Page 5 of My Haven (Bewitched and Bewildered #16)

Before Meryn realized it, the boys were packed, and everything was stacked by the portal ready to go.

“You didn’t think you were leaving without saying goodbye did you, young lady?” a soft voice demanded.

“Hey mom!” Meryn went to Adelaide and was enveloped in a warm embrace.

“Must you go? Now?” Adelaide smoothed the bangs away from Meryn’s eyes.

“Yeah, that way when kidlet gets here everything should be good. Well… at least not actively imploding anyway,” Meryn said.

“Aiden, if those trumped-up council members even breathe wrong in Meryn’s presence, maul first, answer questions second,” Byron said, clapping his son on the shoulder.

Aiden pointed first to Ryuu, then to Kendrick. “I’ve been told if anyone upsets my mate, there wouldn’t be much left to maul.”

Byron smiled. “Even better.”

Meryn went to Byron and shamelessly laid her head on his chest. “Is everything I did, okay? Uncle Bren said, they were good assignments.”

Byron looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. Meryn knew, that he knew full well she was trying to be cute after being so high-handed with the rearranging she did. “If it had been anyone other than you…” he shook his head and grinned wider. “My daughter is amazing.”

“Head kisses, please,” she said, bending down slightly.

Byron kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tight. “I mean it Meryn. If you think for even a second, that one of those ingrates may be up to something, shoot.” He tapped her on the nose. “You more than anyone else would probably get away with it.”

“Damn right,” Brennus muttered.

Meryn looked to Pip. “We got everything?”

“Roger!” he said, giving a salute. “I made sure we packed all the pork buns.”

“Excellent.”

Darian turned to light the portal when a phone went off.

“If shit’s already going sideways, I’m staying home,” Meryn said, adjusting her backpack.

“It’s me, hold on,” Amelia said, answering her phone. “Hey Caiden, I have you on speaker, is that okay?”

“Yeah, I have some wonderful news to share,” he said, excitedly.

Amelia brightened instantly. “What’s up?”

“I’ve found my mate!” he announced.

Meryn nodded. “That shit seems right on time.”

“Oh Caiden, that’s amazing! I’m so happy for you,” Amelia sniffed. “What’s she like?”

“Well, technically I haven’t met her yet, I saw her on YouTube .”

Amelia frowned. “Are you sure? Is that how it works?”

“I’ve been dreaming of her for weeks, I’m very sure.”

“What dream didja get? Fire? Stabbings?” Meryn asked.

“No, nothing like that.” He was quiet for a second. “She’s always eating.”

“Dude, that sounds cool.”

“She travels and eats foods from different parts of the country. This week she’ll be in Franklin. I think I’ll introduce myself and bring her to the estate for a while,” Caiden explained.

Amelia was nodding, then frowned. “Bring her to the estate, how?”

“I’ll invite her out for dinner, then just bring her here.”

“You can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“Because that’s called kidnapping!” Amelia screeched.

Meryn frowned. “I mean technically it’s just lying. If she gets in the car of her own accord, I don’t think it’s kidnapping.”

“See,” Caiden said, sounding smug.

When Amelia whirled around and stared at her, Meryn could see that they were, in fact, related. The terms, ‘if looks could kill’ had never been so clearly displayed to her before. “Caiden, will you let me handle the whole introducing you to your mate thing?” Meryn asked.

“My baby sister wants to help? That’s sweet. I trust you Meryn,” Caiden said.

“Cool, text me her channel name and I’ll take it from there.”

“Meryn!” Amelia groaned.

“What? I got this.”

“No, you don’t!”

“This is easy peazy stuff. No mass murders or nothin’.”

“Maybe Amelia should help,” Caiden interjected, now sounding worried.

“Sorry bucko. She’s going to be in éire Danu, so you’re stuck with me,” Meryn said, enjoying the sound of trepidation in his voice.

“Mass murders?” he asked.

“None this week, swearsies.”

“Okay, we can discuss it when you get here. Goodbye, our little Terrorist.”

“Bye Cai,” Amelia said, and sniffled again only after the call disconnected. “Meryn, please don’t get our brother arrested.”

Meryn waved her hand at her big-sister cousin. “Even if he got locked up, I can change his charges.”

“On that note, we’ll head back to éire Danu, so Amelia can lie down,” Darian said, looking to his mother.

The queen smiled. “I’ll take care of it. Let Amelia rest.”

Darian used his ring, opened the portal and they along with Cord, stepped through. When the light faded, the queen turned to Meryn. “I have a gift for you.”

Brennus went to where they had been sitting and picked up a square box. He solemnly handed it to is mate. “I’ll call Magnus,” he said.

The queen turned to face Meryn and handed her the box. “This is for you, from a lot of people that love you dearly.”

