Page 33 of Purple Protector

Aaron hoped so. He was still worried and wanted to know why they’d attacked him and what he’d done to deserve it, but he was more focused on being safe, and with the dragon gone, he was.

As long as no one had decided to attack him again.

He didn’t think that would happen. Whatever the dragon had been trying to do when they’d attacked, no one else seemed to want to do the same. In fact, a few dragons had stopped Aaron in the hallways to apologize to him for what happened. Some clan members might not be happy with his presence, but they wouldn’t attack him for that. Besides, he was a clan member, too, and he was close to the king. No one wanted to attack a friend of Killian’s—even though Aaron wouldn’t exactly consider himself a friend of the king.

So Aaron might never get an answer, but that was fine with him. Eventually, he’d forget all about the attack. He’d be able to focus on starting a new life with the clan, and he couldn’t wait.

Everything else in his life was going great. His second article had been received with as much interest as the first one. Aaron had moved all his stuff and was now living with Birch. He’d made new friends, especially Taylor and Palmer, but not only. He had a future here, and he wouldn’t let anyone ruin it, especially not a dragon he didn’t know and probably would never see again.

He was still cautious as he walked through the hallways on his way to the dining hall. He spent a lot of time there. He enjoyed people-watching, and most people were more relaxed when food was involved. He’d had a few interviews in the dining hall over a meal recently, and it was where he usually saw Palmer and Taylor. They almost always had time for lunch, while the rest of their days were busy, sometimes too busy to do anything but focus on work. They did important stuff, unlike Aaron, and he didn’t want to bother them when they should focus on that.

As was their routine, he went straight for the food when he walked into the dining hall. He waved at Taylor and Palmer, then took his place in the line. He was right behind two dragons who were talking in soft voices.

“I’m telling you that you don’t look so good,” one of the dragons said. They were a brilliant blue.

“I’m fine,” the second dragon—they were a pale yellow—said in a voice that told Aaron it wasn’t the first time they reassured their friend.

“You’re pale, even for you,” the blue dragon insisted. “And you haven’t been eating a lot.”

Their words reminded Aaron of Birch. He’d been incredibly busy looking for Aaron’s attacker and doing his job as Killian’s bodyguard, but he hadn’t looked so good lately, either. Aaron didn’t know much about illnesses that affect dragons, so maybe there was some kind of flu going around or something. He was a bit worried for Birch because he didn’t want anything to happen to him on the job, but it wasn’t like he could tell Birch to take time off. Even if Birch wanted to, he was one of the few people Killian trusted with his life and the lives of his children. Birch took that very seriously.

“It’s just that time,” the yellow dragon said. “You don’t have to worry. It’ll pass.”

The blue dragon quickly nodded. “Oh, I get it. Yeah, I’m never feeling great when it’s my time.”

It was their turn to get food, then Aaron’s. He got a salad and a slice of bread, then made his way toward the table where Palmer and Taylor were sitting. He was still thinking about the conversation he’d heard, so as soon as he was sitting down, he turned to Palmer. “Do dragons get sick?”

Palmer blinked. “Is this for one of your articles?”

“Birch has been feeling a little off.”

“Oh, I see. Well, as you know, I’m here mostly for Hedley and the other humans who decide to move in with the clan, but I’ve been studying. Dragons can get sick. It doesn’t happen as often as it does for humans, but Birch could have a cold or something like that.”

That reassured Aaron. He’d tried talking to Birch a few times because he’d noticed he wasn’t eating much, just like the yellow dragon earlier, but Birch had brushed him off and told him that he was fine. That hadn’t stopped Aaron from worrying, though.

“I can’t say I’ve ever heard about dragons being ill,” Taylor said. “They really do?”

“They might be dragon shifters, but they can turn into a human form,” Palmer said. “They have some similarities with us, so it’s not surprising that they can get sick. I’m not sure what kind of illnesses they get, but it’s one of the reasons I’m here.”

Aaron smiled. “To learn.” It was something they all had in common.

Hedley had moved here because he’d wanted a different life but also because he’d wanted to know more about dragons. They all did, including Aaron. Hell, he was writing a series of articles so that humans, in general, could get to know dragons better.

And he thought he was doing a pretty good job.

SOME DAYS, LIKE TODAY, Birch was glad to be so close to Killian. It meant he could stay sprawled on the couch under the window even though he was at work. Killian hadn’t said anything when Birch had flopped there earlier. He’d arched a brow and had opened his mouth, but Tito had interrupted him, and Birch had been relieved. He didn’t want to have to tell the king that he wasn’t feeling great. He just wanted his cold or whatever he had to get over with so he could put his focus back on finding Aaron’s attacker.

“Something’s up with you,” Marlin said.

“Are you complaining because I stole your spot?”

Birch hadn’t. Marlin always sat in one of the armchairs, and Birch was on the couch. Still, he didn’t want his friend to worry. He was sure it was just a combination of not sleeping and eating enough. He’d been running himself ragged, trying to find Aaron’s attacker, and something was bound to break eventually.

Birch hoped it wouldn’t be him.

“You can say whatever you want and try to deflect, but you’re not looking right.”

Birch groaned and stretched. “It’s just stress.”

---