Page 84 of My Haven
Darian nodded. “It’s easier to just claim one another than explain how we’re connected.” He looked around. “Where is our little menace and our commander?”
Caiden pointed to the back of the house. “Aiden has been doing drills with the guys since this morning, introducing those goggles. Meryn is laying down after getting sick when she met the Witches’ Council.”
Darian’s face hardened. Suddenly, she could feel the weight of his station. One second, he was a smiling friend, the next an angry king. “What did those parasites do now?” he demanded.
“We might as well head to the palace, so I don’t have to explain things twice,” Caiden said, pointing to the portal.
Darian’s eyes turned to look in the direction of the city. “I’ll let it go, for now.”
Caiden held out his hand. “Ready?”
“I guess,” she said.
Caiden held her hand as they walked through the golden light. Between one step and the next, they went from Caiden’s foyer to a bright palace. “Where are we?”
Darian bowed. “Welcome to the new Winter Palace of Éire Danu. Recently finished, you’re one of our first guests.”
“Caiden!” a female voice screeched, then a small woman launched herself at Caiden, bawling her eyes out.
Immediately both men were trying to get her to stop crying.
“Amelia, hun, you have to calm down,” Darian pleaded.
“I wanted to go to h-h-home to s-s-see him and c-c-couldn’t,” she wailed.
“What have you two done now?” a woman demanded, coming up with yet another two blond men.
“Amelia, you’re going to have my mate thinking we abuse you,” Caiden complained.
Amelia sniffled. “Oh dear.” She turned to face Genevieve and threw herself at her. “Thank you, for making him so happy,” the woman cried into her shoulder.
Genevieve rubbed the woman’s back soothingly. “Did they not let you visit? You poor thing,” she said, clucking her tongue.
“Genevieve, there are high tensions between Storm Keep and Éire Danu right now,” Darian began.
Genevieve ignored him. “I bet you felt all alone after Meryn left huh?”
Amelia hiccuped and nodded.
“If my best friend Arlo were here, he’d say, ‘Girl, men are simple, just fuck ‘em silly and do what you want’,”
Amelia looked up suddenly, the shock at her words stopping her tears. She grinned wide. “I think I need to meet him.”
“No, you don’t,” Darian refuted.
“Quit smothering her Darian,” the woman countered, then stepped closer. “Welcome to Éire Danu. I am Aleksandra EirDan, Darian’s mother. This is my mate Brennus and our squire, Cord.”
“Please to meet you. My name is Genevieve, I’m a traveling food critic,” she said, sticking out her hand.
The woman blinked, then smiled broadly, taking her hand. “No wonder your mate asked for a favor,” she said, giving her hand a squeeze before letting go.
“Was the favor for helping Meryn?” she asked.
Darian turned to Caiden. “Yes, you were going to explain what happened.”
Amelia’s eyes flashed silver, the same way Genevieve had seen Caiden’s glow. “What happened to my baby-sister cousin?”
Genevieve held up her hands in a ’T’. “Wait, I thought you said, you were her brother,” she asked, turning to Darian.
