My Guardian

Gavriel clapped the man on the back. "Many thanks. I saw what you and Declan did; I owe you."

Bethy looked up confused. "What did they do?"

"Nothing," all three of them said together.

Her eyes narrowed. She looked at them for a few more seconds then returned to his notes. "I think you should split up the units by level. We don't know how many people we'll be getting, but I have a feeling we'll have fewer "accidents" if we have warriors visible on every level." She handed him back his clipboard.

He nodded. "Excellent. I agree. Let us not give them an opportunity to make mischief."

Gavriel pulled Bethy under his arm. "What kind of mischief are we talking about? Should Aiden know?"

"Should Aiden know what?" Their commander walked up to them with Meryn and Ryuu. The hall was empty now except for the unit warriors. All of the Founding and Noble families had returned to their levels.

Adriel gave a half shrug. "You saw their lukewarm reception of the plan to open up the city. I do not believe they will stage open protest; do not be surprised if supplies for any newcomers go missing, we experience an unexpected level escort shortage, or if suddenly all of the bed and breakfasts and hostels on Level Six are filled."

Meryn raised her hand.

Adriel stared at her. "Meryn, you do not have to raise your hand to ask a question."

Meryn shrugged. "It's your clipboard; you remind me of my eighth grade math teacher."

"I am sorry?" Adriel asked, unsure if that was a good thing.

"It's cool. Anyway, what's a level escort?"

"Of course, you would not know that term. My apologies. A level escort is a low ranked vampire who transports persons between levels. They are usually used for citizens who do not have the ability to fly, young vampires who have not learned how or sometimes by the Founding Family members as a service, so they do not have to."

Meryn turned to Bethy. "Is that how you got around?"

Bethy blushed a bright red.

Meryn's eyes brightened, and she grinned. "Tell!"

Bethy cleared her throat. "Either Tarragon, Tarak, or Kuruk would escort me between levels."

Declan snickered, and Bethy shot him a dirty look. Declan held up his hands. "Come on, it was adorable!" he protested.

Bethy crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot.

Meryn poked Bethy in the side. "Tell."

Bethy threw her arms in the arm in exasperation. "Fine! When I was little, I wanted to be like my Papa and Uncle, so I thought that if I tried hard enough, I could fly, too."

Meryn's eyes widened, and she winced. "How deep is that tunnel?"

Tarak sighed. "Deep. When Bethy was five, Prince Magnus had us install a huge net fifteen feet below Level One after she ended up in the healers' quarters with two broken legs and a concussion. We had to fish her out of the net twice a week until she was eight and at least once a month after she was eight."

Meryn turned to Bethy. "Why did you keep trying after you were eight?"

Bethy's shoulders sagged in defeat. "I kept falling in."

"Oh." Meryn turned her head to look out of the door to the hall that led to the transport tunnel. "How safe is that net?"

"No." Aiden shook his head.

"But..."

"No, Meryn." Aiden firmly wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Okay," Meryn said quickly.

Aiden looked down at her. "Really?"

"Yup." She nodded and smiled up at him.

Adriel looked over at his second in command. No words were needed. Declan walked away to ensure the net was intact. Between Meryn's sense of adventure and Bethy's luck, one, probably both would end up in the net during their stay.

Gavriel rubbed his nose up and down Bethy's neck until she giggled. "I have even more reason to stay glued to your side," he murmured.

Bethy turned to Adriel. "If you assign all the units out to monitor each level, who will be with your trainees?"

Adriel frowned. "What trainees?"

"What?" Aiden asked.

"What?" Adriel echoed.

Aiden looked around. "Don't you have an academy?"

Adriel shook his head. "Not for some time. We contact Adair when we need replacements for shifter and fae warriors, and we contact Storm Keep directly for new witches. Last year, when the council approved Meryn's idea to move the trainees to the unit estates so that Lycaonia's academy could take in new cadets, the compromise was that the other cities did not have to maintain their own academies. Since the program has done so well, there have been talks at council level to permanently remove the academies in the other cities and reappropriate the funds to other programs."

Meryn looked shaken. "That wasn't the plan! Each unit was supposed to get five trainees, and the academies would take in thirty new cadets per city. It was supposed to triple your manpower!"

Aiden clenched his teeth together. "I bet Adair and Father didn't mention anything because they didn't want to upset you in your condition."

"Fuck my condition! Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'm suddenly weak or stupid. Just wait until we get home," Meryn fumed.

Bethy rubbed a hand across her forehead. "Oh dear."

Micah clapped his hands together to get the women's attention. "I know just the thing to help you de-stress."