Nigel and Neil shook their heads. "Thank you, but we've already had two breakfasts today."
The old man sat down across from Meryn. "Is that what you were craving?"
Meryn was moaning and licking the juice that was running down her forearm. "I could live off these."
He turned to Eva. "You gonna sit down?"
Eva shook her head and leaned against the stand's frame. "I'm good."
"Suit yourself. My name is Aaron Culpepper. I am a sixth generation citizen here in the city," he said proudly.
Meryn shook her head. "I'm human so that doesn't mean much. What's that in years."
Aaron threw his head back and laughed. "Feisty little thing. Basically, what that means is that my family helped settle the city when it was being created."
Meryn frowned. "I thought the Founding and Noble Families created the city."
Aaron shook his head. "Do you really see a man like Andre DuBois doing anything more strenuous than pulling his head out of his ass everyday?"
Meryn giggled. "Nope. So y'all were like the grunt labor?"
He nodded. "You could say that. My family and families like mine are the ones that helped to carve the city out of the rock. We grow the food on the different levels and care for the animals. If a family has enough members where they are meeting quota then they can send members to the Marketplace to earn extra money, but even that is taxed by first the Noble Family and then the Founding Family."
"Sounds like a whacked out feudal system. Why stay?" Meryn asked, tearing into her second skewer.
Aaron shrugged. "There is nowhere else to go. With new dangers outside the city, the Nobles and Founding Family members are reiterating how lucky we are to live in the city. I have a feeling with space in the city going up in demand, we will have even more taxes."
"Can't you just tell Magnus?" she asked.
Aaron's eyes widened. "Not all of us are on first name basis with our prince. He does the best he can, but we all know he is walking a very fine line. The prince before him ruled the city with an iron fist, using fear and intimidation to keep people in line. Prince Magnus is more fair, but because he does not resort to fear and torture, the other families have been pushing to see exactly how much they can get away with."
"Can't y'all help him?" Meryn set her empty stick down on her plate.
He shook his head. "My first loyalty is to the Noble Family that oversees our quarter. Then to the Founding Family that oversees our Level. Even if I were in the right, if I went over the Noble and Founding Families' heads and went directly to Prince Magnus, I would be severely punished."
"That sucks!"
Nigel and Neil exchanged looks. "That's commonplace, Meryn. Even in the units, there's a chain of command for a reason. It does actually help keep things running smoothly."
Meryn strummed her fingers on the table. "He knew exactly who I was and still grabbed me. That is a blatant slap in the face to not only my mate but also to Magnus." She turned to Aaron. "What will happen to him?"
Aaron scratched his chin. "Depends on how the DeLaFontaine family views recent changes. If they support Prince Magnus, then what Andre did could impact their standing with the Prince. If they do not support Prince Magnus, then he will get a slap on the wrist. They will make a loud public apology of course, but nothing will be done to prevent it from happening again."
Eva snorted. "He'll have a hard time grabbing anyone if both arms are shoved up his ass."
Aaron smiled at her. "You going to do that?"
Eva shook her head. "I won't have to. Meryn's mate has to be one of the biggest shifters I have ever seen. He'd attack a hurricane to protect his mate, and if Aiden doesn't kill him outright, Meryn's squire can tie him in blue knots."
Meryn chewed on her lower lip. "What if we don't report anything?"
Eva eyed Meryn. "What are you up to?"
"I'm trying this politics thing like Beth does. Basically, it's like playing chess but with people. The only variable is not knowing for sure how a person will react." Meryn winked at her. "But I'm good at that, remember?"
Eva was about to say no when the scene from when she first met Meryn came to mind. Meryn was an empath! True, not a good one, hell, not even one that was trained, but she could read people. "What'dja have in mind, squirt?"
Meryn drew circles on the table with her finger. "If we don't report anything, then the first Aiden or Magnus will hear of this will probably be from Andre complaining about the twins. Neither my mate nor Magnus is stupid; it will take them all of about ten seconds to figure out what happened, and then Andre will have to deal with Aiden at the exact moment he discovers the man in front of him hurt his pregnant mate."
Aaron smiled wide. "And that is how you survive in the City of the Night."
Nigel and Neil looked nervous. "We still cast a spell on a member of a Noble Family."
Meryn turned to them and her eyes began to well up. "But... but... they were only trying to help me. He was hurting my arm so bad." She covered her face with her hands. "It's not like they hurt him."
Eva stepped forward to comfort Meryn when she heard a giggle. "You little actress!"
Meryn wiped her nose on her sleeve. "I've been studying politics back home. If everyone is going to hold my being a short human against me, I'm going to make it work for me."