Page 2 of Purple Protector (Eiloren Clan #3)

“Well, welcome to the Eiloren clan, Aaron. I’ll see you around.”

Aaron blinked again. Marlin pushed Aaron’s stuff into Aaron’s hands, then grabbed Birch’s elbow and pulled him away. Birch wanted to stay, but Killian would find out about this, and he’d be annoyed.

Killian had told them that they didn’t need to investigate the newcomer.

He’d told them that the human government had already looked into him and had agreed that he was a good replacement for the original journalist who couldn’t come.

Marlin and Birch had wanted to see for themselves, though, and Birch was glad they had.

“Stop looking at him like you want to eat him,” Marlin hissed as they walked away.

“I did no such thing.”

“I have eyes, Birch. I know how you look at people you want to sleep with. Don’t sleep with the human journalist.”

“Why not? He’s cute.”

“And he’s here to do his job, not to sleep with you.”

“One doesn’t exclude the other.”

Marlin sighed and bumped their shoulders together. “I’m not going to be able to change your mind, am I?”

“You don’t have to. I’m not planning on sleeping with him.”

Marlin stared at Birch as if he couldn’t quite believe him.

Birch didn’t blame him. Outside of his job, he wasn’t the kind of person who denied himself things or people he wanted.

Aaron was cute and would be staying with them for a while.

He’d be close to Killian and his family.

It would make sense for Birch to keep an eye on him, wouldn’t it?

“Killian’s going to have a field day with this,” Marlin said.

He wasn’t wrong. Killian wasn’t the kind of king who would forbid Birch from sleeping with a human journalist, but that didn’t mean he would be happy about it.

Aaron was here to do his job. Even though Birch didn’t fully understand why it was so important, he knew that Killian needed the interview to be a hit.

That probably meant he shouldn’t distract the cute human journalist who was supposed to write it.

He and Marlin reached Killian’s office. Marlin knocked on the door, just in case Killian was in there with his consort, but Killian told them to come in instantly.

“He wouldn’t mind, you know,” Marlin said.

Birch shook his head. “I’m aware. I just don’t have time for that kind of thing.

” He wasn’t kidding. Between his job, his friendship with Killian and Marlin, and his family, he had plenty of things to do.

Adding a relationship to it was out of the question, no matter how cute the man was, and Aaron didn’t seem like the kind of person who’d be fine with a casual thing.

When they walked into the room, Killian was alone, sitting at his desk. He looked relieved to see them and quickly dropped his phone.

“This email can wait,” he said, sounding slightly desperate.

“Who are you supposed to email?” Birch asked as he took his spot next to the door.

“King Robard.”

Birch grimaced. It was necessary for the good of the clan to keep solid relationships with other clans, but some of their leaders were idiots. Unfortunately, they were useful idiots, which was one more reason Killian needed to keep them on his side, including Robard.

“Enough about me,” Killian said. “What don’t you have time for? If you need time off, you know you just have to ask.”

Killian was Birch’s King, but first and foremost, he was one of his best friends.

They’d grown up together, as was tradition in the Eiloren clan, where people thought that if the king was raised with his bodyguards, the bodyguards would have even more incentive to keep their king safe.

In Birch and Marlin’s case, it had proved right.

They didn’t protect Killian because he was their king.

They protected him because he was their friend and was precious to them.

“You don’t have to worry your pretty little head about this,” Birch teased.

“We just met the human journalist,” Marlin interjected.

Birch glared at him. “Why do you betray me so?”

“You weren’t going to tell him.”

“Because there’s nothing to tell.” Birch turned to Killian. “We bumped into Aaron, and yes, he’s cute, but that’s all there is to it. I’m not planning on anything.”

Killian arched a brow. “Are you sure? It wouldn’t be like you to let this go if you find him cute.”

Did Birch really have that kind of reputation? “I’m sure. Aaron’s here to work, and as I said when I came in, I’m busy.”

“I could give you time off,” Killian offered.

“The only way for you to give me time off is to fire me. Are you going to do that?”

“Of course not. Protecting me doesn’t mean you can’t have a personal life, though. Hedley would have my head if he found out that I was stopping you from having a relationship.”

Birch groaned. “You’re not stopping me from anything. I don’t want a relationship with Aaron.”

“Not yet, anyway,” Marlin teased. “But he’s your type.”

He wasn’t wrong. Birch stuck to short flings because he didn’t have the time or the energy for more, but if he could choose someone to have a relationship with, that someone would look like Aaron—cute, a bit clumsy, endearing, and adorable.

