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The queen simply stared at her squire. "What?"
Meryn looked at her aunt. "It's simple. You want to avoid the truth and cover your ears like a child being told no. So, I'm going to put you in time-out, and I'm gonna be queen."
The queen inhaled sharply looking mortally offended. Darian stood. "Meryn, maybe this isn't…"
Meryn held up her hand. "During my reign, you may address me as High Queen Meryn."
Darian gave her a flat look and sat back down, frowning fiercely.
"How dare you!" the queen screeched, inventing new octaves.
"I dare, because I love you. Your people want to abandon the city because they are afraid. They are waiting for their queen to take action, any action! If you can't, then I will. I won't let everything you've built crumble to pieces."
"They would never…" the queen started, then turned to Rex, who nodded.
"The only thing that has kept them here is the visible efforts of the Unit Commander. The fact that he is now related to the royal family and staying in the palace have most feeling that he is acting on your orders, so they are patiently waiting for word on what is going on, but that patience has almost expired," he reported gravely.
Meryn's face softened. "They are afraid."
The queen straightened her shoulders. "There's nothing to be afraid of."
"There are freaking ferals popping up in shadows all over the city!" Meryn shouted.
"There are not!" The queen stood, her back ramrod straight.
"Are too!"
Ari could not believe that he was watching Meryn and the Queen of the Fae scream back and forth at each other like children. He glanced to his left. Gage and Priest were watching with wide eyes, completely riveted to the scene before them. He looked to his right. Poor Kincaid looked pale. Then again, nearly everyone sitting at the table looked a bit wan and shocked, so he was in good company. Had he not known ahead of time what The Menace had planned he'd probably be freaking out as well.
"Are not!"
"There are!" Meryn shouted. "And if you can't or won't do something, I will. So, go stick your head in a flower bush and continue to ignore the problem, making everyone anxious and walk on eggshells around you, and I'll be figuring out how they're getting in so we can fry the bastards!" Meryn's words rang through the room as she breathed heavily.
The queen stared and sat down slowly. "There can't be ferals in Éire Danu," she whispered. She looked up at Meryn. "Because if that were true, then I've failed to protect my people."
"The only way you can fail them is if you continue to do nothing, my love," Brennus said, taking her hand. "Meryn is right. For thousands of years, you had to rule alone, but that's not the case anymore. You have me, my brothers, our sons, their mates, and one courageous niece who did the one thing no one else could, despite being scared to death that she would anger an aunt she just discovered after living an entire life with no family."
The queen looked up at Meryn and saw her clenched hands and trembling lips. "Oh, my sweet darling, I'm so very sorry."
"I'm fine." Meryn protested. Ryuu massaged her back soothingly. Aiden looked completely wrung out as he brought her hand to his lips for a kiss.
Around the table everyone exhaled explosively.
"Gods! You can't do that to me, Meryn," Kendrick complained, clutching at his chest.
The queen stood and hurried to where her niece stood. She took the small woman in her arms. "You're right. I'm so sorry I pushed you to do this. You should be taking it easy." She led her over and sat her between herself and Brennus. Ryuu walked behind Meryn's chair to keep a watchful eye on his charge.
Brennus looked absolutely lost as to what to do. So, he reached across the back of the chair to squeeze the queen's shoulder and rubbed Meryn's knuckles with his free hand.
Aiden sat down in the empty chair beside Kendrick and looked at Cord. "A shot of whatever you have open."
Cord simply leaned down to kiss the top of the queen's head in way of an apology and nodded.
"Aiden, it's eleven o'clock in the morning," Micah reminded him.
Aiden sat back, closing his eyes. "You're right; Meryn has the whole day in front of her. Cord, make it a double."
Cord chuckled. "Of course."