Brennus stepped forward holding up a phone.

“Hey, Magnus.”

“Hello, darling.”

“I got a box.”

“I see that. Are you going to open it?”

Meryn took the box, then looked around for Ryuu. She hated getting actual gifts, she never knew what to say. When she felt his hand on her shoulder, she opened the box and gasped. “My tiara! Magnus, you promised me one!”

“And I have delivered on that promise.”

The queen smiled. “It’s a bit more than that, dearest. Lift it out.”

Meryn picked up the delicate headpiece. “It’s not a tiara, it’s shaped different.”

“It’s a Regalis Crown, the first and only one in existence.”

Behind her she could hear Aiden choking on air, so it had to be serious.

“Sooooo, like a get out of jail free card?” she asked. She turned it over in her hands. “It’s so light!”

It looked like strands of silver thread had been woven delicately into intricate knots and braids.

Three polished stones were set in the center and above it an empty bracket.

On either side of the empty bracket there were two more stones.

On the left the burnished red stone was encircled by an intertwined dragon swallowing its own tail.

On the right a large claw clutched at the ivory gem.

Hidden along the flatter metals more squiggles that she couldn’t read almost looked like filigree.

“Umm thanks?”

Kendrick was laughing so hard he was crying. Byron and Brennus were smiling, and the queen was shaking her head. “Kendrick, if you would please?”

Wiping his eyes, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a diamond easily the size of her fist. When he took the crown and added the large stone to the center bracket it looked as if the branches shifted to cradle it on all sides. When he was done, he handed back to her.

“Dude! Is that a diamond?”

Kendrick scowled. “Of course not.”

She exhaled. “Thank god!”

“It’s a finely compacted and condensed form of my magic and Thane’s.”

“Can I do magic now!?”

“No!” Kendrick replied immediately.

“Well, that’s dumb.”

Brennus howled his laughter, as Byron kept trying to prop Aiden up.

Byron patted his son on the back. “Her reaction to the crown is exactly why she’s trusted with it.”

“Is this like my unlimited meat kebabs from Magnus kinda thing?” she asked.

The queen ignored the men. “It is like the Regalis card from Magnus, but more.” She pointed to the ruby. “That is a bloodstone gem from Magnus and Gavriel. It is encircled by the eternal dragon, the vampires’ symbol for immortality.”

“It’s your actual blood,” she whispered.

“Yes, gladly given,” Magnus answered.

“Fucking metal as shit. That is so cool!”

The queen then pointed to the ivory. “That is tooth and claw from Byron, held by a bear’s claw.”

Meryn whirled. “Are you hurt!” She passed the crown over her shoulder to Ryuu to go to her dad. “Let me see your hands!” She tugged at them, trying to make sure he was okay.

Byron took her hands gently. “I am fine. I donated while shifted, they grew back the next day.”

Meryn felt a wave of nausea. She couldn’t stand the thought of her dad hurting.

“Chair!” Adelaide yelled.

Felix fanned her face with his hands. She smiled weakly at him.

Seconds later she was steered into a chair and Aiden began to also fan her. “Baby, he’s fine, I promise you.”

Byron knelt down in front of her. “I swear to you, it hurt, but it was fleeting. Like when you lost your baby teeth.”

She glared at him.

He took her hands and kissed each one. “Oh, my poor, sweet, baby girl.”

Brennus rubbed a hand over her hair. “The thought of you hurting made her sick, and she doesn’t think she knows what family is.”

She looked around and Ryuu set the crown in her lap.

The queen twisted her hands. “Oh dear, I thought she would like it.”

“She was fine with our blood and magic,” Kendrick pointed out.

Meryn looked around. “Did y’all hang up on Magnus?”

Kendrick rolled his eyes, then pointed to the marble pillars. “He’s on his way. When you turned the color of milk, he disconnected.”

Meryn couldn’t help but smile. Kendrick and Thane were like older brothers.

Her Uncle Bren and Byron were like fathers to her, but Magnus was something special.

He didn’t have any ties to her except for Beth’s claim on her.

But she knew, down in her soul where her love and trust for Aiden, Ryuu and Felix lived, that Magnus would do anything for her.

Between the marble pillars golden light arced and then the Prince of the Vampires stepped through looking angry. “Is she well?” he demanded.

Behind him Sebastian, Serenity and Micah came through.

Serenity came to her and held out her hand, wordlessly Meryn took it.

Magnus looked from Aiden to Brennus, then to Byron and Kendrick. “Well?”

Adelaide went to him and placed a hand on his arm. “She got a bit overwhelmed at Byron’s contribution. I think she is doing better now.”

Serenity frowned fiercely then whirled on Kendrick. “You couldn’t help her?”

Kendrick’s mouth dropped. “Excuse me?”