"It's my secret recipe," Dav bragged.
"So how long are you all visiting?" Priest asked.
Oron shrugged. "No idea. Cristo Bolivar asked Meryn to come here and we're still waiting for him to find something, maybe a few more days."
"Is the Unit Commander going around to the different units while he's here? I think it's the first time in recorded history that an active Unit Commander has visited Éire Danu."
"He seems to be racking up quite a few firsts with Meryn at his side. He was the first commander to visit Noctem Falls as well. He enjoyed meeting with the men, so I'm sure he'
ll be arranging either drills or meetings while he's here."
"Aiden has to be one of the best Unit Commanders we've ever had," Priest said.
"Here, here," a few other voices echoed throughout the room as the men lifted their glasses.
Izzy raised her beer and drank with the rest. Though she had never served with Aiden, she knew from what she'd already seen that he genuinely cared for each man who served in the units, and the men knew it.
*****
After eating the best fish she had ever had in her life she and Oron lazily walked back to the palace. The sky wasn't nearly as bright as this morning signaling that it was almost evening. She couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed a simple afternoon. Usually, she worked from sunup to sundown to make rent, today was a true gift.
This time when they went to go through the gates, Malcom didn't try to stop them. As they turned into the hallways of the queen's private chambers, they saw Aiden carrying a large dollhouse down the hall.
"Where are you heading Commander?" Oron asked.
"Meryn wants the sprites' house in the room adjacent to our guest room so they are close by. She said she doesn't trust Garrick and she wants to be able to defend Felix should the need arise."
"You don't seem too upset over that," Oron pointed out.
Aiden gave a one-shoulder shrug. "She battled that damn tunnel escort on a regular basis in Noctem Falls, I'm pretty sure she'll be okay taking on a sprite."
"Has Thane Ashleigh laid out Kendrick yet?"
Aiden smirked. "Not yet."
"Think he will?"
"Probably. He's not known as one of the most ruthless witches ever born for no reason."
"We're gonna head to our quarters, if you see everyone before we do, let them know we'll be at dinner."
Aiden nodded. "Will do."
When the large commander walked away, she looked up at her mate. "Our quarters?"
He blinked slowly. "You did want to move in with me, right?"
"I'd like to be asked," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
Oron set her shopping bags down and got down on one knee. "In the human world, a male usually goes to one knee to ask the female to marry him. Since you are literally the woman of my dreams, and I can think of no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my days with, would you do me the honor of sharing my quarters with me? I swear to always put your needs above my own and will tend, nurture and grow your happiness so that you will never know another day of sorrow."
Izzy covered her mouth with a trembling hand. She would think that he was teasing, but the sincerity in his eyes was her undoing. "I think I love you," she whispered.
The love in his eyes transformed his face into one of pure joy. "That means you aren't fighting the mating pull and you want to be mine." He stood and swept her off her feet whirling her around the hallway. "I swear Izzy, I swear I will make you happy."
She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You make me happy just by being near me," she confessed. "You're the first person in a long time to care about me." She felt herself blushing horribly. "I'm glad Fate chose me for you." She thought of another being given to her mate. "If you were with someone else, I'd punch her in the face."
Oron set her on her feet and took her hand. "I have a set of quarters here in the palace and my own suite at the Gamma estate in Lycaonia." He had them turning left then going down another hallway. "I think I'll copy my commander and have you move into the Gamma estate instead of having you live in the city."