Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(137)

“Mother!” Dev screamed, trying to warn her, but his voice was a small sound, easily missed amid the cacophony of death around us.

We ran hard, shoving our way past warriors. We were on the Seelie side, and now some of the warriors were beginning to recognize their supposedly dead priest and his also newly risen goddess. It made it easier. They didn’t attempt to fight us as we struggled to get through the throng to make our way to Miria.

Neil had no such trouble. He twisted his way through. Very few people looked down to pay attention to the white dog working his way toward the royal. The moment he got a chance, Neil made a break for the queen. He barked a warning just as Padric was jumped. I watched in horror as both men managed to stick their knives cleanly into Padric’s strong torso.

I tried to get a shot, but I was too short. I would hit the other bodies that were in our way.

Neil howled and stood between the queen and her assassin even as Miria pulled a knife from her belt and tried to help Padric. Neil leapt onto the killer at the queen’s back but now the two who had been taking out the head of the royal guard divided their forces. With Padric bleeding profusely, one of the men started after the queen.

I tried to shove my way through, but I couldn’t find a way out, and now the warriors were starting to notice us. It wouldn’t be long before someone decided to keep things the way they were and make Dev’s previous death into a reality.

“Give me a boost,” I yelled to Dev.

“What?”

I pointed up. “I can’t get a shot off. I need some height.”

Dev leaned down, cupped his hands together, and waited to boost me up. I would have one shot, a mere second to find my balance and my target. I put my right foot in Dev’s hands and he lifted me up and over the fray. Having a husband who tops six foot five is helpful when you need a lift.

I balanced on one foot and concentrated, allowing the world to fall away the way my father had taught me to. Time felt suspended as I blocked out everything else but the feel of the gun in my hand, the trigger a firm pressure against my finger. My vision narrowed to the man about to slit my mother-in-law’s throat. I breathed deeply and let my focus pinpoint his head. In a heartbeat, I pulled the trigger gently and watched as a place right above his left eye exploded.

There were loud shouts and someone screamed to get “the woman.” I was pulled roughly from my perch by strong hands. Yeah, I was apparently the woman in question. The force of being jerked around caused me to lose the gun that would have been helpful given I was being hauled off by an angry mob.

Dev screamed and I saw him fight against hands that held him. He kicked out, but there were too many of them.

It occurred to me as I was pulled in several different directions by vicious hands that perhaps my actions had been misconstrued. It was possible that the Seelie warriors I was currently being carried off by were thinking I was the assassin rather than the queen’s savior. I was pulled down and circled by a group of warriors. The largest of my captors wasn’t waiting on a fair trial. He shoved me to my knees and forced my head back.

It looked like everyone wanted to behead me.

A mighty roar filled my world, drowning out all other sounds. I was shoved forcibly to the ground. My chest and both arms hit the saturated grass as Lee stood over me, growling at the circle of would-be executioners. I managed to see the group that surrounded us take a healthy step back as Daniel landed on the ground in front of me. His clothes dripped blood and his voice was a low growl.

He stared at the men holding Devinshea back.

“If you have any wish to stay alive, you will release him.” Daniel had to work to enunciate around the fangs in his mouth.

“It is an Unseelie trick,” a warrior said. “The princes are dead. This is magic created to fool us.”

“I am no Unseelie trick,” Daniel promised. “Give him to me or I will no longer hold back.”

“Hold back?” I heard someone mutter. If Daniel had been pulling punches, I was pretty sure they didn’t want to see him let loose.

I saw someone shove Dev forward, and he was quickly pulled behind Daniel. He was on his knees as Lee moved to guard our backs and Zack joined him.

“Are you all right?” Dev pulled me close. “I have to get to Mother…”

But even as he said it I heard the sound, the single blare of a great horn from the Seelie side. When we looked up following that blissful noise, I saw Neil in human form, pointing the way to us for the queen. Padric was back on his feet. He held his side but kept up with his queen as she made her way to us.

There was one more sound we needed to hear, and Dev tensed as he held me, waiting for it, praying for it.

It was farther away this time but no less beautiful. The Unseelie side answered and just like that, the battle was done.





Chapter Thirty-Four





“Devinshea.” Miria shouted. Padric walked behind her, his face pale, but he seemed to be healing. The crowd parted for them, giving the queen space to move.

Dev got to his feet as Daniel stood down. They turned to me and each took a hand to help me up. Daniel’s eyes were dark and filled with need as the bloodlust was receding and another lust took its place. I was sure I was his wet dream. I was soft and vulnerable, my heart racing from the adrenaline, and I was covered in blood.

“Zoey,” Daniel groaned my name as he pulled me into his arms. “God, I want you so much.”