Zoe thought on it for a moment. They had brownies at the Brick Oven. “More coffee, please.”
Izzy turned back. “And she’ll have flat-white ristretto.”
The young man exhaled. “Thank you!”
Izzy laughed. “Trust me, I know. Nothing’s worse than a customer that doesn’t know how to order.”
“I’ll get those started.” He looked behind them. “Gentlemen?”
Pierce turned to Gage, Cam, and Liam. “Black coffee?”
They nodded.
Pierce held up four fingers. “Four black coffees.”
The barista nodded and got started.
Meryn turned around. “How can you come here and get something boring?”
Pierce shrugged. “I’m a simple guy Meryn.”
One by one, the drinks were placed on the counter, and Izzy paid for them. They found a table by the window and sat down to enjoy their drinks.
Meryn took a sip and sighed. “Perfection.”
“Just think, if Peter gets his machines, we could get this every day without taking over Cord’s kitchen,” Izzy pointed out.
Gage sipped his coffee. “I thought Dav had machines as well.”
Izzy shook her head. “He has one machine that can draw espressos and make basic drinks. I gave Peter plans for a cafe, which means more complicated drinks, like the flat-white.”
Zoe sipped and sighed happily. “I think this is my new favorite.”
Meryn was about to speak when her phone dinged, then dinged, then dinged again. “Shit,” she muttered. She pulled out her phone and winced.
“Gig’s up. We should start back, like soon.”
Pierce chuckled. “Time to pay the piper.”
Meryn took another drink. “It was worth it. I wanted Zoe and Pip to experience a bit of freedom.”
Pip laid his head on Meryn’s shoulder. “I loved it!”
Zoe sat back. It had been overwhelming and loud, but she had been able to go anywhere she chose. “Thank you, Meryn, for everything. Even the technology I don’t quite know what to do with.”
Meryn laughed. “No charge.”
Her phone dinged, and she sighed, rolling her eyes. “We really need to head back.”
“Aiden?” Pierce asked, standing.
She shook her head. “No. That one was Ryuu.”
Pierce winced. “Ouch.”
Chapter Eleven
The fae who opened the portal must have received orders from the queen, because when they walked through, they were now standing in front of the palace and a very irate-looking Unit Commander.