My Warrior (Bewitched and Bewildered #12) - Alanea Alder Page 0,35

long for me to get really good at throwing his ass around. He left me alone after that. I hit a growth spurt in middle school and most bullies left me alone after that."

"Why?" Ari asked.

She dragged her hand up and down in front of her body. "My mom was six-foot one, I'm six-feet even. I towered over most of the guys through high school."

Ari blinked. "Is that tall for humans?"

Brie was about to answer, then looked around the room. She was actually way shorter than most of them. Meryn suddenly popped into her head; the woman was easily at least eight to nine inches shorter than she was.

"To answer your questions, yes, amongst humans I'm tall. Poor Meryn, her neck must absolutely kill her from having to look up all the time."

Balder opened his mouth, then closed it. "You know, I never really thought about how much she can't see." He dropped to his knees. "She's about this short right?"

Brie nodded. "There about."

"This is awful! I can't even reach the counter!"

"It looks like it was built for you warriors, so that makes sense," Brie pointed out.

More than one warrior dropped to their knees to see what Balder was talking about.

"This is bullshit!" Jace exclaimed.

"Can she even reach the toilet?" Ian asked.

Brie held her sides, laughing as she watched a group of grown men walk around on their knees in the kitchen, discovering what they couldn't reach.

"I mean, this impacts daily life, right?" Jace asked, trying to reach a bowl of chips.

The men stood shaking their heads.

"No wonder our commander carries her around so much. I thought they were just in a honeymoon stage, but maybe it's a survival mechanism that he's subconsciously adopted," Balder suggested.

"And she's pregnant," Ramsey added.

Bastien rubbed his chin. "You know, men, I believe it is our duty to assist our commander. While he and his tiny mate are in Éire Danu, we should do everything possible to ensure that Meryn's stay is not only safe but enjoyable."

Priest clapped his friend on the back. "You are a fine example of what it means to be a warrior. I am proud to call you my brother."

"Annnnd Leana threatened him over the phone when he did his weekly check in with his uncle. She said that Meryn had the love and support of Noctem Falls, and Éire Danu would do well to follow their example," Kael said, ducking out of the way when Bastien stepped toward him.

Bastien let Kael skip out of reach. "Magnus presented her with a Regalis card. You know how rare it is for one to be given out. That alone should make her everyone's priority."

"I think she's fine where she is. At the palace, she has not only her mate and her squire, but also the queen and uncles every which way she turns," Ari said.

Bastien thought about it a moment then nodded. "Agreed, however, if she ever has to leave the palace, I'd like to volunteer for guard duty."

Ari reached across the counter for a nacho. "I'll pass that on to Aiden. I know that man will not turn down guards for his mate."

Brie sat back and was surprised to find that she was truly enjoying herself. Being in a male dominated profession, she was used to being the only female in the room. The men joked, played pranks, teased mercilessly, and puttered around the kitchen, creating a laid-back atmosphere.

Around midnight, she was introduced to the Psi and Omega units as they came in from patrol duty. Balder leading Upsilon and Nerius leading Phi headed out the door to take over patrols. Ari took her hand and started saying goodnight to the men.

"A thousand blessings on your mating, Ari," Ramsey called as they walked out of the kitchen.

"Sleep tight!"

"I doubt they will be sleeping," Aeson said, causing the men to laugh.

When they were at the top of the stairs, Brie noticed that Ari had gone quiet. She peeked up, and to her delight, his cheeks were pink. He caught her staring, and with his other hand, rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry about the guys."

"Don't be. I think they're wonderful. Yes, they're a bit boisterous, but at no point did they say anything that made me uncomfortable. I felt like I was in a room full of brothers."

Ari's smile to her statement was bright. "They are. Like brothers, I mean."

She rubbed his arm as they resumed walking. "I know. They watched you like a hawk while we were down there. Every time