The tree spirit extended out his arm with his fist closed. "Hold out your arm, Meryn."
Meryn held out her arm, her palm facing up. He circled her wrist with his fingers and when he removed them, a beautiful wooden bracelet was left behind. "You have my blessing."
Meryn slid it around on her tiny wrist. When she tried to remove it, it wouldn't budge. "You could have told me it was permanent."
His mouth twitched. "Oh, I don't know. I think I timed that just right."
Meryn slowly turned to stare at Ryuu. "Where have I heard that before?"
On his way to the door, Abraxas clapped Oron on the shoulder. "I will care for her, don't you worry. She will not suffer because you chose to be happy." He waited for Oron to look up at him. "I've been waiting thousands of years for you to find your way to me. Welcome, son." When he lifted his hand, a wooden torc circled Oron's throat. Though it had an opening, like Meryn's bracelet, it wasn't meant to be removed. He walked out into the courtyard and disappeared.
Brennus plopped down onto an ottoman. "I need a drink."
Aleksandra shoved a cup of tea at him. He sighed. "Not what I meant, but it'll do."
Izzy went over and wrapped her arms around Oron's waist. "I was scared to death when he touched you."
Oron kissed her forehead. "He's our guardian, he would never hurt us."
She pointed to Brennus. "Then why did he practically try to throw himself in front of Meryn?"
Brennus downed his tea. "Knee jerk reaction."
She reached up and touched his necklace. "There's weird letters on it."
"It says 'Son of Eirlea'," he said, reaching up to run a finger over the smooth wood.
"How could you possibly know that?"
He shrugged. "No idea. I just know that's what it says."
Izzy turned. "What abo
ut you, Meryn?"
"Mine says 'Daughter of Eirlea' and some kind of warning."
Ryuu looked at her bracelet. "Loosely translated it means 'Harm her if you dare.' He has always been overly dramatic."
Meryn eyed her squire. "If you knew him, how come you didn't know I was part fae? You knew Amelia was my cousin, but not that Brennus, Doran or Celyn were my uncles."
He tapped her chest. "You didn't have your light."
Aiden reached down and tugged on the bracelet. "I am not a damn furball!"
"So, does that make Oron Meryn's big brother?" Izzy asked curiously.
Darian just started laughing. Oron flipped him off.
Meryn looked hurt. "You don't want to be my brother?" she asked.
Both Izzy and Amelia crossed their arms and glared at their mates.
Oron walked over and ruffled Meryn's hair. "Meryn, we're laughing because we're already your brothers remember? Amelia mated Darian making him your big brother-cousin and I'm his brother. I guess we're just linked in more than one way."
Meryn smiled smugly. "My Christmas list is massive now."
Stefan walked over to Darian. "Can I get that portal now? If Portia is half as efficient as she seems, that announcement will be going out any minute now and I really owe it to Magnus to alert him to everything that's happened, so he doesn't hear it third hand."