“Don’t touch anything,” Palmer begged.
Taylor beamed at him.“I promise I didn’t break anything.”
“People are wondering why you’re here,” Palmer said as he walked to the door.“You’re not hurt.The infirmary isn’t your place.”
“I’d argue that any place you areismy place, but they know me.I don’t think they’re as confused as you believe they are.”
Maybe they weren’t, but the last thing Palmer wanted was to offend anyone.He needed to be allowed to stay and work with the dragons.That meant he didn’t want to make any of them uncomfortable, and he especially didn’t want his brother to make any of them uncomfortable.
Sometimes, it was a fine line to walk.Most dragons were curious about humans, just like humans were curious about dragons.In a way, though, Palmer and the other humans were invading these people’s homes.Palmer didn’t blame them for being uncomfortable.He really believed that they could learn from each other, and that wouldn’t happen if they didn’t give each other a chance.
“What’s this meeting going to be about?”Taylor asked as they walked down the hallway.
“Just a general checkup.We’re also going to discuss healthcare for the growing human population of the clan.”
“So you’re going to nerd out.”
“I’m going to work.It’s not my fault you don’t understand those things.”
“Oh, I’m fine not understanding them.They’re boring.”
Palmer shook his head.He knew what Taylor was doing.He was distracting him because he knew he was nervous.Palmer was grateful, but at the same time, he felt like he was being managed, which wasn’t something he particularly enjoyed.This was his brother, though.He’d allow it.
He was also grateful because it meant that he didn’t think too much about the meeting until they reached the conference room by Killian’s office.He knew things would be okay.Killian was a good ruler, and he’d been the one to invite Palmer to stay at the palace and work with dragon healers.
The problem was that the meeting wasn’t only with him.
The room would be full of the king’s advisors, and they weren’t dragons that Palmer knew.Still, he didn’t have a choice.He had to attend the meeting, and he would.
* * * *
RUNE WAS THE FIRSTto arrive for the meeting.It made him feel like he was too excited for something so mundane, but he’d been stunned to be invited to participate.He knew this was part of Killian rebuilding his advisors and the ruling class of the clan, but he wasn’t entirely sure why he was one of the people involved.
He wanted to be, though.
He didn’t want to rule the clan.He might be the late king’s son as much as Killian was, but he’d never even thought that he would be good at it.He also didn’t want to ruin the clan they already had.Things worked as they were, and everyone was finally happy.
Well, almost everyone.Rune and Killian’s half-sister, Pearl, definitely wasn’t, and she wasn’t shy about it.Rune didn’t understand what her problem was.Why would she want to become queen?Killian was doing a good job.He was protecting the clan, rebuilding it, and laying solid foundations for the future.He was doing everything right, and while Rune understood that some dragons were wary of the many humans who’d been allowed into the clan, he also didn’t think it had been the wrong decision.Only the future would tell, of course, but so far, things were working well for everyone.
But not for Pearl.She was convinced she’d do a better job than Killian.Maybe she would, but it wasn’t her place.She wasn’t the queen’s daughter.That meant that she didn’t have any legitimacy.
And that was a good thing.
Rune was her brother, but they’d never been close.He’d never been close to Killian, either, but he and Killian were working on that.Rune couldn’t say the same about Pearl.
He looked around the meeting room.It was still empty, which made him feel awkward, but he wasn’t going anywhere.He didn’t want to be late.He was sure people would start arriving soon, and when they did, he’d be ready to start working, even though he wasn’t quite sure what that would involve.He’d never been an advisor for anything, and while Killian hadn’t actually told him that was why he wanted him there, it was the only possible reason.Rune didn’t have anything to do with healthcare.He wouldn’t even be able to heal a cut, let alone work on dragonsandhumans.Frankly, he was in awe of anyone who could do that, so he was a bit excited about officially meeting the human doctor.He’d heard about him and had seen him around the palace, but he’d never had the opportunity to talk to him.
He was fascinated, not only by what the doctor could do.The doctor was human, and from what Rune had seen, he was gorgeous, with his pale hair and blue eyes.Rune was intrigued by humans in many different ways, including the way they looked.They were incredibly different from dragons, but that didn’t take away from their beauty.
Not that beauty was the reason the doctor would be here today.Rune would have to focus on doing his job, even though he didn’t know what the job entailed.He was sure that Killian would eventually tell him, though, and he didn’t want to disappoint his brother.
He knew that Killian wouldn’t care if he told him that he didn’t want anything to do with this.Part of Rune would rather stay away from it because he knew it would be a mess.Killian was the king, but Pearl wouldn’t back down.That didn’t bode well for the future, and it meant Rune had a choice to make.He had to pick a side, something he wished he didn’t have to do.Really, there was only one side hecouldchoose in this situation.He wasn’t going to work against his brother, not when Killian was the only possible king.He was also a good king, which, at the end of the day, was what mattered.
Rune looked around the still-empty meeting room.He might feel out of place, but he wasn’t.Killian had asked him to be there.Whether that was because he thought that Rune had abilities that could be useful to the clan or because he was trying to fix their relationship, Rune didn’t know, but either way, Rune was happy to be there.
* * * *
BY THE TIME PALMERsat in his seat at the table in the meeting room, the room was half full.It was a bit intimidating to be surrounded by so many powerful dragons, but he told himself not to be an idiot.He was surrounded by dragons every day, and it wasn’t like these people were going to hurt him.He was here for a specific reason, which was his job.Thatwas what he needed to focus on.He was a professional, and he needed to behave like one.
