Chapter Ten #2
Marlin knew that Curran hadn’t been. It would take a lot more to shake him than a fight with Birch. Those two had been bickering at least once a week since Curran was born, and Curran seldom lost their arguments.
“I’m fine,” Curran said in a soft voice. “Birch is intimidating, but not violent.”
“If you’re sure. I understand why you might be hesitant to be honest.”
This was where things got complicated because Curran had to lie.
If he told Pearl that Birch would never hurt him and that he wasn’t afraid of him, she’d know she’d lost him.
It made Marlin wonder where she’d gotten the idea that Birch was violent.
Maybe she didn’t actually think that but was trying to hurt his reputation, and, through it, Killian’s.
It would take more than that to get Killian off the throne, but it might just be the first step Pearl was planning for.
“It’s...complicated,” Curran said softly.
“I understand. He’s the king’s bodyguard.”
“He is. Is—is this something you could help with? I’m not saying I need your help, but, you know, if I ever did.”
There was a moment of silence. Marlin held his breath, hoping Curran hadn’t pushed too much. He’d sounded believable to Marlin’s ears, but Pearl was smart.
“It is,” she finally said. “But I might need your help. Your brother is a powerful man, even though he’s just a bodyguard.”
“I don’t know what I can do. I’m not like you.”
“You’re not, but you have something I don’t. Through your brother, you’re close to Killian.”
“And that would help you?”
“It would help me help you, yes.”
“How?”
“You don’t need to worry about that for now.” Pearl started getting up, so Marlin took a step back deeper into the bushes. His side brushed against one of the trees, and he leaned against it to see better. Pearl was still too close to Curran for comfort.
“I’ll talk to you soon, Curran. Remember that you’re not alone and that if you ever need anything, you only have to contact me.”
Curran didn’t answer. He didn’t move or say anything as he and Marlin watched Pearl walk away. Marlin waited until he was sure she wouldn’t see him to push forward. A branch cracked under his foot, and Curran yelped and jumped off the bench. His hand flew to his chest as he glared at Marlin.
“Really?” he asked. “You didn’t trust me to do this?”
Marlin looked around, but no one was paying them any attention, so he reached for Curran’s hand and pulled him into his arms. He felt instantly better once he could hug Curran. “I trust you with my life,” he murmured. “I don’t trust Pearl any further than I can throw her, though.”
Curran relaxed. “She was fine. Weird, but fine.”
“It’s obvious she wants something from you, but she doesn’t trust you yet. You did good, though.”
“I hated every second of it.”
“Everything okay?” Birch asked as he reached them.
Marlin didn’t want to let go of Curran, but he did. Thankfully, Curran hooked an arm around Marlin’s waist and stayed close.
“I’m fine,” he said. “We should probably leave. I wouldn’t want someone to see us and tell Pearl.”
He was right. Marlin should have thought about that, but he’d been more focused on Curran and his safety than on doing his job, which wasn’t great. Killian wouldn’t mind considering the situation, but Marlin would never forgive himself if something happened to his friend.
“Let’s go,” Birch agreed.
The three of them hurried back into the palace.
Marlin noticed a few of the guards moving, too, but he didn’t look at them.
He couldn’t bear to look away from Curran.
Even though he’d been terrified, he’d held his own, and he got results.
They might not yet know what Pearl wanted from him, but they were sure she was planning on getting to Killian through the people close to him.
It gave them a place to start and a list of people to keep an eye on.
If Pearl didn’t get what she wanted from Curran, she might try to get it from someone else.
Marlin hated to think of Curran being involved in any of this, but it might have the best outcome because they knew for sure that he wouldn’t betray Killian. Unfortunately, that put him at risk, but Marlin trusted himself, Birch, and Killian to keep him safe.
They had to.
* * * *
CURRAN RESISTED THE urge to run. Even though he’d watched Pearl leave, he could still feel her presence, and it made him want to hide. Pearl could play nice as much as she wanted, but Curran knew the truth. He knew that she wasn’t a good person and that she was attempting to use him.
It made him angry. He’d wanted to snap at her while she’d been talking, but he’d been able to resist the urge.
He hated that anyone would talk about his brother the way Pearl had.
Birch had never been violent. He and Curran had bickered their entire lives, but Birch had never raised a hand to Curran, not even when they were younger.
Hell, instead of hurting Curran the way Pearl had insinuated, he was overprotective to the point where he made Curran want to scream.
There was a chance that Pearl didn’t believe that Birch was dangerous or violent and that she was just saying that because she was trying to get to Curran.
It made Curran wonder what she thought of his little act earlier.
He hadn’t said outright that she was right, but he’d behaved as if she was.
Did she think he was lying or that she’d somehow gotten it right?
If she thought he was lying, did that mean she wouldn’t contact him again?
She clearly thought that Curran didn’t matter and that he wasn’t strong enough to see through her.
She was wrong.
Curran didn’t say anything until they were back in Killian’s office. Only then did he allow himself to relax and breathe. “Do you think she saw you talking to me?” he asked, turning to look at Marlin.
What Marlin had done had been a risk. If Pearl had seen him, she’d have known that they knew what she was up to.
“She’d already left,” Marlin reassured him.
“It was still dangerous. What were you thinking?”
“That she could hurt you.”
That was why Curran couldn’t be angry at Marlin. He was right. Pearl could easily have hurt Curran, and Curran wouldn’t have been able to do much about it. He wasn’t a fighter. He never had been.
