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“It’s the only one you’ll get,” Twig’s mother snapped. “My son is fine. You already know that, so I don’t get why you have to come here and poke at him.”

“I need to monitor him.”

“I’m sure we could find a nurse who could do that.”

“Would you rather have a nurse take care of your son than me?”

Palmer and Twig’s mother stared at each other. Twig had a suspicion that Palmer had had enough of the way she doubted him, which made sense. He didn’t want them to fight, though. He trusted both of them. “I’m fine with Palmer,” he told his mother. “You know what he’s doing.”

His mother looked like she was about to say something, but thankfully, she seemed to think better of it. She pressed her lips together and glared at Palmer, who quickly went back to work.

“There are guards outside the infirmary,” Palmer murmured. “If you need anything for whatever reason, there will always be someone available, standing at one of the corners.”

Twig swallowed. “The guards are there because you’re afraid whoever poisoned me is going to try to finish the job?”

“It’s definitely a possibility, especially since you’re Killian’s brother. I hope it won’t come down to that, but yes. It’s one of the reasons Killian ordered the guards there.” Palmer smiled. “One of them is my brother.”

Twig’s mother snorted softly. Twig wanted to die of humiliation, but he couldn’t control his mother. Instead, he smiled at Palmer. “Then I feel safe already.”

Palmer patted his shoulder. “Good. You should. My brother is very good at his job, and right now, his job is to protect you and make sure no one comes in except the people who are authorized to.”

Right now, Twig wished his mother wasn’t authorized either. He knew that if he told Palmer that, he’d make sure she wasn’t allowed in, but Twig couldn’t do that. The only reason he was annoyed with his mother was that she treated Palmer in a way Twig felt was appalling. Hopefully she would change her mind once Twig started getting better.

He was sure he would. He didn’t care that Palmer was human. Twig trusted Killian, and Killian trusted Palmer. More than that, Twig also trusted Palmer. He’d seen how focused the human was on him and how hard he was trying to help. A man who didn’t care wouldn’t do that. Hell, if Palmer didn’t care, it would’ve been easier for him to hand Twig over to one of the healers. He wouldn’t have to worry about dealing with Twig’s mother. Instead, he was right there, helping Twig to the best of his ability.

“Maybe you should get Twig something to eat,” Palmer said, looking at Twig’s mother. “He hasn’t been very hungry, but he does need food. Something light, like soup.”

Everyone in the room knew that he was sending Twig’s mother away. Twig waited for her to say something about it, but her love for him seemed to win out. She huffed as she got up, clearly realizing that feeding her son was more important than glaring at the doctor. “I’ll get soup,” she said.

She didn’t add anything, but it was clear she expected Palmer to be gone by the time she came back. As much as Twig liked Palmer, he hoped the doctor would be. Palmer shouldn’t have to deal with Twig’s mother, especially when she was in this kind of mood.

Unfortunately, she’d been in this kind of mood pretty much since Twig had landed in the infirmary.

* * * *

TAYLOR WONDERED IF something had happened when the dragon stormed out of the infirmary. He knew her, of course. She’d been camping out in the infirmary since Palmer’s most recent patient had arrived. If Palmer was any weaker, he would probably be terrified of her, but as it was, he limited himself to complaining to Taylor. Taylor knew everything about Willa, Twig’s mother, and how willing she was to push back against Palmer. Palmer had said it wasn’t a bad thing. It showed that she cared about her son, which was a good thing, especially considering what Taylor knew of Twig’s father. The old king hadn’t been a good person. If Twig’s mother hadn’t loved him, Taylor didn’t think things would have ended up well for her.

But from everything Taylor had seen, Twig was loved, which was great. Still, he was relieved that Twig’s mother was out at the moment. Hopefully, not having her breathing down his neck would help Palmer.

He could hear voices inside the private room Twig was in. He didn’t mean to intrude, but he wanted to make sure his brother was okay, and since Twig’s mother had left the door open, he could peek in.

Twig was sitting on his bed, talking to Palmer. He was a gorgeous cornflower-blue dragon. Taylor had noticed him before, and he recognized him when he’d arrived at the infirmary. He kept his distance because he had no reason to listen or go any closer, but he was curious about Twig.

This dragon was the king’s half-brother. Everyone at the palace seemed to know how all of Killian’s half-siblings had come to be, and a lot of people hadn’t hesitated to tell the humans who’d moved in. That was how Taylor knew about Twig’s conception and what the old king had done to his mother and countless others. Twig seemed like a happy person, though, or at least as happy as he could be, considering he was in a hospital room.

His hip bumped against the table by the door. Palmer and Twig both looked up, and Palmer frowned.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

Taylor couldn’t look away from Twig. “I’m fine. I just wanted to be sure that you were, too.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Taylor forced himself to look away from Twig, even though Twig had been staring right back. He glanced at his brother, trying to come up with a good explanation. “Twig’s mother didn’t look happy when she left.”

Twig snorted. “My mother never looks happy, especially not since I landed in the infirmary.” He turned back to Palmer. “I’m really sorry she hasn’t treated you right.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s your mother, and she’s worried about you. I’d never blame her for feeling that way, and I’m fine with however she treats me.”