Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(134)

Marcus smiled slightly. “Is that one of McKenzie’s plants? I was told he had a few spies in the Council headquarters, but I don’t know their names.”

“I complained bitterly about him,” I said. “I think it made Louis believe he was the perfect guard for me.”

“I believe Trent is the name Louis used.” The Italian straightened up. His face was resolute. “It’s time, cara. You must wake up and do what you need to do. I will be here with you when you sleep. Know that I am thinking of you, cara.”

I woke up on the bed Rose and I had shared the night I entered the catacombs. I was still in the shift I’d worn the night Dev died.

I sat straight up in bed and the grief washed over me as fresh and sharp as the minute I realized he was gone. I slapped my hand over my mouth when I realized I was going to throw up. I tossed back the covers and ran to the bathroom, barely noticing that Trent had opened the door upon hearing me wake up.

I slammed the bathroom door behind me and barely made it to the toilet before what little I had in my stomach came heaving up. I sat there on the cold floor completely miserable, my body shaking with grief and sickness. When I finished, I laid my head down on the cool marble.

“Zoey,” I heard Trent’s Boston accent through the door. “Are you all right? Should I get a doctor?”

“I’m fine,” I lied, pushing myself up. I felt something move against my chest and I reached down.

I pulled out the fake Blood Stone and was grateful no one thought to undress me. I held it up to the light. It would pass inspection, but not if Louis studied it closely. It didn’t have the same shine as the original but I just needed it to hold the Blood Stone’s place for long enough to let me get away. I needed a place to hide the fake Marcus had given up his freedom to get to me.

I forced myself up and opened one of the cabinets, looking for a place to hide it. There was a big box of tampons. I doubted any man—human, werewolf, or vampire—would think to look for something there. I put the fake in and covered it up. I rose and caught sight of myself in the mirror.

The face that stared back was a shock. I was older, weary. This was the face of a widow.

I shoved my grief as far down into my soul as I could. I had a job to do. I had living people who needed me. This was what Myrddin meant. I had to push aside my pain and do the job. I had to live because if I didn’t then Dev had died in vain and Lee’s sacrifice meant nothing.

I memorized the face in the mirror and I was ready to go to work.





Chapter Thirty-Three





I ate every bit of the eggs and bacon Trent brought me thirty minutes later. I ignored the coffee but downed the orange juice and forced myself to finish off two buttery croissants and a bowl of fruit. While my soul might not be interested in food, the two boys growing in my belly were insistent on it. I was famished and my fingers just kept on putting food in my mouth.

Trent watched closely. I was sure I was an odd sight. My face was puffy and my eyes red. I’d gotten back into the jeans and T-shirt I’d worn the night I was kidnapped because I saw no evidence Rose had been successful in her mission of buying me clothes. In fact, I saw no evidence of Rose or Robert at all. Had she been sold while I was sleeping?

“Where is Rose?”

The Boston wolf leaned forward and kept his voice low. “Are you feeling up for this, Your Highness? A lot has happened since…”

“Since my husband was murdered,” I finished for him. I steeled myself because I was going to have to be tough. I couldn’t give in to the urge to wail every time I thought of Devinshea. I had to hold it together until I was in Daniel’s arms again. When that happened, I could grieve and cry all I wanted and Daniel would grieve with me.

“Yes, ma’am,” Trent replied carefully. “A lot has happened since then, and I don’t think you’re going to like some of it.”

“I don’t like anything that happened in the last several days, Trent,” I said bitterly. “Is Daniel alive?”

“Yes. Yes, ma’am,” Trent replied quickly. “Your husband is alive. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you like that. The king is alive and well and giving the Council hell.”

Something inside me released and I realized I was just waiting for someone to tell me Danny was dead. I had to keep faith. I nodded and poured another glass of orange juice. Despite sleeping for a day and a half, I found myself exhausted. I hoped it was the aftereffects of Marcus’s magic and not another symptom of my pregnancy. “Tell me everything.”

“Almost all of Marini’s strong supporters are now in the catacombs,” the wolf told me. “Donovan started picking them off one by one, neat, clean executions. Now they’re all hiding here, plotting what to do next. There are plenty of vampires who are staying neutral and the king has stated as long as they offer no aid to the Council, he won’t touch them. The rest of them are with Daniel in London. As far as I can tell, every living academic has either gone into hiding or they’re in the Order’s headquarters. Marini is pissed. He’s sworn to kill them all.”

“And Rose?”

“Rose is missing,” Trent replied, holding his hands up to let me know it was a mystery. “She and her manservant left to go shopping in the city. Marini couldn’t afford to give her a full escort. The vampire sent with her lost track of her. He searched all night but couldn’t find her. Marini thinks Donovan snagged her in retaliation for him taking you.”