Birch glared at Marlin, but he also couldn’t stop himself from smiling. No matter how annoying Marlin and Killian were, they were two of the people who mattered to him the most, and he knew that they worried for him because they cared.

That didn’t mean he enjoyed it.

* * * *

A ARON FOLLOWED THE dragon, who’d introduced herself as Myra, down the hallway.

She’d arrived while he was talking to Lucy, and as soon as he’d hung up, she’d explained that she was there to help him find his way around the palace and to guide him to his room.

His luggage would be taken there separately, but apparently, the king had wanted Aaron to have time to settle in, shower off the flight, and relax.

Aaron wasn’t sure how to feel about that. He’d never met the king. He never even talked to him. They’d emailed a few times after Lucy had asked Aaron to take her place, and while the king had seemed nice, Aaron was still nervous to meet with him.

Killian wasn’t only royalty. He was also a dragon, and while Aaron had been meeting dragons left and right today, that felt different.

What also felt different was meeting Birch.

Aaron still didn’t know what it was about the dragon, but he hoped he’d see him again eventually.

He wasn’t sure how long he would stay with the clan, but surely, he’d have another opportunity.

He didn’t want to leave Birch with the impression that he was a klutz.

Even though he was. It was nothing new for him to drop his stuff in front of a cute guy. Apparently, that extended to cute dragons.

“Here we are,” Myra said as she opened a door and stepped sideways to let Aaron in.

He walked into the room, expecting something small like the hotels where he usually stayed when he traveled for work—which wasn’t that often. He looked around, blinking. “This room is bigger than my apartment,” he blurted out.

Myra chuckled. “Killian and his consort wanted you to be comfortable. Hedley chose this room himself.”

Hedley was the king’s consort. He was human, like Aaron, and was one of the reasons Aaron was here. Aaron was supposed to interview him and ask him about his life with the clan and how he dealt with being a consort.

Aaron hoped he wouldn’t make a fool of himself, although that was becoming a theme today. “Are you sure? This feels like it’s too much just for me,” he told Myra.

“I’m sure. Your luggage will be brought to you shortly. If you want to relax while you wait for it, I can have something to eat or drink brought to you.”

“Oh, if you tell me where the kitchen is, I can deal with it myself.”

Her smile was soft, but something in it told Aaron that she thought he was an idiot.

“I realize you’re not used to living with a dragon clan, but you’re a guest of the king.

People will be more than happy to bring you food or whatever else you want.

You don’t have to eat with us in the dining hall. ”

“What if I want to?” After all, he was here to see how the dragons lived.

“Then I’ll take you to the dining hall later today. I’m sure you want some time on your own, though. The clan can be a lot, especially when you’re not used to it.”

“I guess.” It would be rude to continue refusing. “Thank you, and please make sure to thank the cook and whoever brings me the food.”

Her smile widened as she said goodbye and quickly left.

Aaron was alone, so he took the opportunity to poke around.

When he realized that the first room was a sitting area and that there was one more room along with a bathroom, he freaked out a bit.

This wasn’t him. He wasn’t one for big hotel rooms and a bathtub that looked like it could house an entire football team.

He was afraid to touch most of the furniture in case he broke it.

What the fuck was he doing here?

He swallowed and backed out of the bathroom.

He supposed that the massive bathtub made sense if some of the dragons bathed in their dragon form, but still.

He didn’t need a three-room suite. He wasn’t sure what to do about it, though.

He couldn’t exactly bring it up to the king or his consort.

It would be rude, and he didn’t want to upset them when they were trying to make him feel welcome and comfortable.

He peeked into the bedroom, his eyes widening at the sight of a nest of blankets in the middle of it.

Right. Dragons slept in nests. It looked comfortable and soft, so Aaron didn’t think he’d have a problem doing the same.

He didn’t think he’d have a problem with anything.

This was like taking a luxurious vacation, even though he’d have to work during part of it.

He cautiously lowered himself down into the nest, smiling when it really felt as soft as he expected. He flopped back, then took his phone out again. He’d been meaning to call Lucy back, but he hadn’t had the opportunity to do so yet.

He wondered if he’d see Birch again. He was here for a while, but the clan was numerous, and the palace was massive.

If Birch was just a clan dragon and didn’t have anything to do with the king or his consort, the chances that Aaron would see him again were slim.

Maybe, if he was lucky, he’d get a peek of him in the dining hall.

That was one more reason for him to visit it.