Page 61 of My Haven
Both Byrok and Anne nodded that they too were feeling run down.
Kendrick looked around the room, his eyes landing on Meryn. “And you?”
“I’m fine.” She looked at Pip, Nigel and Neil. “How are y’all?”
Neil shrugged. “Never better.”
Kendrick frowned and Ryuu cleared his throat. “I believe that Meryn’s bracelet is shielding her, which is why the boys, and I are unaffected.”
“I’m her mate, why am I not included?” Aiden asked.
Ryuu gave a lazy should shrug. “The boys are also protected by Abraxas. I am tied to Meryn with her tattoo.”
“At least she’s okay,” Aiden said, trying to crack his neck.
“Meryn, we’re going to be relying on you more than ever to point out the obvious,” Kendrick said, looking worried. “Speak up, even if you think it’s something everyone knows.”
“Like how I think we really need to drill down on why the Witches’ Council has a hard on for the Fire Temple?” she suggested.
“Why is that a concern?” Kendrick asked.
She just stared at him. “This is one of the obvious things.”
He shook his head. “Not to me it isn’t.”
Meryn just stared. “You know, at first I thought it would be cool seeing shit y’all didn’t, but it’s just annoying.”
Anne placed a hand over Kendrick’s mouth when he went to retort. “Speak oh wise woman.”
Meryn grunted. “Zoe said she was moved to the Fire Temple years ago, right? That’s when they took the funds. Why the Fire Temple? I’m assuming if there’s Fire and Water Temples, there’s Earth and Air. Why not them?” she said.
Caiden leaned against the counter. “Zoe was the most vulnerable. Serenity was running the Water Temple and had her parents support if needed. Technically, father is head of the Earth Temple, but he’s had Luka Mandrake, Lucius’ son serving there for experience.” He glanced over to Kendrick. “Celeste Silverwood is head of the Air Temple, and our cousin, but she basically told the Witches’ Council to go fuck themselves when they started pressuring her to produce heirs.”
Meryn sat up. “I want to meet her.”
“She left Storm Keep a while ago, but you’re right, I think she’d be worth tracking down,” Caiden agreed. “That leaves Zoe, underage and alone. If the Witches’ Council was angling for more power, taking over the Temples could completely solidify their positions.”
“Mikel should have, like an escort, while he’s here,” Meryn suggested.
Caiden laughed. “He was an Alpha warrior before coming home to lead Sigma, he’s now an Elder, I doubt he needs much help.”
Meryn looked at him flatly. “And Prince Magnus was injected with the deadly virus in his own antechamber, with the Dark Prince, Gavriel Ambrosios at his side, your point?”
Caiden turned to Kendrick. “Who is that baker you keep ordering from, for her?”
“I’ll text you his number,” Kendrick said, smiling wryly.
Meryn ate her last piece of bacon. “I think I need to meet the Witches’ Council.”
Aiden sat forward. “Is that a good idea? You reacted horribly to Karl. I don’t want you or the baby upset.”
Meryn rubbed his arm. “It’s the fastest way to sort them out.”
Genevieve eyed the smaller woman. “How so?”
“I have a built-in asshole detector,” Meryn explained.
“Man, I could have used one of those dating,” Arlo said, cutting up his french toast.
