Page 6 of My Haven (Bewitched and Bewildered #16)

“Her magic is completely whacking out her body. Female witches naturally regulate when they get pregnant, but Meryn wasn’t raised as a witch, so her empathy has been creating havoc. When did it start?”

Ryuu stepped forward. “Her last trimester, after we returned to Lycaonia.”

Serenity nodded. “That makes sense, her body is getting ready to give birth. Kendrick, come here,” she ordered.

Kendrick didn’t argue. We walked over and stood beside Serenity, who reached down and took his other hand. “Can you see the mess it’s made?”

Kendrick stared straight ahead. “I do now. Your gift is amazing Serenity, the colors help more than I ever thought they would.”

“Do you think you can help monitor it now that I’ve shown you what to look for?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Are you sure? Because I’ll go to Storm Keep with her if I have to,” she offered.

Meryn laughed. “You were already on their shit list before all this started. You stay with Magnus, where it’s safe.”

She looked up and saw Magnus and Sebastian watching her closely. “Thank you for my bloodstone.”

Byron stood. “I’m sorry my addition made you sick.”

She shook her head. “Dude, tooth and claw are fucking badass, it was the thought of you in pain that made me sick.”

“Did you tell her about the last three stones?” Magnus asked.

The queen stepped up to stand next to Magnus. “Meryn, the last three brown stones are polished wood from my tree, Darian’s tree and of course from Abraxas. This crown is meant to show everyone how loved you are, and that your safety is non-negotiable.”

“You knew I’d end up in Storm Keep huh?”

Magnus sighed. “It seemed inevitable.”

Meryn stood and wrapped her arms around Magnus as much as her belly would allow. “Thank you, for worrying about me. I think your cool card would have been enough to keep me safe. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to mess with you.”

Magnus looked down at her and actually blushed. “Nonsense,” he said, sounding flustered.

I mean I would never mess with Magnus, because I wouldn’t want to face Sebastian.

She looked at the vampire squire and grinned.

He grinned back.

“Let us see how it looks,” the queen said, taking the crown and gently placing it on her head. “How does it fit?”

Meryn turned her head slowly, then back and forth quickly. “Neat! It doesn’t slip or nothing. Can Dani eat it?” she asked, reaching up to touch the stones.

The queen’s smile faltered. “Excuse me?”

“Like if I give it to her can she absorb it and make it look like something else, then bring it back when I need to dick swing?” Meryn explained.

The queen stood speechless.

Brennus rubbed his chin. “That’s actually a very good question.”

“Should I try? Would y’all get mad if I lose it?” Meryn pulled the crown off and held it to her chest.

Kendrick’s expression looked eager. “I’d love to see what happens.”

The queen sighed. “You would.”

Brennus nudged her. “It’s yours now, try it and see.”

Meryn closed her eyes and imagined the crown melding with her dress to become a bandana style headband.

“Blue right?” she heard Kendrick asked.

“Is it a bandana?”

“It is,” he confirmed.

She opened her eyes, then thought of her gold robes that auntie liked and her crown. Seconds later she even felt taller in her calf wrapped boots. “How do I look?”

Magnus reached for her hand and kissed it. “Ethereal.”

“Like the biggest swinging dick!” Pip announced.

Meryn giggled so hard she couldn’t breathe.

“Oh dear,” the queen said, covering her mouth as she smiled.

Meryn when she could take air into her lungs, switched back to her jeans, hoodie and bandana. “Pip, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Pip hugged her arm. “We’ll never know.”

“I have missed this more than I realized,” Micah confessed.

“Now, Meryn. With that crown, what would you say to the Witches’ Council if they try to detain you?” the queen asked.

Meryn thought about it, then repeated that cool phrase Kendrick taught her in ancient.

Brennus palmed his face.

Kendrick laughed.

“ Denka !” Ryuu exclaimed, placing a hand over her mouth.

The queen simply smiled. “Close enough.”

“Now that we’ve made my mate impossible to live with, can we get going?” Aiden asked, sounding exhausted.

Meryn looked at her watch. “We’re waiting on one.”

Aiden looked around. “Who?”

“He he he.”

He paled. “Meryn, who?”

“You’ll like it.”

“Gods above give me strength,” Aiden prayed.

Serenity reached over to him and her hand flared for a moment. Aiden sighed and straightened. “Thank you.”

Serenity turned to Ryuu. “His tank is low. Probably his worrying over Meryn. More protein for the next couple weeks.”

