was still asleep. Apparently, with a naked man in bed with me, I became a cuddler. It was an inconvenient

re I had to spend another night in be

the cave, I realised. I eased myself back from him carefully, alarmed, and embarrassed. I slid from between the covers,

he entrance to the cave, but the interior remained shadowy. The torches no longer burned though

gh its doorless entrance showed me the thrones, and the mouth of the cave. There was no sign

od beginning. I regarded the kitchen. I had never prepared food before, nor started my own fire. There was a first time for everything, I told mys

way to light it. Was there a secret to such things? Men had been lighting

curses. If anything, I noted, he was more beautiful, dressed. At least I could look at him closely now, without being inappropriate, and there was a lot to look at. It was like studying

eet. “I am a q

tter to leave here and find a ring of standi

. “Three nights over the full m

g upon him again. After a long moment, during which I squirmed beneath the burn of

scoop to the side. Empty the ashes off the ledge. When that is done,

earms and flicked his hair over one shoulder as he laid various ingredients out upon the tabletop. When I returne

indicated to the r

s in the main cavern were lit, making the caves as bright as day. I wondered what he used to

old me, moving back to the table in order to tear the leaves from berries. “And place them on the t

ir and gown seemingly drawn towards the heat, and the pot hung suspended from a hook which swung over the flames and roc

it is done?” I ask

ne? Has it absor

I gu

swinging near the flames as he leaned over. I gasped and scooped it back for him. It was

t it would be like if he closed the distance between u

ill not harm me. The oatmeal is done.” He lifted

burnt him, and yet it did not. He scooped the contents of the pot into two bowls a

ded berries to the bowls an

stay,” I said to him, trying to remember m

t a man, in the common meaning of the word. He had told me that much himself. Male. Oh, very defin

e bowl on the table. “Clean the pot and t

d the dirty dishes and the kitchen feeling overwhelmed. Clean the pot and the dishes, he had

eading, and spoke without looking at me. “Use the rags to remove the pot from the fire and empty it over the edge of the cliff.

ad removed them from. I emptied the bowl of the soiled water off the cliff, and swung the hook away from the fla

ssion of looking at me but must be doing

and gems in luxurious waves. It reminded me of a hearth story of a princess locked in a tower. I wondered if he had ever cut it. I had ne

e common

es

our education

rotested. “I have studied all the classic works, the history of th

the back of his throat. “Man

pendent on his good will, so I swallowed any further protestation

s become scatter

s and gemstones dislodged from the main pile. I gathered the pieces into my skirt. It seemed irreverent to simply pour the coins and stones on

uld collect in one go. I quickly became sweaty, dusty, and sore from

commented, “to make every perso

would be flattered

ns collect so

do ki

ort, roads to pave, buildings

, and many children to su

chil

you live as long as dragons do, it is

gons would out popul

ood on end in reaction. “And what few there are left are subject to the sport mankind has made of stalking a dragon in his

aring a cave with one and to be so personally affected by their losses. In the stories, however, the dragons were always solitary. It was hard enoug

or. There is a broom in the kitchen,” he re

t of the various small caves, around the piled treasure, and down the tunnel. Sweeping uncovered more treasures, and two other caves, the entrances hidden in the

to one cave, gemstones into the other,” he instructed calmly the moment

unnel. To move this pile seemed an impossible task. It reminded me of the hearth stories of tasks princesses were set in order to retrieve fr

ught. I stopped seeing the items beneath my fingers as precious, and instead viewed them much as I would

athers and seed, a wand to move the rock. I had no such assistance. The beautiful golden-haired

I decided, and retrieved the bucket I had used to clea

egan to sort the treasure into the different containers. When the containers were full, I carried them laboriously into the caves hidden in the walls and emp

and come eat,” he called out eventually. I went, with gratitude to be released from my task,

waited for the food to cool to edible temperature and watched him eat, n

cave to be like?” He considere

in cavern. “The caves, the hoard. But, not these

if that explained it all. I tried to imagine what that meant, seeing as he said

nted a brethren wife. W

. There is no choice but to take

was that possible? A dragon was a dragon… Most of the brethren were more similar to

at me. “Have you neve

ted. “But I can’t imagine wha

is just like

y were not as their parents. A half-Fae was almost indistinguishable from mankind. A half-ogr

not do to argue with him, and he had an air of impatience with the subject, therefore I didn’t want

e will be found amongst the Fae or Elves, however. They are closest to dragons in form and manner, and there are many more of them