“Can anyone tell me what happened?” Killian asked.
Curran flushed. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t even looked at the king. He’d been too focused on Marlin.
“Marlin didn’t follow the plan,” Birch explained. “But beyond that, nothing happened. Everyone’s fine.”
“Curran?” Killian asked.
Curran sucked in a breath. “I’m fine,” he confirmed. “She didn’t even threaten me.”
“What did she do?”
“She was weird but harmless. She sat next to me and insinuated that my brother’s a violent person.
She told me she understood why I wouldn’t want to stand up to him or say anything because he’s so close to you.
” He hesitated. “I know we talked about this, but I’m still not comfortable acting as if she’s right.
She’s trying to find something against both of you, and she thinks she’s succeeded.
She believes I’ve confirmed that Birch is violent and that Killian is covering for him. ”
“What did you say to make her believe that?”
Curran explained, even though he hated every word he’d said.
This was what they’d agreed on. They wanted Pearl to believe that she was right when it came to Birch.
She might not believe it, but something told Curran that she wouldn’t care.
She just wanted an in with Killian, and she thought she’d found it through Curran.
She probably didn’t care what Curran’s goal was by talking to her.
Maybe she thought that Curran didn’t like Birch and was trying to get rid of him.
Maybe she thought that Birch was violent, after all.
Maybe she believed that, for some reason, Curran hated his brother.
None of that mattered. The only thing that did was that they needed her to tell Curran what she was up to.
“Marlin, why don’t you walk Curran back to his rooms?” Killian suggested.
Unlike last time, Curran didn’t argue. He didn’t want to go back alone after what had happened today. He was still freaking out, and he wouldn’t put it past Pearl to have someone jump him in a hallway.
“Won’t Pearl find it suspicious?” he asked.
“Not if you act disgruntled. Everyone knows that Marlin and Birch are close. It would make sense for Birch to ask his best friend to walk you around, especially in your state. Behave like you don’t want him there.
I know it’s going to be hard for both of you, but try to act unfamiliar with each other.
Maybe Pearl will believe that Marlin is on Birch’s side. ”
That made Curran even angrier. “I hate this,” he muttered.
“We all do, but it’s what we have to do.”
“I wish there was another way.”
“It’ll be over soon. My sister is patient, but she’s been waiting for the throne for a long time. She’s not going to wait forever to put her plan to work.”
Killian was probably right, and that scared Curran because he didn’t know what Pearl’s plan was. He wanted to find out, but how? He was already doing everything he could, and it was too dangerous for him to get in too deep.
He was relieved when he could finally leave the office.
He liked Killian, and he knew that what he was doing to help was important, but it made him anxious.
He disliked feeling like he had to look over his shoulder continuously.
He wanted the whole mess to be over, but he had no idea when it would be.
He was silent as he walked, which hopefully made it look like he was uncomfortable with Marlin. Silence was good. It meant he didn’t have to act.
Curran didn’t expect Marlin to say or do anything, so he yelped when Marlin suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged him sideways.
He pushed open a door, dragging Curran inside.
Curran half expected someone to be attacking them, and he looked around frantically, but the storage room they were in was empty.
He opened his mouth to ask Marlin what was going on and if he thought someone was following them, but before he could say anything, Marlin dragged him into a hug.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” he murmured.
Curran relaxed. “I’m glad I’m okay, too, but we shouldn’t be doing this. Someone might have seen us.”
“I love Killian, and I don’t want anything to happen to him, but you’re more important.”
The words shocked Curran. He wasn’t supposed to be more important than anyone, especially the king.
It wasn’t only because Marlin was the king’s bodyguard but because he was one of the king’s best friends.
How could he say that Curran was more important than one of the two dragons he’d been close with since he was a child?
“I’m fine,” Curran promised as he tried to make sense of what Marlin had just said.
“You are, but I hate what she’s doing to you,” Marlin murmured as he leaned back. “It’s not fair to ask all of this of you.”
“She was the one who pulled me into this mess. I don’t blame Killian or anyone else but Pearl.”
“You’re a better person than me.”
Curran smiled. “You blame Killian, don’t you?” Maybe not seriously, but enough for it to be uncomfortable.
“And your brother for not trying to stop you, and you for doing this.” Marlin took a step back and looked up at the ceiling. “I understand why you’re doing it. I also understand that we need you to continue. I just don’t have to like it.”
“The baby will be fine.”
“What about you? Will you be fine, too?”
“I’ll have to be.”
Marlin shook his head. “It’s hard to watch the person I love put himself in danger that way.”
Curran stared. He knew he’d heard the words right, but they were hard to believe. “The person you love?”
Marlin’s smile was small and sweet. “I know you don’t believe me, but I’ll show you. I don’t care how long it takes me.”
He was right. Curran didn’t believe him, but he wanted to. He wanted to think that Marlin truly loved him beyond the baby they created. He wanted to believe that he could have everything he’d ever dreamed of. He was terrified, both of this and of the situation with Pearl, but he wanted so much.
When Marlin pulled Curran into his arms to kiss him, Curran didn’t argue. He went easily, snuggling against Marlin’s chest, telling himself to enjoy this and that it wasn’t the last time he could have it. Marlin was offering him a lifetime of it.
He snickered against Marlin’s lips. “We did this out of order, didn’t we?”
“Does it matter?”
“No.”