Ryuu placed a hand on his heart and bowed. “My thanks.”

As they waited, Meryn reached out and took Magnus’ hand to swing between them.

Looking positively bewitched he let her. “What is this about?” he asked, smiling down at her.

“I missed you.” She looked around the room and suddenly ice water flooded her veins.

One moment everyone was as they were, the next everyone was dressed in the deepest shades of black, weeping and holding on to one another for support.

She gripped Magnus’ hand so hard she heard her own bones protest.

“Kendrick,” she croaked, unable to speak past the knot in her throat.

He was there in seconds, placing a hand on her head.

“Do you see what I see?” she asked.

“No, but it’s the clearest I’ve ever seen your premonition magic work. It’s almost like Serenity cleaned it up and now it’s working better.” His eyes met hers. “What did you see?”

She still had a death grip on Magnus’ hand when she told the biggest lie of her life. “Nothing really, it was just dark and cold all of a sudden.”

Magnus wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close. “I appreciate the premonition that gives me a chance to get a few hugs in,” he said keeping his tone light.

The room visibly relaxed as Kendrick went back to Anne. Aiden and Ryuu watched her closely, but she had learned a while ago how to keep her heart rate even. She blew kisses at her mate, and he relaxed. Ryuu however never took his eyes off her.

“Meryn you will miss me, won’t you?” Magnus asked.

When she looked up, she saw the difference. He was smiling, but his eyes weren’t.

“You know I will. Can I bug you if I get bored?” she asked.

“You can call me even when you are not bored,” he replied.

“You two are too cute!” Serenity said and placed her hand over theirs.

Meryn felt the pain begin to fade instantly. She wanted to thank her but couldn’t, not without giving away the fact that she had been in pain. In that moment she was grateful for Serenity’s abilities.

“Can you do me a favor when you get to Storm Keep?” Serenity asked.

“Sure,” Meryn said.

Serenity bent down. “Check in with Troy at the Water Temple. Others always underestimate him, but he knows people,” Serenity said, letting that sentence trail.

Meryn wanted to kiss her. Serenity knew something was up and was giving her someone that could help, without alerting everyone. “Thank you.”

“You literally saved my life and my mate, I could do no less,” Serenity said, then with a nod, joined Micah who just looked confused. She was patting his chest to reassure him when the portal lit.

Aiden turned to her. “Our plus one?”

“Maybe.”

Meryn watched as Bryok Vi’Erdolin walked through. “Your Highness, I heard you had a job for a poor unemployed warrior like me.”

Aiden’s mouth dropped. “I thought we’d take Cedric.”

Meryn shrugged. “We’re giving Cedric to Sascha to lead and when we get back, Bryok can take over his training. Right now, we need someone with a bit more experience in Alpha.”

“I never would have asked,” Aiden began.

“I know, that’s why I did.”

Aiden strode over to Bryok, hand extended. “Are you sure? You’ve already served and done so much for our people.”

Bryok shook his hand, nodding. “I have done much for our people. Now, it’s time for me to serve both you and our princess.”

Aiden released his hand and stood back. “Your tattoo?”

“If you would sir,” Bryok replied.

Aiden’s claw extended and he cut his hand. He traced the outer edge of the tattoo and the outline disappeared. “Welcome back, Bryok.”

“It’s good to be back, sir.”

Aiden looked over the room. “Everyone ready?”

Magnus chuckled. “One moment. Sebastian if you would?”

Sebastian stepped forward and pulled out a ring. “I take it this is where you promise her that rocket launcher she wanted?”

Magnus pulled her to an empty space and Sebastian moved the key on the ring to cast a soundproofing spell.

Meryn looked over to Aiden who was shaking his head adamantly and stuck out her tongue.

“Cover your mouth and speak quickly,” Magnus said.

Meryn smiled so her eyes crinkled and covered her mouth. “Someone dies. I don’t know who. Just black clothing and weeping, like what you see at a funeral.”

Magnus just nodded, grinning. He covered his mouth in an exaggerated way. “You use that crown. Use the card, hell, use every warrior you can. You come home young lady.”

“I’m not worried about me.”

Magnus met her eyes. “I will support you in any capacity, don’t hesitate, not even for a second.”

She nodded, feeling her eyes fill.

Magnus swept her into a hug, hiding her expression from the room.

