Page 11 of My Haven (Bewitched and Bewildered #16)

Caiden didn’t relax until everyone was seated with a plate of food in front of them. Having Ryuu there made all the difference in the world. The squire never got in the way, but instead performed all the small tasks that built up when preparing a meal. Ryuu anticipated what he wanted at every turn.

They never had a squire at the Ironwood home. He had taken on a lot of the duties as the eldest son. They had it somewhat easier in Storm Keep, as they did not entertain as much as other families in pillar cities that valued being a Founding Family member over test scores.

Ryuu had been the one to suggest elongating the table and he was glad he listened. With nearly twenty people over for dinner, he couldn’t imagine serving without the squire.

Meryn swayed in her chair, eyes closed, head back, humming to herself. Caiden watched her smiling. Amelia used to do the same thing when she was younger. “Good?” he asked.

“It’s amazerling! I want to eat this every day,” she said, looking down only long enough to cut another piece. Once the chewing started, she closed her eyes again.

Aiden paused his own meal and began cutting up Meryn’s meat for her, so she could continue her happy humming. “Besides the pork buns and the occasional spring roll, this past month has been protein heavy.”

His father smiled. “Lily ate nearly her weight in popcorn with Amelia.”

Lily swatted his arm. “It was nowhere near as much, maybe half my weight,” she said laughing.

Caiden saw Mikel wave his hand and the room was soundproofed.

Meryn opened her eyes. “Didja kill Andrei?” she asked between bites.

Mikel shook his head. “Not yet.”

“Mikel can cast a spell that gives him the ability to see lies,” Aiden explained.

“So, whatever was said was iffy enough for follow up?” she asked.

Mikel looked to Kendrick. “She’s good.”

Kendrick sat back and swirled his wine. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

Meryn put her fork down. “Is it like Cas’ ability to see aura colors?”

Mikel nodded. “Our great-grandmother was fae, it affected our magic.”

“Serenity is like that too, she uses it to see colors when she’s looking at a human body to heal shit,” Meryn explained.

“I know Serenity. I helped her a lot when she was growing up,” Mikel said.

“How does your lie thingie work?” she asked.

“I cast the spell, and a light engulfs them. It stays white if they are telling the truth and shifts to red when they are lying. I can cast it so either only I can see the light or allow others to see as well,” he explained.

“What’s the criteria for the lie?” she asked, looking around for more potato wedges.

Caiden watched Mikel’s expression. The man looked confused. He looked over to Kendrick who was now smirking.

Mikel frowned. “A lie is a lie.”

Meryn snorted. “Oh, you sweet, summer child,” she sang.

Mikel pointed. “I am older than your mate.”

She smiled at him sweetly. “Test me.”

Mikel nodded and in a low voice cast the spell. Meryn began to glow in a white light.

“Now, ask me if my name is Meryn Evans,” she said.

“Is your name Meryn Evans?” Mikel asked.

“Yes,” she replied, and the light stayed white.

“Ask me again.”

“Is your name Meryn Evans?” Mikel repeated.

“No,” she answered, the light remained white.

“Sonofabitch!” Mikel exclaimed. “How? Why?”

Kendrick chuckled. “This is why I adore her so much.” He turned to Meryn. “Are you a murderer?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered, smiling at Kendrick. The light remained unchanged.

“Are you a murderer?” he asked again.

“No,” she replied, and nothing changed.

“Is it the order of the questions? The first answer is always yes.” Mikel asked. “Meryn, switch it up. Is your name Meryn Evans?”

“No.” She remained white.

“Is your name Meryn Evans?”

“Yes,” she said and smiled at Mikel, bathed in a glowing white light.

Mikel turned in his chair to face Kendrick. “I don’t get it.”

Kendrick lifted his arm and indicated for Meryn to explain.

“I don’t know if I can put it into words, but I changed my intent, for each answer, sort of.

Like when you asked me if my name is Meryn Evans, it technically still is because I haven’t changed my name yet, so I thought about that.

When you asked again, I thought of how everyone calls me Meryn McKenzie now, and it was no. ”

Mikel fell back and slumped in his chair. “The wording of the question would have to be precise.” He leaned forward. “Meryn, do you believe your name is Meryn Evans?”

“No,” she replied, staying white.

“Meryn, do you believe your name is Meryn Evans?” he asked again.

“Yes,” she said and turned crimson.

“This is fascinating,” he murmured.

She waved her fork at him. “I think this Karl douche would answer questions like me, because Zoe said he was good at politics.”

“You’re absolutely right, he would frame it in such a way that he wouldn’t be lying,” Mikel confirmed.

Kendrick put his phone down. “Caiden, can one of your men meet Peter outside the city? I’ve ordered some low sugar treats for Meryn as a reward for her lesson in ethics.”

