Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(118)

“He wasn’t a prize to be won.” I grabbed a plate because if we were walking more today, I would need a little strength. I glanced at a large grandfather clock that told me I still had several hours before Danny was awake and we could get a move on. It didn’t look like I would be having any girl time with our hostess, so I decided to eat as quickly as possible and then avoid her for the rest of our time here. “Has anyone been able to contact the king yet?”

Herne entered the room. “I hope you slept well, Your Grace.” He nodded to Arawn, who quickly allowed Roarke to take over the conversation. “Good morning, Roarke. Exciting couple of days, huh?”

Roarke sent his friend a pointed stare. “Yes, if you like complete and utter terror. You might get an adrenaline rush from being hunted down, but I don’t. I was looking forward to a couple of weeks’ rest out at the cabin, not fleeing for our life because Nim decided she needed something exotic.”

A servant came in the room and Roarke finally got around to my previous question. The small goblin brought in an extra platter of something that looked like fried ham. I didn’t ask.

“Has your mistress called her father this morning?” Roarke politely asked the goblin, who turned his red eyes on us.

“My beautiful mistress spoke with one of the king’s advisors not more than an hour ago.” All the love he had for his mistress showed in his eyes. It made a nice contrast when he turned angry eyes to me. “The king is busy with the war preparations. Chima was told her father will call her later today to decide what to do with that one.”

Herne pulled the little goblin over and made sure the servant knew he was serious. “She is a Seelie royal. Have you forgotten your manners? Do you seek to shame your mistress with your behavior?”

The goblin bowed, but the distaste in his eyes didn’t go away. “Of course not, My Lord. I stand ready to aid Her Highness in any way she might need me.”

He gave me one last dirty look and then left the room. I wouldn’t be asking him for any favors.

Roarke shook his head. “I apologize. Chima is good to her servants. She inspires loyalty in all who work for her. They hoped for a marriage between her and the priest. Even her father tried throwing Chima and Devinshea together when he was here. They were…disappointed it didn’t work out.”

I supposed that would have been a perfect match for everyone in Faery. Dev and Chima would have brought the tribes together and there would have been no question that Dev would fulfill his duties to his wife’s people. I wondered why it hadn’t worked out. At one point, Dev would have done anything to get his people’s approval.

“Why do Chima and the goblin call Zoey ‘Her Highness’? I thought the proper term was ‘Her Grace,’” Neil asked in between plates of food. I hoped the kitchens here could keep up with a werewolf.

Herne took that one. “Zoey is the wife of a high priest and the proper title is ‘Your Grace,’ but Devinshea is also in line for the throne. He can use the titles interchangeably. The Seelies would never call her Your Highness, but we aren’t so desperate for everything to have a proper title here.”

There was a loud clatter outside the door and a small, black-haired child sprinted through the room. I smiled because his harried nanny chased him through. He was a bright ball of energy streaking across the floor.

“Sean, you stop that this instant,” she yelled as he broke for our table.

The little boy named Sean screeched his pleasure at the game he was playing. He feinted left and right, and then ran headlong toward me. He ran straight into my chair and I reached down to pick up the child, who appeared to be no more than four years old. He held his head and began to cry.

“It’s all right, sweetie.” I hauled him into my lap, loving the soft weight of him. He was sweet and obviously used to affection as he immediately threw his little arms around me and cried. I soothed back his midnight black hair that was already at the top of his shoulders. I wondered if holding any child would always remind me of the ones I’d lost.

I heard the nanny’s startled oath and looked up. The tall sidhe female put a hand over her mouth in abject horror as she looked at me.

“It’s all right,” Roarke said to the woman. “She won’t harm the child.”

I was confused. I’d tried to build a ferocious reputation but not as someone who would hurt little kids. I patted the boy’s back. Maybe they thought because I was married to a Seelie that I would kill all Unseelie. “Why would I hurt a baby?”

Herne shook his head regretfully. “I’m sure it was something Chima never wanted you to know.”

The boy shifted his face to me, and now it was my turn to be startled. Emerald green eyes and a perfect face stared up at me. This was what Devinshea had looked like as a child. It made my heart seize. It was easy to see why Chima hated me. I had the title of wife, but according to all Seelie laws, she was the real thing.





“Zoey, are you sure you want to do this?” Neil asked as I stalked my prey through the elegant hallways of the country house.

“Just tell me which way to go, Neil,” I growled at my wolf. He’d been trying to steer me off course since the moment I’d decided to have it out with Chima.

“Promise me no girl fighting. It’s not pretty and it’s undignified. All that hair pulling makes the stylist in me want to cry.”