"Impressive lady you have there Oron. Are you sure she's human? I've known many talented witches who have yet to notice the spell that Malachai put on the bar," a deep voice complimented from their right.
"Thanks, Priest. As far as I know, she's human, but from everything I've observed in Lycaonia from the influx of human mates, is that our understanding of them is woefully inadequate." He nodded his head. "Izzy, this is Priest Vi'Aerdan."
Izzy snapped her fingers. "The harpy eagle adopted by fae parents, he's the one your mom was talking about, right?"
Priest's eyebrow rose. "The queen was talking about me?"
"Yup! She said that your adoption showed how well integrated the bird shifters were to the city."
Dav gave a bark of laughter. "That's one way to look at it."
Priest gifted her a wry smile. "My adoption was somewhat of a huge upset when it happened. I'm glad that the Queen can now use it as a positive example of how much our city has grown."
"Well said," Dav remarked, tossing his towel on the bar. "Let me go put your order in, be right back." He disappeared behind a swinging door.
She bopped her head backward onto Oron's chest to get his attention. "What spell?"
"I knew you were going to ask that." He kissed the top of her head. "Back when Dav opened the tavern he asked his fellow unit brother Malachai to cast a spell on the bar to absorb the happiness and laughter of the place and release it to help destress the warriors when they come in for a break."
Izzy wanted to rest her head on the bar. "That's amazing. I wonder if you could do something similar to children's desks in school."
Priest shrugged. "We don't have many schools. Most of us are taught from home."
Izzy snapped her fingers. "What if you could make happy pencils?"
Priest smiled and nodded. "Now that's something I wouldn't mind having, especially for my report write-ups lately."
Dav came back through the door. "What write-up?"
Priest rolled his eyes. "We keep getting reports from people about shadows. Personally, I think the citizens are bored out of their minds and crave the excitement a unit of warriors can bring."
Izzy gave a single nod. "Happy pencils."
Dav blinked and she watched his facials expressions as he figured out what she was referring to. "Can I use that idea?" he asked.
"Sure, but if you end up making them, I want some," she countered.
"Deal."
"How's Ari?" Oron asked Priest.
Priest raised one eyebrow. "His older brother is visiting for a while, so he's pretty much living at the estate." He started chuckling low. "Though I heard he shocked the hell out of Ari when he held out his hand for a fist bump."
"Meryn taught him that," Oron said.
Priest shook his head. "I don't know what she did to him, but Rex seems more approachable now."
"You should see how she changed Prince Magnus," Oron countered.
"Is it true he gave her a Noctem Falls Regalis card?" Dav whispered.
Izzy looked back at her mate. He nodded a single time and Priest gave a low whistle. "What's a Regalis card?" she whispered.
Oron leaned down. "It guarantees that the recipient is treated as a Royal of Noctem Falls. That should anyone insult or injure her they would face the wrath of the entire vampire race."
"Wouldn't Aiden or Ryuu kinda do the same thing?" Izzy asked.
Dav leaned over the bar. "Someone might be crazy enough to anger Aiden, though he is impossibly strong and an amazing fighter he is still a single man. That card promises retribution from every living vampire," Dav explained.