Chapter Fifteen #3
Daia cleared her throat. “Given the evidence from the estate and the bank transfers to the individual who killed your parents, I had no problem submitting Ellar and Bryson’s deaths to both councils.” She smiled at Caiden. “I think I surprised your father by doing the paperwork.”
Caiden winced. “I forgot to update him yesterday.”
“You might want to bring him in on future plans,” she advised.
“I’ll call him in a little bit,” he promised.
“I already called him,” Meryn said.
Caiden stared. “When?”
“This morning after Daia went to the council. He’ll be here soon.” She looked at Ryuu. “I know we’re ass deep in Armstrongs, but we have a plus two coming in from éire Danu.”
Ryuu smiled. “I’ll get two more chairs.”
Myra laughed. “We can head back to the Armstrong house Meryn.”
Meryn eyed the kids. “May not be a bad idea.”
Myra nodded. “I understand.” She stood and let out a piercing whistle.
“We’re heading back to the house.” Graham and Ewan walked over to stand on either side of their mother.
“Walk slow,” Graham said. Myra rolled her eyes and Tabitha laughed.
Myra turned to Caiden. “Be a dear and talk to those builders for us. We need to expand the Armstrong estate.”
“Of course, Myra,” Caiden said.
In the end Augustus stayed and the rest of the Armstrongs went with their parents back to the house to put everything in order. The warriors had already cleared the bodies and cleaned up the blood, but they did have a hole in their roof that had to be addressed.
They heard the front door open and close, then Marshall walked in. He just stared at his son. “At least my niece calls me for updates,” he huffed.
“Sorry, Father. Things were moving a bit fast yesterday.”
Kiera saw a familiar flash of light from the other room, then King Darian and another fae walked in. Both went directly to Meryn to drop a kiss on the top of her head.
Meryn pointed. “You know Darian. The one next to him is my older brother, Oron.”
“How many brothers do you have?” Kiera asked.
Meryn beamed. “A lot!”
The two fae sat and everyone looked at Meryn.
She took a deep breath. “Quick recap. Kiera has cool new magic that can borrow from others and negate. Daia is not a douche and is willing to help us with the Witches’ Council, who may also, not be douches.
Spoke to demon guy. He said he’s done doing whatever he was doing, may end the world, and is waiting on a Gods’ Assembly.
He gave me a hint that there were others besides the Witches’ Council handing out contracts.
Ellar was sicko lusting after his niece, went wacko trying to kill everyone for money and both he and Bryson had on a different type of feral necklace,” Meryn finished everything in one breath and inhaled.
Marshall simply stared. “I’m not even shocked anymore. How scary is that?” Then it was like everything she said, started to sink in. “This was in one day?”
Meryn nodded. “There about.”
Darian tapped the table in a steady rhythm. “You brought us here because of the necklaces, didn’t you?”
She reached into her laptop bag that was hanging from her chair and passed both to him. “I know that feeling. It was like when Auntie found my light orb. I don’t think the beads are souls. I think it’s fae light.”
Aiden’s mouth dropped open. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Meryn looked confused and pointed to the table. “I am.”
“I mean before now. What about last night?”
“You wanted sex.”
Aiden’s mouth snapped shut.
Caiden frowned. “Gods above Aiden, leave her be. She can barely walk as it is.”
Meryn giggled. “I read that sex helps you have a baby faster. I’m done cooking this nugget.”
Aiden turned bright pink.
Oron grit his teeth as he looked down at the necklaces. “You think my father did this?”
“Yup. But, it’s imperfect, unlike the soul version. The Eirsons had to harvest the kids to maintain their light, right? They went on an extended vacation months ago. I bet these necklaces are almost out of juice,” Meryn theorized.
Darian took the necklaces. “Mother will be able to determine how old they are.”
“Why would my father give a witch from Storm Keep an Eirson version of the necklace?” Oron asked.
Meryn threw a roll at him. “If I knew, this would all be over and I’d be home.”
He smiled ruefully. “Sorry.”
Zev picked up a couple pieces of bacon and popped them in his mouth. He chewed then swallowed. “It could be why the old witch needed money right?”
Meryn’s eyes widened. “Why would you think that?”
He looked around, then pointed at Meryn. “Yesterday, didn’t you say that whatever the money was for was something that paranormals would covet? Ferals are just rotting paranormals, right?”
Everyone was silent.
“Zev, I freaking love you right now!” Meryn exploded, scaring Aiden half to death.
Zev nodded looking cocky. “I know.”
Marshall held up his hand. “We don’t have any proof.”
“No, but what we have now is a direction,” Meryn corrected.
Zev stood and stretched. “I’m gonna go beat Karl’s ass and see if he’s wearing a necklace.”
“No.” The order came from multiple people around the table. Zev sat back down looking disappointed.
Meryn slid over not only her platter of bacon, but also her afternoon cookies. “I like you.”
Zev brightened and took the bacon. “I like you too.”
Aiden clenched his fists. “Why is it always the violent ones?”
Daia tapped her pen on her pad of paper. “Karl doesn’t wear a necklace.”
“They’re invisible to everyone but humans,” Meryn added.
“Let’s not tip our hand,” Marshall said. “Daia is in place to do a lot of good. Until we have something concrete, let’s just keep things as even-keeled as possible.”
“Kiera, are you keeping your uncle’s house?”
“Hell no,” she replied. The thought of going back there made her feel ill.
Caiden smiled. “Technically, it belongs to the Goldenleafs. We are still in the process of recovering our ancestral homes.”
Meryn’s expression turned exalted as she began tapping on her phone.
Caiden, Darian, and Aiden began to look sick.
Kiera watched as Hunter frowned, then slid his bacon over for Meryn. He obviously didn’t like that she had given away her food.
Softie.
“Meryn, what are you doing?” Oron asked.
She put her phone down. “Nothing.”
Seconds later, Kendrick’s phone pinged. He looked down, then shot an irritated glare at Meryn, then answered. “Hey, Kincaid.”
“Why is Meryn texting me that the Goldenleaf house, needs an exorcism?!” Kincaid screeched. “I already said, I don’t want to be a Founding Family member. Why do I get the house with bleeding walls!?”
Caiden palmed his face. Aiden sat back with his eyes closed. Daia took a bite of her brownie, and Kendrick continued to stare at Meryn.
Meryn smiled back at him brightly. “He reminds me of Keelan.”
Kendrick blinked. “Did you torture him too?”
Meryn looked offended. “I would never.”
“Kendrick, Meryn, why do I get the haunted house?” Kincaid demanded.
Kiera watched them try to calm Kincaid down.
“We can burn it down,” Hunter suggested.
“No!” everyone replied at once.
She patted his arm. “Nice try, hun.”
He looked down at her. “You good?”
“Never better.”
And it was true. Despite everything, knowing that her future had him in it, meant she would never be alone again and that together, anything was possible.