Page 11 of Jon’s Desert Prince Dream

Who goes around giving away buildings?!

Prince Donovan made an unhappy sound. “He gets to live with me, doesn’t he?”

Carol gave him quite the speaking look. “That’s his choice.”

Prince Donovan now had a sad.

Personally, I felt like it was better for me to have my own place to retreat to. Experience had taught me I was not easy to live with. Still, a house?!

When Mack had said they treated psychics well here, he really should have expounded. Like, holy shit, he should have explained better. The new life I found myself in was slowly trickling in, starting to form into reality, and it was a crazy picture to be sure.

Why did I have the feeling I stood in the doorway to a breathless, amazing life, if I could just summon the courage to step through?

4

I walked Jon to his new building because he was incredibly curious about it. I absolutely didn’t want him staying there, which I was sure he could see, but I had no problem showing him where it was. I wanted him to feel anchored here, to have a sense of belonging, and owning property was an easy step in that direction.

Somewhat to my surprise, he liked holding hands with me. Was it attraction on his part? Was it comfort? Stability? He’d said he walked into things often, and I could see how that happened, as we were barely three streets away from the palace when he nearly tripped right over a curb because he was busy studying someone else. I bet to him everything was incredibly bright and distracting. Of course he would have a hard time focusing.

He kept wincing, too, little sparks of pain on his face, and sometimes he’d avert his eyes, lowering them, which made me think the combination of bright sun overhead and people was too overwhelming.

And in that case, that store right over there should actually be our first stop.

I towed him to the side, then ushered him through the store’s open door, calling out a greeting as I entered. “Ho, Garrett!” Jon glanced up at me in confusion, so I quickly explained. “I think we can get something here that will help with your eyes.”

“Uh, okay?” He clearly had no idea what I meant.

Garrett popped out of the back, bringing in with him a box of something, and grinned. “Ah, thought I knew the voice. What brings the almighty dragon slayer in to grace my humble business?”

“Like you didn’t help me take down the dragon,” I drawled.

“Yes, but I’m not the one famous for it.”

Garrett had been part of the force to track down the acid dragon and kill it, but I was the one who got most of the clout because I had headed the task force, landed the final killing blow, and been the worst one injured. Although thanks to our magnificent psychic Healers, I only bore skin deep scars from the incident.

The task force members had been rewarded handsomely, most choosing to invest in homes, businesses, and the like. Garrett had chosen to open a mercantile business catering to travelers. His spot here on the main thoroughfare was brilliant as it meant regular business, and he did very well for himself.

The shop was well appointed, he kept it cleaned and organized, and it had everything in here. Snacks, weapons, travel essentials, even a few blankets and pillows, and the thing I’d specifically come in for—tinted glasses.

“Garrett, this is Jon.” I beamed at Jon. I couldn’t help myself; I always seemed to smile when I looked at him. “Jon is a psychic Reader who came into the country yesterday. Jon, Garrett is an incredibly dear friend of mine.”

Jon offered a hand, which Garrett took with a firm clasp. “It’s a pleasure, Garrett.”

“Same, same. Reader, eh? That’s a rare ability. What do I look like, or is that rude to ask?”

“You, sir, are incredibly bright,” Jon answered with a ready laugh. “I thought this one was bad, but you’re giving him stiff competition right now.”

“Really? Bright is good?”

“Indeed. The brighter the soul, the more trustworthy the person.”

“Hoo, learned something new.”

“I thought maybe the tinted glasses you sell here would be good for him,” I threw in. “To help with the brightness until he’s anchored.”

“Oooh, smart!” Garrett immediately turned, picking up a display rack from the far end of the counter, then carried it to us. “I actually got new ones in from Sho yesterday. He’s been a busy bee, making all sorts of them. He’s also been playing with ratios and stuff, so some of these are quite dark in shade.”

Jon lifted a pair of glasses curiously and put them on. His shoulders released some of their tension, easing downward, and he gave this little sigh of relief.