Page 57 of Dragon Detective

“Do you?”

I shrugged. “I guess not.”

“I knew you’d one day come into my life, and there’s no one I want but you.”

Who could be upset about a statement like that?

“Go ahead. See what’s inside. Each holds the same thing.”

“You mean all five contain, like, gold coins?”

“Each one holds something separate but the same thing. Open them and see.”

I lifted the first lid and gasped at the cut jewels brimming inside. Red, clear, blue, gold, and green. The enormous pile stunned me.

“You’re not saying anything,” he croaked.

“Are they real?” I whispered.

“Oh, sure. My mother’s father gifted me with this chest full of jewels when I was born. Her mother gave me that one,” he waved to the next chest. “And my father’s parents the two after that.”

“And the fifth?”

“That’s the wealth I’ve amassed through my life, per dragon tradition.”

“This . . .” I wasn’t sure what to say.

“You can touch them.”

I slid my fingers through the top, marveling at how silky they felt, how they trickled across my skin like water along a series of falls.

After closing the chest, I moved to the next that held the gold coins I’d suggested. I’d seen a few coins like them in the past, locked inside glass cases at museums, but never this much wealth all in one place.

The next held pearls and jewelry made from all sorts of shells. The fourth held silver, from chalices to necklaces to platters. And the fifth contained artifacts, from rolled up scrolls to what must be first editions of leather-bound books, to ancient daggers and swords.

It was a bit overwhelming. I shut the last chest and turned to face him, not sure what to say.

“It seems pretentious to me, but I’ve held onto my hoard to show it to you before I do something with it,” he said softly.

“What do you hope to do with it?”

“Help others.” His amber gaze met mine. “I was hoping you could give me some suggestions.”

Chapter 27

Reylor

Iworried I’d overwhelmed her, but the tension on her face fled at my words, replaced with a soft smile. “I’ll be happy to help you with something like that.”

“Dragons always hoard their . . . well, their hoard, but I don’t want it sitting in chests collecting dust. I want it to do something good for the world.”

“That’s admirable.” She stepped close. “You’re still naked.”

“So I am.” My voice came out husky with need. Showing all this to her and talking about how I’d like to use it to do good made me feel vulnerable. But if I couldn’t expose myself to her, the only woman I’d ever love, who could I share it with?

She pressed herself against my frame, and my heart flipped over. “What should we do about your nakedness?”

“Please don’t tell me to get dressed.”

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