Behind them Sebastian lowered the soundproofing spell. “I think the one she wants has too much recoil for her condition,” he said, tucking the keys into his jacket.

Meryn shook her head as if disagreeing, using the motion to wipe her tears. “I can handle it. Please, Magnus! Please!”

Magnus threw his hands in the air. “Fine! But you have to keep Ryuu at your side in case there are… side effects.”

“No! She will not be getting a rocket launcher.” Aiden whirled her around. “Remember our promise? No explosives. How about you ask for some of that damn pepper gel instead?”

Meryn turned and placed both hands on Magnus’ chest. “Can I have that for reals?”

His eyes softened. “Of course.”

“Now, Commander, if our little princess wants a rocket launcher, isn’t it Alpha’s responsibility to show her how to use one?” Bryok asked, innocently.

Aiden’s expression hardened. “Is it too late to exchange him?” he asked, then winked at Bryok to show he was kidding.

Meryn laughed. “Gavriel has spoiled you too much, being all respectful and stuff,” she teased.

Aiden lifted his index finger in the air dramatically, then leveled it to point directly at her. “Who is spoiled?”

She just shrugged. Never in her life had she been doted on like this. She found it to be slightly addicting. “I’ll own that shit.”

“Sir, what is our objective?” Bryok asked.

Aiden straightened. “Officially, we’re conducting an inspection of the Storm Keep unit warriors, unofficially we’ll be trying to see what the Witches’ Council is up to and track down the Ashleigh’s mother.”

Bryok’s golden complexion went pale. “Ashleigh, as in the woman known as the Witch Matriarch? The one that birthed not one, not two, not three, but six powerful witches, one being a set of triplets? That mother?”

“Yes. Thane Ashleigh has called in his favors and the unit warriors pay their debts,” Aiden said.

Meryn bopped his leg. “And he’s family.”

Aiden frowned. “How again? I know he’s your athair , but the part with Amelia is confusing.”

“Hmm. So, my big-sister cousin is their pretend half-sister and as you said, Thane is my athair ,” Meryn said.

Aiden shrugged. “If you say he’s family, he’s family.”

Meryn looked over to Nigel and Neil. “My family tree has lots of twisty squiggles.”

Neil frowned. “Doesn’t that usually mean inbreeding?”

“Not those types of twisty squiggles!”

Pip and Nigel laughed.

Meryn could have hugged all of them. They always knew when she needed laughter.

The queen stepped forward and moved her hand between the pillars. Light flared once again. “This will take you to our building in Franklin, which is just outside of where Storm Keep is. From there you can drive in, Rex has arranged for cars to be left for you.”

Meryn snapped her fingers. “I need Rex!”

Aiden stared. “Excuse me?”

“One second.” She pulled out her phone and started texting. To keep her mind off of whatever impending doom was heading her way, she was going to focus on helping her big brother.

Magnus was awesome for procuring things, but Rex was the master at paperwork. She shot off a text to Leon and Rex, outlining her idea. She got responses right away, both excited about her plan.

When she was done, she put her phone away. Everyone was staring. “What?”

Aiden placed both of his hands on her shoulders. “We’re not adopting Bryok.”

“Ai-den! Why do you always think I’m adopting people?”

He pointed to Nigel, then Neil, then Pip, then pointed down the hall to where Jaxon and Noah’s room was.

“That’s different.”

“Why did you need Rex?”

“To help Caiden.”

“It’s still kidnapping if Caiden adopts his mate, and probably makes their mating illegal in at least a few states,” he said, crossing his arms across his chest.

She eyed his forearms as they flexed over that muscled expanse. She wasn’t above asking for a bedroom soundproofing device. Would that be a Kendrick thing? It seemed wrong to ask her athair for one. Maybe a fae device?

“Meryn!”

“What! Damn!” she clutched at her chest. Him yelling her name scared the shit out of her.

Nigel was chuckling when he leaned in. “He called your name like ten times.”

“Oh. I was thinking about a soundproofing device for travel for our bedroom, in case we wanna get kinky,” she said, sharing her thoughts.

Aiden blinked. “Oh. Never mind then, think away.”

“Meryn, we do miss you terribly on Level One,” Magnus said, laughing as well.

She flashed him a peace sign.

“Let’s head to the witches so I can visit Magnus again.”

Aiden took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “After you, my love.”

Glancing back at the room, at those she was leaving behind, she prayed that whatever they had to do in Storm Keep would be done swiftly and safely.