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While mermaids were friends with no one, selkies were friendly with all, until someone was stupid enough to cross one. And crossing one meant facing the wrath of all. Or it had.

“Allies or enemies?”

Pan gave him a weak smile. “That depends.”

“On what?” Noah’s frown deepened.

“Exactly that. Is it trade, and if so, for what, and if it’s for war, well, it depends on who you’re fighting.”

Both humans looked at him with disbelief etched on their faces. “Is it not the same here?”

It used to be the last time he’d been in the human world.

“No,” Linda said slowly, weighing her words. “Countries join alliances and don’t fight the countries in that alliance unless they want to be kicked out.”

That made sense, but what if there was an old enemy in the alliance? Were those grudges supposed to be ignored? “For the details on the alliances with the neighboring city-states, you will need to deal with Lord Feryn, as I am not privy to those arrangements.” He finished rolling the map. “For the moment, I don’t think the details of the old alliances matter, as we are all dealing with the same problem.”

And the more he understood about the extent of the problem, the more it seemed too big to fix. Even if he had magic and worshippers, this was beyond his power. Even gods had limits. And he was at the end of his. This mortal body needed feeding and sleep. And he wanted to sit down and let somebody else sort all of this out.

Noah handed him a water bottle and something in a crinkly wrapper. “Come on.”

He followed Noah out of the kitchen.

“Make him put a hat on so the horns are hidden,” Linda called after them.

“She’s right.” Noah pulled a black knitted hat off a hook. “It was left here a few weeks ago. No one’s returned to claim it. We also have three jackets and a pair of gloves. We threw out the underpants and socks—I don’t know how they were left behind.” His lips twitched. “I mean, I can guess about the underwear, but the socks?”

Pan took the offered hat and pulled it on.

Noah reached out and adjusted it. His fingertips grazed Pan’s cheek as he lowered his hand. “There you go. Do you want a coat as well, or will you be warm enough?”

“I’ll take a coat.” Then, the clothes that weren’t human in style would be hidden. It was safer, easier, to appear human.

Noah handed him a dark green one. “That should fit.”

It did, and he mimicked Noah shoving the bottle and what he assumed was food into a pocket. He kept the map in his hand.

“Why are you helping when it’s easier for you to walk away?”

Noah shrugged. “Because it’s the right thing to do. And if I’m doing something, I can’t freak out.” He tilted his head toward the bar. “And the palace is a bit hard to avoid, given that I work here.”

“You aren’t worried about vampires and others.”

Noah glanced away. “Of course I am. Everything that I have only ever heard of in myths and stories is real, although not in the way the stories said. I can’t go home, and I’m not sure I want to because my parents are difficult. Which makes me sound like a terrible person.”

“A terrible person does not help strangers.”

Noah gave him a wan smile. “Maybe I’m just doing it because you have a dragon.”

“He is not my dragon. He is not anyone’s dragon. But I should explain to him what is going on. Or at least part of it and hope he doesn’t eat me in the process.”

The way his life was going, getting eaten by a dragon was not going to be the worst thing that happened to him.

“Please don’t get eaten. You’re the only one who knows how to talk to him.”

Pan huffed. “For a moment, I thought you might say it was because you like me.”

Noah gave him that glance, the one where his green eyes became molten and dangerous, and Pan almost tasted magic in the air. If he kissed Noah…