Meryn covered her mouth with her hands. "Kick-ass," she whispered.
Aiden stood. "Meryn, will you be okay for a little bit?"
She nodded. "Why?"
"I need to tell mom and dad before the announcement goes out."
Her eyes widened. "Good idea."
Aiden leaned down, kissed her forehead, then walked to the far side of the room for his phone call.
"I don't mean to bring up something painful," Izzy started. "But didn't her parents say they did everything they could to keep her a secret? Should we be making an announcement?"
Meryn shrugged. "The bad guy knows who I am, so I don't think it matters at this point."
Thane scowled. "What bad guy?"
Meryn smiled. "The demon that almost killed me when I interrogated DeLaFontaine in Noctem Falls. He took me into a dream state, stopping my heart, but in the end, he said he thought he liked me and that playing with me would be fun." She beamed at everyone.
Izzy may have been new to this world, but even she knew that Meryn had just dropped a bomb of epic proportions.
Kendrick just chuckled at Meryn's cluelessness as everyone else began to unravel.
Portia turned to the queen. "I will make the announcements you have specified and leave you to figure out the rest," she said, looking wan.
The queen nodded absently and Portia quickly left the room. The queen then stared at Meryn. "A demon said you were fun?"
Meryn shrugged. "Yeah, what a weirdo."
Amelia crossed her arms. "Forget to tell me that?" she asked fuming.
Meryn gave her big sister-cousin an exasperated look. "Do you have any idea the amount of shit we had to deal with in Noctem Falls? I would have told you sooner, but then we had Avery's ceremony, then leaving, then going to the camp, then coming here. We've been fucking busy."
Izzy looked up at her mate. "Demons are real?"
Oron looked a bit spooked himself. "Evidently."
Aiden returned looking exasperated himself. He glowered at Celyn. "My mother is pissed at you by the way."
Celyn looked gobsmacked. "What could I have possibly done to anger your mother?"
Aiden sat beside Meryn. "You're here, which means my father is stuck in Lycaonia so that Renee isn't the only Elder in the city. And of course, since my father can't come, neither can my mother and she wants to hug Meryn." He sat back and closed his eyes. "I'd rather face ferals than my mother right now."
Vivian chuckled. "I'll call her later to let her know we hugged Meryn in her stead and I'll forward along a nice gift from Éire Danu. That way, my mate will have a fifty-fifty chance of being mauled when we go home."
Celyn looked at his mate. "I thought you were on my side."
Vivian gave him a sweet smile. "She's one of my best friends, I'm on both your sides."
Stefan turned to Darian. "Darian, can you open a portal for me? I'm going to head back to Noctem Falls and update Magnus personally." Darian nodded.
Meryn held up a hand. "Hold up mutt. You're not going anywhere until you explain how you knew me."
Brennus turned to Cristo. "How did you know to look for the spheres?"
Meryn crossed her arms over her chest. "Get to talking."
CHAPTER TWELVE