Delaney gently placed a hand on his arm and lightly stroked his bicep with her thumb. As his muscles relaxed under her touch, she asked, "So what do we do about this?"
He frowned. "This is my problem, not yours, love."
"Why is it only your problem when it concerns me too?" He opened his mouth, but she continued before he could say anything. "Aye, you know the clan better. However, there are many ways people can help one another. Just talking about your ideas or frustrations with me could clear your mind of anger. That way, you can handle it more rationally than in your current state." She stroked his arm again. "After all, I was having doubts of being able to stay here until you arrived, reminding me that I don’t have to face these things alone. You don’t have to, either, Rhydian."
Rhydian's pupils turned to slits for a few beats before growing round again. He replied, "My dragon seems to agree with you."
She smiled. "You having two personalities in one body will come in handy for me winning arguments in the future."
Rhydian's face didn't lighten at all, which worried her. Had he been hiding just how much some of his clan hated humans?
He ran a hand through his short, dark hair. "I want to pretend this isn't a massive problem, but it is, Delaney. My plan to quietly weed out the clan and send most of the troublemakers to the outlying farms won't work now. Because I'm sure someone has seen this, or at the very least the culprit took pictures and is bragging to likeminded folk, encouraging others to help them drive you out for good. And in the process, maybe even take me down as well."
She leaned a little closer. "Then change tactics. Plans are all well and good, but when it comes to life, you need to be able to pivot or adjust in a second. So now, rather than being upset about the road being hard, we need to accept it and find a way to conquer the fucking thing."
The corner of his mouth ticked up. "You're too bloody marvelous, you know that?"
She shrugged, ignoring how his words warmed her heart. "I had to learn that lesson or I never would've survived beyond my first boxing match. Because if I had only stuck to my predetermined plan, then
it meant someone punching me and maybe even breaking my nose. And call me vain, but the fewer times my nose is broken, the better."
Rhydian finally smiled, turning his head to better display his scars and pointed to them. "I lost my vanity long ago." Before she could reply, he took her hand and squeezed it. "So I'm overly cautious and you're a bit vain. There. Neither one of us is perfect. However, together, maybe we can be a little bit more so." He gestured toward the door. "Tell me everything that happened up to you reading the note, and then I'll call a few of my top Protectors here. Together maybe we can devise a plan. And since you'll have to be a part of it, no matter how much I don't like you being the focus of anyone's hatred, you most definitely will have a say in the matter."
Delaney had wondered if Rhydian's promise the night before, about including her when possible, had been genuine. But in this moment, he proved it would be.
Which only made her want to fight harder for her right to stay on Snowridge.
And so, as she explained every detail from her first knock to the letter, her split-second uncertainty about staying earlier was forgotten. Maybe alone she would've had problems, but with Rhydian at her side, they could face anything. She was almost certain of that now.
~~~
Rhydian questioned Delaney about every little detail, but as soon as she voiced concern over the letter being covered in some sort of harmful substance, he rushed her to the surgery and had her tested for them. Even though Dr. Maelon Perry was expediting the test results as much as possible, it was still taking too bloody long.
Especially since the doctor had placed Delaney into a temporary quarantine, away from him.
And he didn't like it.
The only positive thing was that Rian was still staying at his friend's house, completely unaware of the threat, and so Rhydian didn't have to worry the lad unnecessarily.
Of course, it made him miss Delaney all the more. Somehow the female had become an integral part of his life, and it was emptier without knowing he could see her, touch her, dance with her whenever he wanted.
He readjusted on the sofa, and then again, trying his best not to get up and pace.
His dragon spoke up. I want to be with her, too. But if we don't follow the doctor's orders, he'll send us out of the surgery until he's ready to invite us back. And that will only put us farther away from our female.
Dragon-shifter doctors were the only ones who sometimes had authority over clan leaders. Rhydian didn't always like it, but he knew his friend only had everyone's best interest at heart. And Maelon would bar us from the surgery until Delaney is released, too.
Then let's do as much work as we can whilst we wait. That will help distract us.
Right, because you're going to be able to concentrate and not think about Delaney?
His dragon huffed. I'm going to try. I've already restrained myself for days and haven't kissed her. His beast paused and added, One way to maybe speed things up would be to ask Stonefire for help.
I want to say yes, but doing that could be seen as a sign of weakness, both from within the clan and from Stonefire's side.
Why would it be, though? Not only does the majority of our clan want an alliance with the other British dragon clans, Stonefire asked us for help not that long ago, when they needed to talk to one of the retired doctors here.
That wasn't really a favor, and you know it. Communication between clans shouldn't be so hard. Besides, we still need to help with their upcoming operation so we can pay back our debt for rescuing the children. Asking yet again for assistance would put us back to owing them, and I don't want that.