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"So, what does that mean for me? What do I owe you for this so-called ‘protection’?”
"You don't do anything about it. This was a strange way of going about it, and it's still unclear whether it's official or not. Usually, a declaration like that is made when a relationship is, um, is already established." She coughed, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the conversation.
She took her hand back and pushed on the gas a little too hard once it was a green light.
She'd never had a Hatchling before, so stating these things aloud felt weird and strangely intimate. She wasn't even sure if he would be considered a Hatchling. Hatchlings were trusted and protected in exchange for them keeping the Cantils' secrets. Caspar wasn't being brought into the fold, and Mykie had no intention of asking her father to declare him as someone under the Cantils’ protection. This was her responsibility and hers only, so what did that make Caspar?
He looked away and watched out the car window for a minute. She could see from her side mirror that he was biting his lip, seemingly contemplating something. “By ‘relationship’, do you mean I owe you sexual favors?”
She almost choked. “N-No! I mean, you’re a very handsome guy, but I wouldn’t force myself on anyone.”
No one she was meeting beside Renly seemed to be who she thought the were. First, the confident boy that she thought she had pin as the mischievous trickster “Cor” turned into the shy Duke “Corbus” that she met that morning. Now Caspar wasn’t as shy and clumsy with himself as she saw he was at the restaurant. She wouldn’t be able to take it if he was serious and started to offer himself up on a platter to her. She wasn’t Jezebeth. She didn’t know how to do…that kind of relationship without getting emotions involved.
She saw his mouth lift into a smile that he tried to keep contained through his bit lip. “This arrangement doesn’t seem mutual if I’m the only one benefitting from it. I wouldn’t want to cause you all this trouble without getting something out of it.”
She felt herself growing hot. “I…I don’t know what to say.”
He chuckled, unable to keep his smile back anymore as he turned to look at her. “I’m sorry, I’ll stop. I have a few questions, though. Why did you have to say you're protecting me? Not that I mind or that I'm not grateful, but I don't understand. Why was it so important?"
She cleared her throat, trying to get herself back into thinking about business, but thoughts about him in more pleasant situations clouded her mind. "It shouldn't be something to concern yourself with. Right now, I need you to trust me. I messed up, and in the type of world I live in, what I did... it's like a declaration of ownership to some. I apologize for jumping the gun and throwing out words before thinking, but I didn't know what to do. It felt like my fault you got fired, even though I know it wasn't. I couldn't stand by and watch you get fired for something that wasn't your fault."
"Thanks, Mykie. No one's ever done something like that for me. At least, not to that extent," he said quietly. “You saved my life.”
They both were quiet for a moment, and Mykie almost thought she'd gotten away with not explaining more, but Caspar spoke up.
"Can I ask you another question?"
Mykie was hesitant. "I don't promise I can answer."
"What sort of world are you talking about?"
Mykie thought about her words. "A nasty, manipulative one that you're not meant to be a part of.” She didn't want to encourage him to ask more questions, but she didn't want to shut the amber-eyed boy out, either.
“Like the gangs,” he said.
She grimaced. "I’m a Cantil. An important one, at that. Being around me will afford you some protection, but from here on out, you’re in danger from those who know my identity within the Cantil.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you ever heard of the ‘Valkyrie’?”
He nodded with a visible gulp. “That’s you?”
Turned to look at him again once she reached a stop light. The last thing she wanted was for him to be scared of her and stop the banter he was doing before. Even if it embarrassed her, a lot. “You’re safe with me, I promise.”
Nothing else was said on the rest of the ride to the hospital. She would glance at the boy every now and then at stoplights, her curiosity increasing. Would she have to kill him, if he didn’t agree to accept her protection? He was already a potential target if anyone found out that Mykie Vesper, adopted daughter of Chance Lauder, was protecting a boy. It would be worse when they found out he was attached to the Valkyrie. If he shared her secrets, she would have no choice but to eliminate him as a threat to the Cantil and to her.
Finally, she pulled into the hospital parking lot and parked the car as close as she could get to the entrance. Caspar opened his door and moved to unbuckle, but Mykie put a hand on his chest, pressing him back against the seat.
"I need to say this before we go in. My world is dangerous, Caspar. If you're serious about wanting to know more about it, I'll let you. But for you to knowanything, you're putting yourself at risk. What I’ve already told you is risky enough. I'm your protector— and I take that very seriously— but once you open this can of worms, there's no way to take it back."
Caspar's mismatched eyes focused on her, and he nodded solemnly, showing that he understood what she was implying.
"You don't need to decide to right away. We should focus on your foot before anything else, anyway," Mykie stated, lifting her hand off him and climbing out of the car.
She circled around the car and held the door open for him as he got out, then wrapped her arm around him, much like she had at the diner. He threw his arm around her shoulder again.
It was a long walk to the door where the check-in area was located, but they made it there in due time by working together. She felt strange standing so close to him, but she also had a feeling that he was just as nervous as she was, now. She was too concerned about his foot at the moment to dwell on it, however.
