Oron held up his finger. "It only hurts for a second," she advised.
He looked at her. "What does? Oww!" He swung his eyes over to Creelee.
"That," she said, pointing at the tiny teeth mark on his finger. She held up her own healing digit. "I think it's how he cements his bonds."
Izzy watched as Aleksandra eased forward. "He's very young for a brownie."
"His parents were killed by an owl," she explained. "That's when Telk made him a servant. But that all changed when Meryn tased Telk helping Gilheim win their duel. The Elder said we could ask for anything of Telk's, so we saved Creelee."
Aiden glared at Ryuu. "She had to tase someone else?"
Meryn nodded. "He was gonna shank Gilheim."
Thane pointed to Meryn. "She does this all the time?"
Law nodded, taking a sip of his wine. "I heard the unit warriors are getting together and buying Aiden antacids for Christmas this year."
"Real fucking funny," Aiden growled sourly.
Brennus held a hand to his own stomach. "I may need to get in on that gift," he muttered, sitting down.
The queen rolled her eyes. "She's a grown woman, I'm pretty sure she can handle herself."
Aiden nodded. "She can. She can also handle ferals, reapers, demons, sniper rifles, hand grenades, homicidal tunnel escorts, a city of infected vampires and evidently goblins. Eventually, her luck will run out."
Even the queen paled at that. She turned to Meryn. "How long have you been in our world?"
Meryn looked up as if she were counting. "About six months."
"Lord girl, you've been busy," Izzy said, feeling impressed.
Meryn grinned and pointed down. "All while growing a person!"
"Now that we have found the girls, are we ready for dinner?" Cord asked completely unruffled.
"Yes! Squire food!" Meryn said, hopping off of Aiden's lap.
"Didn't you just eat like half a boar?" Izzy asked.
Meryn shook her head. "No, the baby did. Now I'm hungry."
Instead of going to the dining room, it looked like Cord had simply enlarged the table in the queen's chambers again.
Everyone got seated and Cord with Ryuu's help began to serve.
Meryn took a long drink of her water and set her glass down. "The goblins heard Portia's announcement, that's how Gilheim knew who I was."
The queen smiled. "They are my children too, Meryn."
Meryn smiled. "I liked them a lot."
"I imagine you would. They are simple and down to earth. They enjoy the small, yet precious things this world has to offer. I love them dearly."
"Then why are they stuck in the forest?" Meryn asked.
The queen looked a bit surprised. "Their ancestors had me create the forest for their protection. They were not sent there, they chose to be there."
"Oh. It just seems weird that the fae have this huge city and they live in longhouses in the forest," Meryn mumbled.