrows. “What does that mean?”

Cade chuckled, nibbling at a bite of some sort of cheese. “The house. Think about what sort of space you want for yourself. Really ponder it. Then sit and meditate on it while you’re in the house. You might be amazed. Tyr has been alone in that house for some time. But you can help make it a space that works for both of you.”

He felt a little surge of something like panic. “He’s so happy. I don’t want to change his house.”

“Sloan. You are his mate. He will want to make certain that you are happy there as well. This is not an inn you are staying at. You are not a guest in someone’s home. This is yours as well.” Cade waved a hand. “I lived in the bachelor quarters in the village forever. When I left my parents’ home. But Poe and I made a house together.”

He thought about that. Hard. “I’ll put my mind to it then. If it’s expected.”

“It is. Just be… deliberate. Thoughtful.” Cade smiled, his face lighting up. “It’s wonderful being mated. Trust me.”

“Oh, that I believe very much.” Sloan adored Tyr already, and he loved knotting the sweet dragon. That was something he could never see himself tiring of. But they also played games,just the two of them and with his brothers. They read together. Tyr taught him how to work the bees.

It was lovely, and he could imagine them tucked up together in the winter, snuggling and enjoying lazy nights. And making love.

“Now all you have to do is focus on your home and create your special connection.”

He sighed softly, still a bit confused. “I suppose I should come see some homes that aren’t local.”

Cade nodded. “That seems wise. You are welcome to come see our home, of course. There is an upstairs and a downstairs.” He frowned, shook his head. “No. A belowground and an aboveground.”

“Do you mean a basement?”

“I don’t know basement.”

Sloan tried to explain with “Like under the ground? Like literally?”

Cade nodded eagerly. “Yes. There’s my own private space. Tanya can come down, but not the babies. The babies are too small.”

“That makes perfect sense. Babies don’t have any reason to be belowground.”

“You’re very right. Especially now, my babies, the boys, are ’bunctuous.”

“Are they? I’ve heard that many times young boys can be rambunctious.” Sloan loved this, loved the way that their cultures were combining. Joining and twisting together. It was perfect. “I wonder if Tyr’s home has an under the ground.”

That might be a situation that he would be able to use to his advantage.

Cade tilted his head, blinked at him. “You said you’d seen all over the house.”

He nodded.

“Well, then you would know whether there was an under the ground.”

“Don’t complicate matters, man.”

Cade laughed, the sound merry. “Ah, let’s see. You could build a forge under the ground. A library. A training salle, anything you wanted.”

He did love how Cade thought. It was at once so pedantic and serious, but then somehow innocent and young. You could be a blacksmith, you could be a warrior, you could be anything you wanted. Here, make a space.

He grabbed another piece of salty, barely tinged violet cheese and smiled. “All right then. We have a plan.”