He winked. "Tell you downstairs."
"Meryn, come on," Rheia called as they walked up to the vendor's stand.
Meryn's head popped out from behind the canvas flap. "Are the kids done being bat shit crazy?"
Rheia covered her face with her palm. "Oh, Meryn," she murmured.
Meryn walked out with Ryuu behind her. "What? Tell me what I saw in there wasn't a prime example of bat shit crazy."
Kendrick could only nod. "You are absolutely correct Meryn. Now, come on. It's time to go be entertained by the Level One meeting."
Meryn's eyes lit up. "Sweet!"
Rheia looked over to Serenity. "Politics is like one big game to them."
Kendrick raised a brow. "One we're very good at."
Rheia yawned. "Well I'm skipping this one. I know Kari will have the entire thing transcribed, in triplicate and color coded by dinner so I'll catch the highlights then."
Ellie smiled. "You're right, she will. I don't feel so bad about skipping it myself."
Grant nuzzled her neck. "You need to rest. You were with the kids all morning. We'll leave Benji with Adora a bit longer and take a nap."
Laelia and Radclyffe waved and headed toward the guest house they were staying at with Marjoram. The rest made their way to the tunnel and separated once they got to Level One. Ellie and Grant waved and kept walking toward the Ambrosios quarters. Rheia went inside the Rioux quarters heading toward their guest rooms while everyone else veered left toward the meeting room.
Right outside the doorway Micah gently set her on her feet. "I wish I could hold you all day."
"Your arms would fall off," she joked as they walked in and took the seats reserved for them in the front. Around the entire perimeter of the room unit warriors stood, their feet slightly apart and their hands clasped behind them. Instead of sitting next to his mate, Aiden stood by the stage looking out at the crowd.
She turned back to her mate and she leaned closer. "What were you going to tell me about Meryn?" she whispered.
Micah said a quick soundproof spell. "Not many people know, but she is empathic. She can read emotions and can usually tell when someone is lying."
Serenity turned and stared at the small human who was talking with Anne and Kendrick. "That odd duck is empathic? The one who didn't really care if the kids were sick? That human?"
Micah chuckled. "Don't hold her honesty against her. She had a rough childhood, so she never really learned how to trust others. She is getting better though. When she first got here she barely let us ruffle her hair. And you saw her at dinner the other night, she willingly gave Pip a hug."
"If anyone needs hugs, it's Pip. That poor young man has been through hell," Serenity said, thinking of the adorable vampire.
Micah shook his head. "If anyone needs a hug, it's Meryn." His eyes were serious for a change. "Why do you think she understands Pip?"
Serenity turned back to really look at Meryn. It was true that the woman was outlandish, nuts, and generally disliked people in general, but there was no denying the depth of emotion she exhibited when she was telling Pip why they felt the need to punish DeLaFontaine. "She's so little," Serenity said. "There's so much to her, it's hard to imagine it's all crammed in her tiny neurotic body."
Micah laughed. "You haven't seen neurotic yet. We'll skip coffee at our house tomorrow and go right to Level One. Meryn without coffee is a show."
Serenity was about to respond when Kari approached the podium. Gavriel and Adriel sat in two of the three empty chairs on the stage. Micah lowered their soundproof spell.
Kari tapped on the mic. "Can I have quiet please?" Around them the murmurs died off immediately. "Thank you."
Slowly Serenity sent out her magic so it barely touched those in attendance. She kept it at a low-level hum so no one would notice it. Or so she thought. Meryn turned in her chair to frown at her. Serenity shook her head and Meryn nodded, then gave Kari her full attention.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. We have a lot to go over, so I want to get started immediately." She tapped on her iPad on the podium. "Our first order of business is to..."
Hugo Evreux stood. "No offense to you Ms. Kari, but why is the prince not the one presenting?"
Gavriel stood and simply projected his voice. "Please do not make me present. I am nowhere near as organized as she is," he said in an urbane manner.
Around the room everyone chuckled. Hugo nodded. "She is prettier too," he said winking up at Kari before sitting down.