Meryn turned to Pip. "Beth adopted me as her sister, so technically y'all are related too."
Pip turned his large liquid-like blue eyes to Bethy. "She's so pretty."
"Oh!" Bethy blushed then blinked. "DeLaFontaine?"
"Caught that did you?" Micah asked raising an eyebrow.
Bethy turned to Gavriel. "I thought you said he didn't have any heirs."
Gavriel stared at Pip frowning. "He does not. Pip's name is not in the DeLaFontaine Book of Life."
"Because I am broken," Pip whispered.
"You are not!" Bethy said indignantly.
Pip raised his head and looked around. "Really? Everyone in my father's home said I was good for nothing."
"That's why you don't live there anymore remember?" Meryn pointed out.
Pip's face contorted in confusion. "Then why did they say such things? Why did they do bad things?"
"Because they are assholes. Trust me, the world is full of them," Meryn said sagely.
Pip looked around nervously. "If you say bad things the men will take you away."
Meryn shook her head. "Not down here."
"I would like to see them try to take you or Miss Meryn away," Sebastian said darkly as he wheeled in a huge cart piled high with food. He steered it over to Pip first. "I did not know what you liked so I made bit of everything. Sandwiches, soup, finger foods, and even a pizza." He leaned down. "Save room for dessert," he said winking.
Pip's eyes locked on the cart. "I do not get served first," he said in a panicked voice. "I get the leftovers in my bowl on the floor." Pip looked as if he was fighting his body's knee jerk reaction to drop to the floor.
Everyone turned silent before the sound of groaning metal echoed through the dining room. Sebastian snapped the towel bar off his serving cart. "We do not do that here," Sebastian said softly. He picked up a pair of serving tongs and stacked sandwiches on Pip's plate. "Let me know which ones you like best."
Pip turned to Meryn. "I cannot eat all of this," he confessed.
Meryn smiled. "I think that sometimes too, but then poof, it's so good I eat it all."
Pip picked up a sandwich with a trembling hand and bit into it. "So this is what fresh bread tastes like!" he exclaimed with child-like glee. Meryn handed him a soft roll and Pip hummed with satisfaction.
Another snapping sound came from Sebastian at his cart. This time, the serving tongs, bent in half, were the object of his frustration. Micah turned his head to hide his smile. He had a feeling Sebastian would be having a few choice words with the DeLaFontaine squire.
Bethy spun in her chair to face Gavriel. "You..."
He raised her hand and kissed it gently. "Consider this situation taken care of. Warrick requested a meeting after lunch and I have a feeling I know what it may be about." He inclined his head toward Pip.
Warrick grunted and nodded. Avery rubbed his mate's back soothingly.
"I've never in my life been more ashamed to call Noctem Falls my home," Bethy whispered.
Adriel covered her other hand with his. "We must trust in Fate. A lot of wonderful things have come about in our darkest hours of late."
"He is right," Pip agreed. "I did not know what would happen when father went to the detention cells. But now we have Warrick to help us on Level Five and he looks huge like he can protect us. And I got to meet Meryn who introduced me to soft bread!" Pip bounced excitedly.
Warrick smiled at the way Pip described him. "I will do my best."
Aiden pushed over his bowl of soup. "Try dipping it in the chicken noodle soup, then eating it."
Pip tentatively reached out his precious soft roll and dipped it into the soup. When he took a bite his eyes rolled back in his head. "It is like magic!" he whispered in a reverent tone.