Page 6 of Purple Protector (Eiloren Clan #3)

“That you liked Aaron and wanted to have his babies.”

“Killian!” Birch snapped. “Please tell me you didn’t.”

Killian grinned. “I didn’t, but I did mention that you have a crush on the man.”

“How am I supposed to look Hedley in the eyes after this?”

“I don’t see what the problem is. You do have a crush on Aaron, and I’m pretty sure that he feels the same about you.”

That gave Birch pause. “Really?”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice the way he kept glancing at you.”

“I was too busy doing my job, which, if I have to remind you, is protecting you.”

“Aaron wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

That much was true. Everything in his life seemed normal, and after meeting him, Birch was convinced that Aaron was as nice a person as he seemed. He needed to distract Killian, though. “Does Hedley know that the reason he hasn’t met Aaron yet is that you wouldn’t allow it?”

That finally got Killian to stop smirking. “You won’t tell him.”

“Tell him what? That you’re being what I remember he called an overprotective asshole?”

“Let’s go back to Aaron. Will you tell him that you have a crush on him? Now that you know he’s not dangerous, there’s nothing stopping you from being with him.”

Birch groaned. He was never going to win this, was he?

* * * *

“C OME ON, I’LL INTRODUCE you to Palmer and Taylor,” Marlin said.

Aaron frowned because he had no idea who Marlin was talking about. When the dragon seemed to realize it, he gestured at the table where the two humans were sitting.

Aaron’s cheeks flushed. Had Marlin noticed that he was staring?

Or maybe he was suggesting it because he thought Aaron would be more comfortable with humans?

Aaron didn’t think that was the case. He didn’t know how to talk to dragons, but he didn’t feel uncomfortable at the thought of spending time with them.

Well, except for the two dragons who’d just confronted him.

“So that was Killian’s sister,” he said.

“One of his half-sisters, yes.”

“He has more than one sibling?”

“He has dozens of them.”

Aaron blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“I’m sure you’ll talk about Killian’s father again, so Killian will tell you more about him, but the old king thought that a king could never have enough children. Killian is his mother’s only child, which is why he’s the king, but he has many half-siblings. That includes Pearl.”

“And the dragon with her?”

Marlin snorted. “Juvia wishes she were Killian’s sister. No, she’s just Pearl’s minion. I didn’t know the two of them were friends, but I feel like that relationship is bound to be dangerous to Killian.” He frowned. “I’ll have to tell him about it.”

Aaron sat with Marlin’s words for a moment. They didn’t sound good. He didn’t have anything to do with any of it, but it still worried him.

He was in a vulnerable position. The king had welcomed him, but it was clear that not everyone was happy to have him here.

He didn’t know how much influence Pearl had in the clan, but the way she’d been watching him wasn’t good.

He’d have to be careful not to be anywhere near her if he could avoid it.

Marlin clasped a hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “Come on before Palmer and Taylor leave.”

Aaron was done eating, and he was eager to talk to people who were in a similar position as he was, so he quickly followed. He was a bit nervous, but he always was when he met new people.

Palmer and Taylor both smiled at Marlin when they saw him.

One of them—Aaron still wasn’t sure who was who—got to his feet to shake Marlin’s hand.

Marlin seemed amused by the gesture, and Aaron wondered if dragons shook hands when they first met.

None of them had shaken his hand except for Killian, but he was the king.

“This is Taylor,” Marlin said, pointing at the man who was still sitting. “He used to be in the human military. Or maybe he’s still in the military? I’m not sure.”

Taylor shook his head. “Sometimes, I wonder if you listen when Palmer and I talk.”

Marlin grinned. “Not really. I’m distracted by your humanness.”

Palmer rolled his eyes and offered Aaron his hand. “I’m Palmer. I’m a doctor and work in the infirmary. If you need anything, that’s where you’ll find me.”

“Aaron,” Aaron told both of them. “I just recently arrived.”

“We know,” Taylor told him. “Everyone’s been talking about you.”

Aaron had expected that. He wished people didn’t talk about him, but he understood why they did. “Do I want to know what people are saying?”

Taylor laughed. “Probably not.”

“Don’t listen to my brother,” Palmer interjected. “It’s true that some people aren’t happy with your presence here, but most dragons are just curious. They’re not used to having humans in their clan.”

“I have to go,” Marlin said. “I trust that Aaron is in good hands?”

“We’ll protect him if we have to. Well, Taylor will. I’d be useless in a fight.”

“We’re not going to have to fight anyone, are we?” Aaron asked. He was getting worried.

“I sure hope not,” Marlin told him. “But you need to stay away from Pearl and anyone who associates with her. They’re dangerous, and they wouldn’t hesitate to use you to hurt Killian.”

That didn’t sound good, but while Aaron had questions, he wasn’t about to ask Marlin. Instead, he nodded and promised he wouldn’t go anywhere near Pearl. He waited until Marlin had disappeared in the crowd that was leaving the dining hall to turn to Palmer and Taylor. “What’s going on with Pearl?”

Palmer sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Are you sure you want to know?”

“If she’s going to use me, I need to know.”

“You’re not wrong. Well, you might know that Killian has a lot of half-siblings, all on his father’s side.

I’ve been told the entire list, but I lost count.

Some of them are neutral and just want to be left alone, but others fully support Killian in his role as king.

Then, you have half-siblings like Pearl, who think they would do a better job than Killian on the throne. ”

“Is Killian the eldest?”

“He’s not. He’s king because his father had him with the queen. That’s enough for most of the siblings to agree that he’s the rightful king.”

“But Pearl doesn’t.”

“She’s not the only one. There was a problem recently with one of Killian’s half-brothers, but he seems to have vanished.

It’s one of the reasons Pearl is so confrontational.

She says she’s looking for answers as to what happened to their brother, but we all know that’s bullshit.

She wants the throne, and while she’s not ready to act for now, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was eventually. ”

That was a lot to take in. Aaron wasn’t surprised that some people disagreed with the way Killian led the clan, but he hadn’t expected a family fight. “But Killian is protected, right? By Marlin and Birch.”

Taylor nodded. “They’re good at what they do. They’re also Killian’s personal friends, so they have an incentive to keep him safe. I wasn’t sure it would work since they’re so close, but it seems to. I wouldn’t worry about Killian if I were you.”

Aaron wasn’t worried about Killian, or rather, not only. Of course he didn’t want anything to happen to Killian, but he especially didn’t want anything to happen to Birch. What if Killian was attacked, and Birch had to step in?

It was his job, and he would do it. Aaron had seen how close the three of them were. He wouldn’t expect anything different from Birch and Marlin.

Things weren’t the way he’d expected them to be when he’d first arrived at the palace.

It would make for an interesting story, but at the same time, he felt it put him in some danger.

Pearl had looked like she wanted to eat him up for dinner, and not in a good way—not that Aaron would have said yes to that .

He really hoped he would make it out of the clan in one piece.