Page 14 of Orange Spell
He wasn’t surprised to see that the hallways were almost completely empty on his way to the dining hall.Most of the clan was probably still sleeping off the hangover, and those who weren’t and had to work today had been smart and hadn’t drunk much, unlike Marlin.He couldn’t regret anything that had happened last night, though.He’d had an opportunity he’d never thought he could have, and he couldn’t regret that.
Not yet, anyway.
The smell of food as he walked into the dining hall made his stomach churn.He paused and waited, relieved when he didn’t feel the need to run out the door.If he was going to work, he needed fuel.Killian would probably close an eye if Marlin was too hungover to work, but Marlin couldn’t do that to his friend.He had a job to do, andthatwas what he’d focus on today.
Someone waving at him caught his attention.He waved back at Taylor, one of the humans who’d recently moved in with the clan.He was sitting with his brother Palmer.
Marlin couldn’t say he and the brothers were friends, but they were friendly, and he didn’t want to sit alone this morning.After grabbing his food, he walked toward their table, relieved to see it was still just the two of them sitting there.
“That was a party, wasn’t it?”Taylor said.
Marlin groaned.“Please don’t talk so loudly.”
Palmer laughed.“Taylor has always been great with alcohol, but the same can’t be said for most of us.You’re okay, Marlin?”
“Not really, but I’ll be fine.Just give me time to eat something.”
“And drink water.”
He sounded worried, which Marlin thought was sweet.It would’ve been easy for Palmer to dismiss him since he was a dragon and Palmer hadn’t been trained in dragon anatomy and healing, but he was here to learn, and he was always eager.“I promise I’ll drink some water.”
Palmer nodded.“Good.I wouldn’t want to have to tell the king that his bodyguard couldn’t work today because he was dehydrated and hungover.”
“Killian wouldn’t care.”
“Probably not, but you would.”
That much was true, which was why Marlin started eating even though his stomach felt like it couldn’t take it.He felt like shit, but that was his own fault, and he wouldn’t allow anyone to pay for that, especially not Killian.“I’ll be fine,” he muttered.
Palmer smiled at him.“I’m sure you will be.And if you’re not, you know where the infirmary is.Come find me, and I’ll give you something to help.”
That was good to know, but it was the only good thing about the day so far.It would get better if Curran were to reach out, but something told Marlin that he wouldn’t.
Chapter Four
Curran was going tothrow up.The smell of the food his mother was cooking made his stomach churn and his mouth filled with saliva.He couldn’t stay in the kitchen, but he also couldn’t allow his mothers to realize something was wrong.If he told them he was feeling sick, they’d start fretting and push him to go see the healer.
