Magnus sat back down but stared at his bathroom door. "Maybe she and Meryn should return to Lycaonia. This is not the best environment for them."
Aiden sighed loudly. "I think you know them both well enough by now to know that they wouldn't leave you in the lurch."
"He's right," Bethy said, patting her face with a damp paper towel. She smiled up at her mate. "I'm fine. It was just the idea of being trapped like that with someone who wasn't your mate for years, decades even." Her eyes began to tear up.
Gavriel quickly helped her back to her seat. "So, do we kill Gerald DuBois?" he asked in a calm tone.
Stefan Bolivar nodded. "Sounds good to me."
Kari choked on the sip of water she had just taken. Bethy shook her head and patted her on the back. "No, my love, we don't kill Gerald DuBois." Gavriel simply shrugged.
Kari could understand his line of reasoning. In his mind, Gerald had done wrong, but the most grievous offense, even if it had been indirectly, had been upsetting his pregnant mate. "I like you," she said, nodding her approval.
Gavriel's mouth twitched. "I believe I like you as well Kari Delaney. You were surprised at my suggestion, but you actually agree with it, do you not?"
Kari thought about it for a moment, then slowly nodded. "You are forgetting it was my mate he almost killed. Something tells me that Gerald DuBois is no stranger to violence. He may not have intended Declan to be his victim, but he clearly wanted to kill someone."
Gavriel's eyes darkened. "Forgive me, I had forgotten Declan nearly died. You are right, a man like that carries a taint of evil. He should be dealt with sooner rather than later."
"He is currently a guest in our detention cells. He will have a chance to plead his case, but I cannot see what he could possibly say to defend himself," Magnus said.
Kari thought it over. "He is losing his 'mate'; that is a powerful argument."
Aiden cursed. "I had not thought of it like that. She is right; that could sway people."
"Wonderful," Magnus groused. "We have the dinner with the DeLaFontaines this week. It was already going to be awkward, this will just make it painful."
Stefan groaned. "You can leave me off the invite list. I'm not too proud to admit that sort of dinner is over my head. I stick my foot in my mouth in the best of situations. With a dinner like that, I'd start World War Three."
Kari leaned forward. "Why would it be awkward?"
Bethy chortled, and Gavriel grinned openly. Adriel, on the other hand, was rubbing the back of his neck. Aiden looked resigned. "Well?"
Aiden cleared his throat. "My mate, Meryn, and Adriel's mate, Eva, reenacted the scene from 300 with Ivan DeLaFontaine in the transport tunnel."
Kari frowned, then realized the significance of the tunnel. Eyes wide, she looked from the unit leader to the Unit Commander. "They did not," she whispered.
Adriel nodded. "My Eva delivered a picture-perfect roundhouse kick to the chest, Meryn's squire electrified him with some sort of blue flame so he could not fly. His son had to fish him out of the safety net, tearing it in the process. We still need to get it fixed."
Kari turned to Aiden and Adriel. "I have got to meet your mates." Both men winced.
Bethy cleared her throat. "I'll be happy to introduce you to my newest friend, Eva Mae Miller, and my adopted baby sister, Meryn McKenzie."
"You adopted his mate?" Kari asked, pointing at Aiden.
Bethy nodded slowly. "You'll understand after you meet her."
Adriel tapped his clipboard. "I do not care what Declan may say later to try and avoid trouble, I want Gerald DuBois prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I will not tolerate anyone hurting my warriors, much less hurting a man who is like a brother to me." He paused. "A bratty, insolent, annoying, and exasperating brother, but a brother just the same."
Kari watched Adriel closely. His voice was even, almost sardonic, his outward appearance cool and collected, but his knuckles were white where he gripped the clipboard nearly to a breaking point. "Thank you, Adriel, for speaking for Declan when he cannot."
Adriel met her gaze and nodded. "I understand that you are to work directly with our prince; however, if you need anything, anything at all, any warrior in this city would drop everything to help both you and your brother. You are one of ours now."
Kari could feel the enormity of his declaration. She understood why Avery had been so happy earlier. It had been a very long time since she felt like she had the support of a family.
"Dear gods! Please tell me no one told Meryn about what happened to Declan!" Bethy gasped.
Aiden stood and shot from the room, Gavriel chuckled with Adriel. Stefan laughed outright, collapsing to one side of his chair.