Page 44 of Purple Protector

“I’ve never seen this dragon before. I don’t have to be friends with them to stand up for them,” Pearl snapped. “And the situation is clear. Your human attacked someone unprovoked. He needs to leave.”

Killian leaned back in his chair. “What did you see?” he asked the guard who was holding Aaron.

“Aaron was on the floor. Mitri was on top of him. He’d just punched Aaron while Aaron was pulling on Mitri’s hair.”

“Who would you say was winning the fight?”

The guard glanced at Pearl, then back at Killian. “Aaron was losing. He might have managed to get a punch in, but he was the one on the floor.”

“Do you believe that Aaron’s a danger to the clan or to Mitri?”

The guard hesitated before shaking their head. “I don’t see how he could be unless he used a weapon, and he doesn’t have any. We searched him and his luggage when he arrived.”

“There are plenty of weapons that the human could use in the palace,” Pearl interjected. “Just think of the knives in the kitchen.”

“Having a knife wouldn’t make him more dangerous to the clan than any of the dragons who live here, Pearl,” Killian told his sister. “We have fangs and claws. We can hurt each other without weapons. Aaron’s half the size of any of us, even you. Do you really think you’d lose if he were to attack you?”

“He doesn’t belong with us. I trust the rest of the clan. I don’t trust him.”

Killian watched her for a moment. Birch would’ve paid to know what was going through his friend’s mind. He knew what Killian thought of Pearl and what Pearl was trying to do. His money was on Killian, but that didn’t mean that Pearl couldn’t create trouble.

She already was.

“Do you know how many dragons fight in the hallways every single week?” Killian asked eventually.

“It doesn’t matter. The human is dangerous, and he doesn’t belong with us.”

“He belongs with us as much as any of us. He and Birch are together. Aaron’s making himself a life here, and I personally asked him to become a clan member. Are you saying that you don’t trust my judgment?”

Everyone in the room knew that she didn’t, but Pearl wasn’t stupid. She wouldn’t say it out loud. She wouldn’t give Killian that kind of ammunition. Instead, she smiled sweetly at him.

It gave Birch the creeps.

“You’re our king. Of course I trust your judgment,” she said.

“Good. You can let Aaron go,” Killian said as he turned toward the guard. “Aaron, I’d like to talk to you and find out what actually happened. Pearl, you can go.”

She puffed up her chest, but Killian narrowed his eyes at her. He wouldn’t take any more shit from her.

“You’ll have to find something better to take me down,” he told her. “No one would believe that Aaron was a danger to any dragon who lives in the clan. He doesn’t have it in him, emotionally or physically.”

“You’re making a mistake.”

“Maybe, maybe not. You should be careful, though. I’m still the king, no matter how little you like that.”

Pearl huffed and turned to leave. Birch didn’t relax until she was out the door, but their problems weren’t over. Aaron’s attacker was still here, looking like he was dying to go after her or possibly throw himself out a window.

Killian turned to him. “Now, why don’t you tell us why you attacked Aaron?”

AARON COULD HAVE CRIED in relief when he realized that Killian actually believed him. He believed that Aaron hadn’t started this and that he wasn’t dangerous.

It was enough to look at both of them. Aaron was the one who was in pain, while his attacker stood there, looking scared but without even a bruise on him.

Aaron hated him.

“Your Majesty,” Mitri started.

Killian raised a hand. “Don’t try lying to me. It won’t work.”

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