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Her dragon growled. And it means he won't kiss anyone else.
Seeing as he hasn't kissed us since the mating ceremony, you seem optimistic he wants to do it at all. After our news, he might want nothing to do with us.
And whose fault is it that he hasn't kissed us again? You've been avoiding him on purpose, only seeing him when others are around.
Brenna finally voiced her concerns to her beast, or the dragon might never be quiet. Growing attached to him is dangerous. I'll never fulfill my duty that way, as I won't want to help him.
He's lost amongst a sea of people he doesn't remember. Friendship would do more good than you know.
Brenna had deduced the same, but didn't want to risk friendship turning into anything more. Killian's future was unpredictable and she needed to guard her heart and feelings. Especially given her history of becoming obsessed with a male and the ensuing dereliction of her duties, like with Cedric in the army.
Focusing back on Teagan, Brenna waved goodbye. "We'll be over around seven. And tell Aaron not to make fish. I can't stand it."
"Good thing you're telling me and not him, otherwise he'd make it on purpose to spite you. I swear he lives to irritate those he cares about."
At the love shining in Teagan's eyes as she spoke of her mate, a small tinge of jealousy flared. Maybe someday she'd have what Aaron and Teagan had—a love between partners, who each made the other better.
Not wanting to waste time thinking of something that would happen far in the future, Bren
na murmured her parting and exited the room. She'd handle the Protectors first. That way, Killian would have less time to come up with an excuse as to why he wouldn't go to dinner.
Because even if she had to tie him up and toss him in a wheelbarrow to get him to Teagan's cottage, she'd do it. Teagan and her family deserved the chance to say goodbye.
Her dragon spoke up. Funny you think that now. You didn't say goodbye to Mum and Dad three years ago.
Only because Mum would've locked us up and sent us to relatives in Italy to keep us from joining the army.
I suppose none of that matters now. However, signing the document means you're going to have to face them again.
I'll worry about that when the time comes.
~~~
Killian eyed Teagan O'Shea's cottage in the distance with irritation. "There is no reason for them to wish me farewell. I don't remember any of them."
Brenna matched his strides toward the cottage. "That's not the point. This is for them, not us. And if you don't attend, you don't leave, end of story."
He grunted. "Maybe I don't want to leave."
She looked at him askance. "You were all but giddy earlier, when I told you we were going to England."
The news of him going somewhere new, even for a short while, would give him more time to figure things out. As much as he understood his supposed family wanting to help him, everyone walking on eggshells and pretending to be perfectly fine was driving him crazy. The grandmother was the only one who wasn't shy about voicing an opinion, but even she would often remind him of how he had been.
But he kept his excitement at bay and feigned boredom. "I don't become giddy. You mistook my happiness at finally seeing my wife again as me being excited for this bloody trip."
Brenna had spent most of the last few days away, doing things with the Protectors. He hated how much his mood depended on whether the woman was near him or not.
His only hope was for the Stonefire doctors to run their stupid tests, proclaim his case incurable, and then everyone would allow him to decide his own life.
Brenna replied, "I mated you, yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to wait on you hand and foot."
"There's a difference between doting on me and avoiding me. You've been doing the latter."
"I've been busy. It happens."
Her tone signaled the conversation was over, but Killian wasn't about to let her avoid the topic forever. He gently gripped her wrist and they both stopped walking. "People will talk, darling. You'd better start paying me some attention."
Tilting her head, she said, "In front of your family? You sure you want that?"
