Page 50 of Orange Spell
He might be making a mistake.They were supposed to wait for Pearl to arrive and explain what she wanted Curran to do.It was why he and Birch were hiding in the bushes like last time.Marlin suspected that Pearl wasn’t coming, though.She was smart.She wouldn’t want to be linked to whatever she’d planned.
They should have known this would happen.Marlin had suspected it would, but he’d wanted Curran to finally be able to take a step back and get out of this mess.After today, Pearl would know that he’d been working against her.She’d stop contacting him and trying to get to Killian through him.She wouldn’t be happy, but she wouldn’t try to hurt him.She’d known the risk when she’d started talking to him.She would have thought about everything.
When the dragon sitting on the bench with Curran gave Curran a shake, Marlin shot forward.Birch didn’t try to stop him.In fact, Marlin knew he was behind him without looking back.Birch wouldn’t allow anything to happen to his brother any more than Marlin would.He was as unhappy as Marlin about this mess.
“You go to Curran.I’ll take the dragon,” Birch said.
Marlin nodded.Curran was his priority.As much as he wanted to find out what the fuck was happening and get answers, he’d get them anyway.His job was to protect the dragon he loved and their baby.
They weren’t the only ones moving forward.As soon as they’d exited the bushes, the other guards had popped up.Marlin might not trust them as fully as he trusted Birch, but he knew they could do their job.They didn’t have to worry about this dragon running.They wouldn’t be going anywhere.
The dragon noticed something was happening and got to their feet.They looked around, still holding Curran’s arm, while Curran tried to pull away.The dragon wouldn’t let go, though, and Marlin’s stomach turned.The fear he felt tasted bitter in his mouth.
Curran turned to the dragon and punched them in the face.It didn’t look hard from where Marlin was, but it was enough to startle the other dragon.They let go of Curran and took a step back as they reached for their nose, and Marlin was able to grab Curran by the waist and pull him into his arms.
“Are you okay?”he asked.
Curran was still glaring at the dragon who’d been talking to him.They tried running away, but Birch had reached them, and they were surrounded by guards.It was particularly satisfying to watch one of them tackle the dragon and slam them to the ground.
“Curran?”Marlin asked.“Are you okay?”
Curran blinked up at him.“I’m fine.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah.I don’t think it’ll even bruise.”
“I would have killed them if they’d bruised you.”
To Marlin’s surprise, Curran smiled and patted his chest.“Down, boy.I said I’m fine.You don’t have to kill anyone for looking at me.”
Marlin gently brushed his fingers on the spot where the dragon had grabbed Curran.“They did more than look at you.”
“I promise I’m fine, but I didn’t get any answers.They wouldn’t mention Pearl, not even when I asked.”
Marlin wasn’t surprised.Pearl was smart, so she would’ve planned for something like this to happen.She would’ve sent someone she trusted and who wouldn’t give her away.That was why the message Curran had received hadn’t been signed.That way, she could deny it had come from her.
That wasn’t Marlin’s problem.He was done with this mess.His full focus from now on would be on Curran.As much as he wanted to protect Killian and get rid of Pearl, he had priorities.Besides, he suspected that Pearl would lie low for a while after all of this.She might have managed not to appear involved, but she’d still have to regroup and think about her next step.Now, she knew that Killian was aware of her plotting.Hopefully, she would lie low for a while and would allow them to relax and for the baby to arrive.
“We’re taking him downstairs,” Birch said as he moved closer.His expression was grim.“He hasn’t said anything, though.”
“You know who it is?”
“One of the guards recognized him.We found something in the pouch around his neck.”
Marlin sucked in a breath when Birch held his hand out and revealed a small vial on his palm.The liquid inside it was clear.Marlin was ready to bet that it was also tasteless so anyone drinking it wouldn’t notice it.“Poison?”It was the first time someone tried to poison Killian, but it had been routine for his father.
“Probably.He won’t tell us, but I’ll ask one of the healers to take a look at whatever’s in this.I think we can assume that this was Pearl’s plan, though.”
She’d wanted to poison her brother.She was ready to kill Killian to take the throne.Marlin didn’t have siblings, but he didn’t understand that.Everyone knew that Killian’s father had been an asshole.Shouldn’t that have united his children against him?Instead, it was the second time since Killian had become king that one of his siblings had tried to get rid of him.
When would it stop?Would iteverstop?Marlin didn’t know, but he did know that whatever happened, he’d be there to protect Killian.
It would force him to work long hours and spend time away from his family.He didn’t have a choice, unfortunately.Even if Killian hadn’t been one of his best friends, he couldn’t afford for anything to happen to the king.If Killian fell, the people close to him would fall with him, and that included Marlin, Birch, and, through him, Curran.Besides, Curran would no doubt be on Pearl’s shit list from now on.
It was an uncomfortable place to be, but it would be fine.Curran wasn’t the only one on that list.
