Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(140)

The love fest was interrupted by Padric, who returned with the struggling duke. The duke fought the warrior, but Padric wasn’t about to let his quarry go. He hauled the traitor to the queen and forced him to his knees.

“Braden.” Miria looked at him as she might look at a worm. “Would you like to explain how my sons stand before me alive and whole when you swore they were dead? You set me on the course to this battle.”

The duke’s voice was tremulous. “I was obviously mistaken. I had bad intelligence. It was an honest mistake.”

“Mistake?” He was going to try to play it that way? I wasn’t about to allow that to pass. “Was it a mistake when you had your daughter sell me to the Unseelies as a sex slave? Was it a mistake when you cursed my unborn child? How about attempting to assassinate the queen?”

Miria turned to me, her skin going pale. “These are grave accusations. Are you certain, daughter?”

“I will prove our certainty, Mother.” Dev glanced around until he found who he was looking for. “Hunter?”

A gasp went through the crowd and even Angus pulled his daughter close as if to protect her. Everyone around held their breath in bated anticipation of what was going to happen. Everyone, that is, except the Duke of Ain, who started to beg and struggle again. His eyes were wide with horror.

“Yes, Your Grace,” the Hunter answered with a sly smile. His dark eyes glittered, his whole body seeming to swell with power.

Miria put a hand on her son’s sleeve and even Declan looked pale. “Son, if you are wrong…”

“Dev,” Declan said, “don’t do this. We can just behead the bastard and be done with it. We don’t need a hunt.”

“Oh, brother,” Dev said with great relish. “I prefer Unseelie justice.” He turned and pointed at the duke. “I am Devinshea Quinn, High Priest of the Unseelie Fae. I accuse the Duke of Ain of crimes against me and mine. He plotted against his queen, betrayed my goddess, and cursed my unborn son. I demand justice, Hunter.”

The Hunter strode forward. Even as he walked, he raised an arm and I could feel the sky above me opening up. “And you shall have it. We ride!”

Now there was panic as the crowd around us broke up and ran for cover. Padric released the duke and he began to run. He could run as fast and far as his legs would allow and it wouldn’t matter. The hunt would find him. The hunt would have his blood.

A huge black horse, who I would have sworn was on fire, descended and the Hunter mounted in a graceful, fluid motion. The horse reared back and the heavens above seemed to open, unleashing a great army. All the monsters of the world, it seemed, had wings and teeth. They blacked out the sun as they moved toward us.

Dev pulled me close and Daniel covered my back. I was safe and secure between them, but I could hear the screams. I caught glimpses of wild nightmares come to life. They flew past with one thought in their collective brain—kill the Duke of Ain. Bring justice forth by spilling his blood.

“Don’t watch,” Daniel said, pushing my head against Dev’s chest. “You don’t want to see it, baby.”

I wrapped my arms around Dev and let Daniel’s body drown out the screams that seemed to go on forever. The sounds alone would haunt my nightmares. After the longest time, the cries died down and I felt the rushing of winged creatures as they went back to wherever they had come from.

Dev didn’t release me even when the Hunter returned.

“Are you satisfied, Your Grace?”

There was darkness in my faery prince’s eyes as he nodded. He didn’t regret having called the Wild Hunt. “I am.”

The Hunter bowed and dismounted. The horse took off to wait in the sky for his master to call him again.

“Come, Daniel. Let’s return with King Angus and let our wife rest,” Dev said. “It’s been a hard few days. I would like to take you up on your previous offer, if it still stands.”

Danny had offered to lay in bed together, warm and safe, and discuss our future. “It is always open, Devinshea,” Daniel affirmed with a smile. “Though I’ll need a bath before you let me into our bed.”

Dev grinned down at me. I was every bit as filthy as Daniel. “I think we can all use a bath.”

I perked up. I remembered how our last bath went. I stopped when I had a sudden, horrible thought. “Oh, god. The Blood Stone. Did that bitch get my stone?”

Daniel reached into his pocket. “They weren’t brave enough to search me. It’s been in my pocket the whole time.”

“Then let’s get to the part where we practice the whole baby-making thing. I could use a break.” I looked down to make sure the wolves were following. I was sure Lee, at least, was looking forward to a nice long nap.

“I think you will like your temple, Zoey,” Chima said with an eager smile. “I’ll have everything in readiness for you. I’ll make sure there is a great feast to welcome you home.”

“Dev!” Miria shouted as we began to follow Angus and Chima.

Without looking back, Dev replied. “You should take care of Gilliana. She was in on the plot with her father. I’ll be satisfied with her speedy execution. Please send her head to me with all due haste. If you do that, I won’t call the hunt down again. I’ll talk to you soon, Mother, but not today. As for Chima’s husband, I prefer not to talk to him at all.”