Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(133)

I was almost able to believe, but then I remembered and knew where I really was.

“Not here, Marcus.” I knew he could hear me. “I can’t be here yet.”

The scene changed abruptly around me. One minute I was at home and the next I was staring at a crowded square filled with tourists and more pigeons than I could ever remember seeing in one place. I was under an awning and I could smell dark, rich coffee. The day was bright, but I stood in the shadows and felt no desire to be in the light.

“Is this better, cara?” Marcus asked, walking to my side. He stared out over the courtyard.

“I’ve never been here before so I won’t be expecting Dev to show up at any minute,” I said, my voice sounding very flat. I felt flat and dry.

“I’m so sorry, cara,” Marcus said with genuine sadness in his eyes. “I know you loved him.”

“Well, at least he can’t upset Daniel’s plans now.” I couldn’t forget how Marcus had begged me not to let Dev perform his ritual. If Marini hadn’t felt the need to trick Marcus, Dev and I would be getting ready for that ritual. We would be nervous and worried and together.

Marcus turned me to him. “That’s not fair, Zoey. I didn’t kill Devinshea. I would never have done that. You also cannot blame Daniel. He’ll be devastated.”

“I don’t blame you,” I said hollowly. “I don’t blame Daniel.”

Marcus’s eyes softened. “Zoey, cara, you can’t blame yourself.”

But I could. I could blame myself and I would until the day I died and found out if my prince had managed to wait for me.

“Please, you have to stay strong,” Marcus said. “You’re not alone. Daniel needs you.”

I shook my head. “I don’t see what I’ll do for Daniel now.” It would be infinitely harder to get the stone without Dev. I needed a lookout or I would get caught and the stone gone from me forever. If I gave Marini too much trouble, he might decide to send Daniel another present and I would be seeing Dev again soon.

“You can do this, Zoey,” Marcus said. “We’re all relying on you. Daniel is close to being ready to raid the catacombs. He needs you to take the Blood Stone out of play.”

I turned to look at Marcus for the first time. “You’ve seen Danny?”

“I have,” Marcus replied. “He is resolute, but he’s sick at heart, Zoey. It took all of us to convince him not to trade his life for yours. He wanted to walk into the catacombs by himself to face Marini.”

“He can’t do that,” I said, horrified at the thought.

“I made him realize that it would only get him killed and you would still be at Marini’s mercy. He must follow the plans, but it’s killing him.”

“How is Zack?” I asked, worried about the young wolf.

Marcus sighed heavily. “He wanted me to tell you something, Zoey. He made me promise if I got a chance that I would speak to you.”

I took a shaky breath and prayed I would survive the next couple of minutes. Zack had to be angry with me. I’d gotten his brother killed. I shouldn’t have left him when I ran to check on Dev. I should have shielded the wolf. I deserved whatever vitriol Zack wanted to throw my way. I nodded and indicated I was ready to listen.

“Zack told me to let you know that his brother died doing his job. He would have been proud to die in such a fashion, protecting someone he loved deeply,” Marcus related Zack’s words to me. “He wanted to thank you for making Lee’s last years his happiest. He was happier and more settled in the last several years than he’d been his whole life. Zack wants you to know that when the time comes, he will be at Daniel’s side and he will come for you. He will come for you because you’re his family now.”

I fell into Marcus’s chest and sobbed against him. I had lost so much in Lee and Dev and I had to go on. I had to stand up and do the job because I wasn’t alone. Daniel was depending on me. Zack needed me. I had to live and fight because I had to get out of this prison and find Neil. I wanted to lie down and fade like the Fae did. I wanted to be still and wait for death to take me, but I was full of life that wouldn’t get a chance if I didn’t find a way to fight. It seemed so unfair that I wasn’t allowed to wallow in my grief, to let it swallow me up until it was all that was left of me, but I couldn’t. I had to fight for Danny and Zack and Neil, but most of all for the babies inside me that were all I had left of Devinshea.

Marcus allowed me to cry for the longest time. He stroked my hair and said nothing at all, just let the tourists in the square walk past us. They ignored us since they only existed in Marcus’s mind. We were alone.

I sniffed and probably looked like hell but it didn’t matter. “Where are you, Marcus? I mean in the real world.”

“I’m in a silver coffin wrapped in silver chains deep in the dungeons, cara,” Marcus replied simply. “It’s nothing to concern yourself with. When Daniel makes his push, he will find me and release me.”

“How long have I been out? Where am I?”

“You are in your rooms. You were moved to your bed and now I believe they have a werewolf watching over you. It’s been roughly a day and a half, I believe. Time is odd when you’re in a coffin, but I believe you will find it’s day.”

“Is the werewolf’s name Trent?”