Beside her, she felt Ari turn until he was facing Brennus. "How'd their hearing go?"
Brennus smirked. "They will both be assisting House Liordon in providing support to the warriors in the form of cleaning and laundry duties. Tyrien tried to weasel out of it, protesting that he had not thrown anything, but I cited testimonies from the warriors who were there, saying he was inciting violence. Neither was very happy with me to say the least."
"Uncle Bren kicked ass. When Tyrien tried to argue, he just did this murder face, and the douchebag shut right up."
"Murder face?" Brennus chided gently.
"Yup. Murder. Face. It was awesome. I want to be able to do that someday," Meryn scowled at her cousin. "How's that?"
Amelia smiled but Kendrick shook his head. "You look like you're constipated."
Meryn stuck her tongue out at him. "That's how you always look," she retorted.
Anne laughed and took another bite of her salad.
Kendrick sighed. "It's like raising Serenity all over again. Sisters are more vicious than brothers. Keelan never said I had a god complex or that I looked constipated," he complained.
"God complex?" Brie asked, looking at Serenity, who laughed. "He gets so insufferable when he's lecturing. There were many times I wanted to throw a book or two at him."
"You did throw a book or fifty at me," Kendrick pointed out.
"And you deserved it every time," she replied.
"I haven't shot you yet," Meryn added smiling.
"Thank the gods for small favors," the witch murmured.
"Are you feeling better, Aleksandra? When we came by the day before, we heard you had gone to bed with Meryn, Amelia, and Anne to watch cartoons and eat chocolate. Did it help?" Brie asked, taking in the queen's pale complexion.
Aleksandra smiled softly. "The girls did everything they could think of to make me feel better. And I wouldn't necessarily call them cartoons; they seemed like so much more. Especially that delightful romance between Yuri and Tezuka, I couldn't get enough."
Anne threw her fist in the air. "Another convert!"
Brie had no idea what they had watched, but if it made Aleksandra smile, it was worth it.
Cord walked in from the kitchen, a mysterious smile on his face. He placed down plates in front of her, Ari, and Kincaid. "You all need to keep up your strength."
Meryn frowned. "Where are my baby oranges…" She sniffed the air. "My meat kebobs are here!"
Cord looked over at her astonished. "How on earth did you smell them from here? You're half-fae not half-shifter."
"Never underestimate my spiritual bond with my meat kebobs and magic pudding," she informed him.
Cord shook his head. "Darian opened a portal to the kitchen to surprise you." He laughed. "Darian, she knows the meat kebobs have arrived, you can bring them out," he called out in a loud voice.
Meryn immediately turned and sat straight in her chair. She picked up her napkin and placed it in her lap. "Meat kebobs, just for me.." she paused. "And Creelee," she continued her little song.
Brie watched as three young men emerged from the kitchen. Two carried platters and the third a huge bowl. The kitchen staff approached Meryn's chair and set down the food in front of her before stepping back to linger behind her.
Brie didn't know what to think as they continued to watch Meryn eye her food.
"I hope you're sharing, Meryn. We had to smell the pudding Sebastian was making all morning," one of the men said.
Meryn froze, she turned to her right and looked up before bursting into magnificent tears. "You're here!" she sobbed.
The men pulled her chair back and cuddled her from all sides.
"Of course, we're here! You're in a strange city, you find out about your parents, people start dying…again. Where else would we be?" the other man said.