Page 57 of Dragon Keeper

“So far I’m the only one who’s shown any patience for it. I’ve had apprentices, but perhaps I’m too exacting. Or maybe they moved on to form their own hives somewhere else once they learned what they needed to learn from me. I really don’t know. We haven’t stayed in touch.” Sometimes that hurt his heart; he’d had some very good friends who’d just disappeared on him over the years, but that was the way of dragons sometimes. When they decided to go, they left, and they took their magic with them.

Or maybe, just maybe, some of them had gone to the special places where the fey had touched and now they made honey there. He didn’t know.

He did like to wonder, though, to imagine where the world would take different beings.

Tyr belonged here. He’d never had the urge to wander, not like his twin, not like Riley. He’d always just wanted his home.

And now it’s ours. And we can snuggle.

I know! Next winter, we will have a brand-new baby to cuddle and love.

“You’re so brilliant, did you know that?” Sloan asked him, and Tyr blinked up.

“What?”

“You caught pregnant with our baby when you could rest, and now we’ll have an infant when we can focus on that.” Sloan beamed at him.

“I didn’t do it on purpose.” But it was very handy, wasn’t it?

“Your magic did. I have no question.”

Tyr’s cheeks went hot as fire, but with pleasure. “I am not so magical.”

“Of course you are.” Sloan petted him, the touches gentle and sweet. “You make me so proud.”

My mate.He sighed softly, his entire body melting into his lover’s arms. He groaned and stretched. “Do you think I smell like pickles?”

“No, love. The jar of pickles smells like pickles. Did someone tease you about it?”

Tyr chuckled. “Harden said I smelled like brine. I didn’t think so, but?—”

“I will kick him in the shin if you want me to,” Sloan offered with a wide grin.

“Oh, that would be nice, but only after we get the baby larparcas in the spring. I would hate to lose them.”

“Good point.” Sloan laughed a little. “Do you feel better?”

“I do. Thank you. I felt so worried that I was being a bad omega, that I was doing something really wrong.” He lifted his face for a kiss. “Thank you for your help.”

“You are very welcome, mate. We’ve got this.” Sloan just let them rest together, sinking into the couch and blankets.

He hummed and cuddled in, leaning hard. “I love you.”

They could just doze, right here. It was warm and cozy.

Chapter

Eighteen

Sloan saw Harden from across the commons, and he strode over to him, poking him in the chest. “What’s with you telling my mate he smelled like pickles?”

Harden swatted his hand away. “He does smell like pickles. It’s unnatural. He normally smells like honey.”

“He’s pregnant and the baby wants pickles. You really hurt his feelings!” He liked Harden, but the guy was clueless.

“What?”

Harden blinked at him like he had lost his mind.