“Urien?” Sam’s voice was rough, as though he hadn’t had his first coffee yet. He wore soft flannel pajama bottoms and an oversized T-shirt with a faded book cover on the front. His hair was still messy, and he blinked behind smudged glasses as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Beautiful,Urien’s dragon purred.
“I brought vegetables.” The words tumbled out. “From my garden. I thought…you might…”
“You grew these?” Sam crouched down, peering into the basket. His face transformed when he smiled. “These tomatoes are gorgeous. And this chard - I’ve never seen colors like that.”
The genuine delight in Sam’s voice made Urien’s heart stone pulse so hard he nearly gasped.
“The Brandywines took months.” Urien found his feet, stood carefully so he wouldn’t loom. “The soil here is too acidic, so I had to amend it. And the chard - rainbow variety. The stems are sweet if you sauté them separately from the leaves.”
“You really grew all this yourself?”
“I have a large garden…at my estate, with Mabon and Rux.” Urien gripped the basket handle. “We have more land than we know what to do with, honestly, and I like growing things, so…”
“That is so sweet of you. Would you like to come in?” Sam straightened and smiled. “For tea? It’s chilly out here, and it looks like you brought me half your garden. The least I can do is make you breakfast.”
Urien’s dragon went very, very still.Inside our Treasure’s home?
“I don’t want to impose…”
“You’re not.” Sam stepped back and held the door wide. “Besides, I want to know how to cook that chard properly. I’ve never worked with it before.”
Letting out a long breath, Urien crossed the threshold, looking around as Sam closed the door behind him. The front room was comfortable, with overstuffed furniture, mismatched lamps, and shelves crammed with paperbacks. A laptop sat closed on the coffee table, and there was a blanket wadded up on the sofa.
“The kitchen’s through here.” Sam padded ahead in bare feet. “I’m sorry about the mess. I wasn’t expecting company at - what time is it?”
“Six.” Urien winced. “I should have waited. This was…”
“Kind,” Sam interrupted, setting the basket on a little wooden table. “Weird timing, maybe, but kind.”
The kitchen was tiny with cheerful yellow walls and open shelving displaying chipped mugs and mismatched plates. A window overthe sink overlooked the wild front garden. Evidence of Sam was everywhere - a shopping list magnetically stuck to the fridge, a single coffee mug in the dish drainer, cookbooks stacked haphazardly beside the stove.
Urien’s dragon settled in his chest with a contented rumble.
This is right, being in our Treasure’s home, while he makes us tea.
“Sit, sit.” Sam gestured to one of two chairs tucked under the table. “I’ve got Earl Grey or English Breakfast. Or coffee, if you want - although after watching Rux drink six cups in twenty minutes that one time, I’m worried about enabling you lot.”
“Tea will be lovely.” Urien sat and watched Sam fill an electric kettle. “Rux told us about that. We’ve been - trying to figure out how to…”
“Make friends in Dinetell?” Sam pulled two mugs from the shelf. “Urien, you don’t have to try so hard. Just be normal. You know, like this.Showing up with vegetables at dawn.”
“I’m not sure that’s not normal.”
“It’s more normal than six coffees.” Sam grinned over his shoulder. “Or Mabon’s hundred-dollar tips. Or calling my drink choice basic.”
“He feels terrible about that.”
“I know.” Sam’s expression softened. “He came back the next day and apologized three times.”
The kettle clicked off. Sam poured water over the tea bags, added milk to one mug without asking if Urien wanted it.
“Here.” Sam set the mug in front of him and sat down with his own. Their knees almost touched under the table.
Urien wrapped both hands around the warm ceramic and tried to remember how to breathe normally.I must not mess this up.
“So the tomatoes,” Sam said, cradling his mug. “What’s the secret? Mine always split.”
