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I'd only dressed in a loose linen shirt and worn trousers, and I paused in the hall, narrowing my eyes at Niall. "Why do you know that?"
He smirked. "Because I spoke to her there."
"Whatever business you have for me will have to wait a little," I said, scuffing my hand over my hair and eyeing the stairs, wanting my omega to appear. "I need to speak with Mairwen about the Flight of Alphas."
"Mm, that's what she's working on. Researching all the families," Niall said, nodding and turning to follow me.
I froze, blinking back at Niall. "Is she?"
Niall stopped too, reading me too easily. His voice lowered, and he leaned in, glaring. "Ronson…what about the Flight of Alphas were you hoping to discuss with her?"
I sighed, stretching my wings back to touch their spines to the cool stone wall. "I am wondering if it wouldn't be better if Mairwen remained here instead of joining me."
Niall's expression flattened, and he drew himself up. I sometimes forgot that my brother was nearly my own height. "Do you? Ronson, I…" He shook his head, rolling his eyes skyward. "Do you realize what a monumental mistake that would be? I know your motivations. I know what you feel for that young woman—"
"You were there last night," I hissed. "You saw what the Posys put her through."
Niall stepped forward, and I was too baffled by his raised fist to do anything but watch as it approached my face. If he'd been inclined, he could've landed quite the punch in that moment. Instead, he thumped firmly against my forehead, as if knocking on a locked door.
"You're an idiot," he said simply. "I saw Mairwen's parents express every possible doubt as to her competency as your omega."
"Fuck." The word grunted out of me as Niall's words sunk into my thick skull.
"And, yes, I saw how it belittled her confidence until she bore next to no resemblance to the woman I'd grown acquainted with here in the castle," Niall continued, leaving the obvious unspoken.
If I suggested to Mairwen that she might not be ready to join me at the Flight of Alphas, I would be confirming those doubts the Posys had tossed about last night. Which was unacceptable.
"I'll admit that I can't guess what the others will think of Mairwen, but I will give even the worst of the lot the credit that they probably won't offer her insults to her face. Not like the ones she suffered last night," Niall muttered with a shake of his head, matching my pose against the wall opposite me. "If you show half the restraint you did with the Posys, we won't have a diplomatic issue on our hands either."
I laughed and let my head thunk against the stone behind me. "You would've made a good alpha," I said.
Niall was quiet, and I lifted my head to find him staring back at me, startled. "Thank you. But believe it or not, I do prefer my current position," he said.
"You deserve more respect."
Niall huffed and waved his hand, turning back to the end of the hall. "Much easier to get my work done when people only pay attention to me for the wrong reasons."
I followed, catching my brother by the shoulder, turning him to face me. "I mean it, Niall. Thank you."
He flushed, and his eyes darted every direction but mine for a moment, but he let out a breath and settled, nodding. "You would've been intolerably distracted if you'd hurt her feelings. I can barely keep you focused as it is. But come, no doubt by now Mairwen will be ready to teach you a thing or two about the history of dragonkin politics."
I clapped Niall's back and hauled him alongside me to my omega.