Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(97)

“You know why, Dev,” Daniel replied, hugging me tightly.

Dev’s expression tightened. “You cannot go into this thinking you’re going to die. You promised me you would be positive. Walking into this with a negative outlook is like asking for it to fail.”

“I’m not negative,” Daniel replied somewhat defensively. “I’m just realistic. There’s a little bomb on my heart. It’s not going to be easy.”

Dev let the bag drop. “Have you considered that up until now, fate has given you everything you need to win this fight and for the most part all you’ve been required to do is accept it?”

“What are you talking about?” Daniel asked, his brows in a confused V.

Dev was ready with an explanation. “You needed a companion. Essentially Zoey turned you. She was your first real blood and she imprinted on you in a way that Marini couldn’t overcome. You needed a patron, someone on the Council who could teach you how to blend in and behave so you didn’t get caught immediately, and there was Marcus just waiting for you. You needed to be able to daywalk and suddenly I show up with the perfect magic to give you the strength. You needed an army and the Order of Galahad knelt down before you and pledged their loyalty. Now you need someone who can magically fix your heart and freaking Merlin wakes up at your command.”

I was smiling when Dev finished his somewhat righteous speech. “He has a point, Danny.”

“But what do you do?” Dev threw his hands up in the air in disgust. “You brood. You wait for the worst to happen. Just this once I want you to expect that the universe is going to take care of us as it always has.”

“Because you never have doubts, Dev,” Daniel challenged.

“Not in this, I don’t,” my faery prince shot back. “I believe with all of my being that Daniel Donovan will win the day. I believe you will be king and you will right the wrongs the Council has visited on the world. I know it deep down, and you can’t convince me otherwise. I will promise you that if it comes to it, I’ll take our wife and keep her safe, but it’s an easy thing to swear because I know I won’t have to.”

Myrddin stood above, looking down on the three of us with great curiosity. His dark eyes were filled with anticipation. “Listen to your advisor, Your Highness. He’s giving you sound advice. Perhaps he’s not what I first thought. He’ll make an excellent balance. It’s obvious he cares deeply for you.”

“And what is this balance you seek, wizard?” Bris’s voice startled me, for the change was almost instantaneous.

Myrddin was surprised as well. His eyes narrowed as he studied my faery prince. “No one told me the Fae was an ascended god.”

“Perhaps you did not need to know,” Bris replied. “Now, tell me what you wish from my host and I will tell you if I’ll permit it. He cares very deeply for Daniel and would do anything to see him and our goddess safe and happy. I won’t allow you to use him to your own ends.”

Myrddin leaned negligently against the wall, his lips curving into a secret little smile. “These are not my ends. I serve the king as I always have. There’s only one way I know to fix the king’s heart trouble. If you have another idea, I would be more than willing to listen. Are you a god of healing, Fae?”

Bris frowned. “I’m a fertility god.”

Myrddin nodded, and I felt a sense of deep satisfaction from him. “Then, Fae, when I need someone to impregnate the queen, I assure you, I will think of you. Perhaps not first. She’s very attractive and it’s not as though the king can handle the task himself, but your name will be on the list.”

Bris was suddenly in the wizard’s space. I could see the barely controlled rage in his eyes. “She’s mine. Wizard or no, if you so much as think of touching her it will be your heart in trouble. I will pluck it from your body and think nothing of the loss. She’s my goddess and no other shall have her.”

“Interesting,” Myrddin murmured. He sent Daniel a pointed look. “I find it interesting that he uses the word mine instead of ours. The host would have said she is ours. She’s your goddess? I assumed she was Daniel’s companion first. I obviously have the timeline confused. If her loyalties are in question then perhaps the king should reconsider her place.”

“You overstep your bounds, demon,” Bris hissed, stepping forward.

I scrambled off Daniel’s lap. Myrddin seemed entirely entertained by the fertility god’s show of anger. He was grinning and there was a certain mad glee in his dark eyes. He would enjoy the chaos of a fight. He’d been waiting for it. I got between Bris and the wizard. I wasn’t happy to see Stewart approach and take a place at the wizard’s side.

He watched the dark man with a worshipful gaze. “I love to watch a master at his work.”

“Please calm down.” I tried to ignore the demon and focused my attention on Bris. The fertility god’s power might seem soft, but I’d watched him take out an army of red caps without breaking a sweat. I didn’t want to think about what he could do to the wizard if he lost control of his temper.

“You cannot trust this demonspawn, my goddess,” Bris insisted, his face stubborn. He pointed at his rival as he accused him. “He’s infamous. Daniel shouldn’t be allowed to come under his influence. I won’t allow him to use you.”