Page 30 of The Dragon's Emberlinked Mate
“Can’t wait,” I said.
And I really couldn’t.
Chapter 17
Emmen
I was sitting in my office going over paperwork, just about finished with my day, when Rhythe came in. He carried a small wooden box in his hands.
“Emmen,” he said.
“Hm?” I took off my glasses and tossed them onto my desk, leaning back in my chair. “Yes, mate, how can I help you?”
Rhythe was positively glowing with his pregnancy changes. His skin and eyes were brighter, and there was a slight swell to his stomach. I liked to place my hand there any chance I could get.
“I got the remainder of my things from my parents’ house.”
Katrina had been pushier about that than I thought she’d be and that surprised me. Yes, we had a huge place with plenty of room, but also, it wasn’t ours. It was a job perk.
“Great. Do you need any help putting things away?”
He looked down at the box in his hand. “I… well, sort of.” He stepped inside, then set the box gently on the desk. “Where do you keep your hoard?”
I smiled. “Would you like to see it?”
Humans thought hoards were cash or jewels, a rumor that started when dragons were amassing large quantities of wealth. And sure, some dragons hoarded money, but not all.
A blush swept over his cheeks. “I’d like that very much. I have mine here in this box, and I need a safe place to store it. It’s not much, but it’s mine, and I like it.”
He trailed his fingertips over the wooden lid. It was a walnut box with hand-carved embellishments on the lid and sides.
“I know just the place,” I said.
His eyes lit up. “Does that mean I get to see yours?”
“Of course. What’s mine is yours.” My dragon purred with the desire to show off all the beautiful things he had collected over the years. Like most dragons, my hoard was my most prized possession, and I kept it safe. Being as long-lived as I was, my hoard was massive.
“I’ll bet it’s really amazing, given how old you are.”
I rolled my eyes and pushed myself up to a standing position, ignoring the crack in my knees, an audible reminder that he wasn’t wrong. “Yes, young whippersnapper, it is quite impressive due to my age, but I’d like to remind you that there weren’t cool things back when I was a young dragon. I didn’t have a lot of options on what to gather and find and keep as my own. Come with me,” I said.
He picked up the box and followed me out of the office and down the hall. I came to a blank wall that, to the naked eye, didn’t look like anything special. I touched the wall exactly where I knew the invisible lock was. I let the lightning seep from my fingertips, a click sounded, and then the wall gave way.
“It’s in a secret room?” he said. “That’s so cool.”
“Indeed it is. I take it you haven’t read the full history of the house, or else you would have known it was here. I had the lock added for myself, of course. Come with me.”
We went inside, and I put my hand against the stone wall, letting the lightning flow again, illuminating the room with the special device I had. I knew just the amount of electricity to let flow that would power the lights for the right amount of time. The room illuminated, showing off the treasures that I had gathered in all my years.
Rhythe’s eyes widened as he took in the view. “Gold. You hoard gold?”
Piled high all around the room were gold trinkets, coins, chains, bars, and anything else I had found over the years. Some gold was still in raw form, having been mined straight from the ground. Other items I had purchased or in some cases stolen.
I was such a walking stereotype.
I shrugged. “Like I said, there wasn’t a lot to gather in those days. It’s not like today, where dragons hoard board games or cards or little spoons.”
He tipped the box in his hand, opening up the lid. “I hoard gold chains.” He showed me what was inside.