Caiden picked up his phone and texted the new unit leader for Sigma.

The response was immediate. Luckily, he caught Heath before he left.

The new unit leader said that it would be no problem to pick up the treats.

His second text was to Rane McGowan, Sigma’s second in command, to let him know his new unit leader was on his way and to pick him up at the city’s edge and to bring him to the Nu warrior house. “Everything is arranged.”

“My thanks,” Kendrick said, lifting his wine glass to him.

“Low sugar?” Meryn looked at Kendrick with distrust on her face.

“It’s still a creation from Peter,” he said.

“True,” she said, then perked up at the idea of new snacks.

Pip turned to Meryn. “So, it’s lying, but not lying?”

“Yup. Depending on how you view the answer to be,” she explained.

Kendrick eyed Meryn. “Are you planning on killing the Witches’ Council?”

“Of course not," she replied, taking another bite. When she turned red, she gave Kendrick a flat stare. “Jerk.”

His father dropped his fork. “Meryn, darling, you can’t.”

“Don’t worry Uncle Marsh, I won’t do anything they don’t deserve,” she said, taking another bite of steak. She stayed glowing a soft white.

Mikel shook his head and dispelled the white aura.

His father groaned and his mother laughed, then leaned in. “Let’s try for another daughter, one like Meryn,” she teased.

Marshall looked up. “The world would be blessed with another child like Meryn in it.”

Meryn looked surprised. “Really?”

Caiden nodded. “You see things so differently. When you share glimpses of how the world is to you, you expand the world of those around you. That is a blessing.”

Meryn scrubbed at her eyes and took another bite of steak. “If I share more glimpses, can I get steak every day?”

Caiden shook his head. “No, but how about I try impressing you every day at dinner and see if you find new favorites.”

“Deal,” she agreed.

Caiden thought of her plans for the following day. “Meryn, what’s our timeline for tomorrow?”

Meryn set her fork down. “Our day is free until around five-pm. That’s when the guys will start showing up to bring the food in and set the tables and stuff.”

Pip tugged on her sleeve. “Did they find one?”

She nodded. “The found one in your size, Leon is bringing it for you.”

Zev looked to the small vampire. “Find what?”

Meryn smiled warmly at Pip. “He wanted to be the ma?tre d’, so we found him a tux.”

Caiden couldn’t help but grin happily. “And you really think she’ll be there?”

“She better be, I sent her an invite,” Meryn said.

“Really?”

“Why leave it to chance? I even whipped up a fancy digital one and splashed ‘VIP’ on it.”

“We’re going to be waiters,” Nigel said, pointing to him and Neil.

“Will that be enough?” he asked.

Meryn nodded. “Since it’s supposed to be exclusive, the building only seats about ten tables so they should be fine.”

“And what will you be doing?” his mother asked.

Meryn pointed to her plate. “I’ll be sitting at the bar, for a front row seat to the show, eating as much food as I want.”

Zev pouted. “I want free food.”

Konstantine laughed. “You just want to see Caiden fumble meeting his mate.”

“Why would I fumble?” he asked.

“Sir, you were, for all intents and purposes, going to kidnap her,” Hunter reminded him.

He felt himself flush. “It didn’t seem wrong at the time.”

“I’m sure you would have been a very charming kidnapper,” his mother teased.

“Amelia made me promise to keep you out of jail, so I’m going to do my part and help you with your mate. We can’t stress her out, because she has the royal nugget, and that lil guy will keep me from having to lead shit,” Meryn said, stabbing another piece of meat, waving it around as she talked.

“Don’t most aspire to take a throne?” Zev asked.

Bryok and Aedan laughed before Bryok spoke. “Our princess could very well lead éire Danu, for about two days, then she’d hit her limit of dealing with people and retreat to her, what do you call it again, Your Highness?”

“My bat cave.”

“Right, her bat cave. She’s smart enough to realize that wearing a crown means a lot of work,” Bryok, smiled at Meryn.

“I bet it’d be a fun two days,” Tristan said.

“Besides Karl who else is on the Witches’ Council? I need to start pulling info on them,” Meryn asked.

Caiden picked up his own wine glass. “Karl Brugmansia heads the council, of which there are seven members total. The other six are, Jayne Wintercress, Thad Broadleaf, Nia Aconite, Varan Hellebore, Rudah Datura and Daia Rosewyn.”

“Are they super witches like Kendrick and Thane?” she asked.

Justice elbowed Law in the ribs. “I’m so glad that nickname stuck.”

Caiden shook his head. “Mediocre witches at best.”

Meryn looked aggravated. “They why didn’t you pew pew them years ago? If you have to have a Witches’ Council, at least get people you like.”

“Meryn, I don’t know how to break this to you, but you can’t kill everyone who gets on your nerves,” Caiden said, gently.