Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(32)

“It’s more than nine months, buddy.” Sarah sat on the ledge, letting her bare feet dangle in the water. “How about breast feeding? Although with Dev’s DNA, the baby might actually come out of the womb with a discernible blood alcohol level.”

I decided to switch the topic. Maybe I wasn’t ready to confront the whole baby thing. “Where are the other wolves today?”

“Zack is going to some farm with Dev and Lee refuses to come into the apartments until he’s sure you’re clothed,” Sarah explained with a smile. “He said he was going to the dungeons to check on our would-be assassin. He seems eager to start the ‘questioning.’ Maybe I should go down there and make sure they observe the Geneva Convention.”

Neil snorted as he sank back in the warm water. “Honey, Switzerland doesn’t exist on this plane. I assure you what Daniel is going to do to that faery will make Guantanamo look like Disney World.”

Sarah sighed. “I don’t want to know. After all that time on the Hell plane, I come down firmly on the side of no torture.”

“You’re in luck then, Ms. Day,” Padric said darkly from the doorway.

I ducked down and hid my boobs under the ledge of the tub. “Hello, naked here.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Padric said. “People usually bathe nude. It’s nothing I haven’t seen.” It wasn’t. He’d seen all of me and from various angles because Dev liked to switch positions. Faery marriage ceremonies came complete with witnesses to the consummation. Padric and Declan had been mine. He did, however, look surprised that I had a guest. “Is the boy your maid?”

Neil shook his head. Unlike me, he couldn’t care less that he wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing. “Nope, I’m the bodyguard. I’m patrolling these dangerous waters. Can’t let sharks get Her Grace.”

Padric was not impressed with sarcasm. “I wouldn’t worry about sharks, young man. You have far more to think about. The prisoner was found dead.”

Daniel was in the room almost instantly. He’d gotten out of bed damn fast. “What do you mean, he’s dead? He was fine last night. When we left him he was moaning about his headache but otherwise he was fine in his cell. The healers said he would be all right and ready for questioning today.”

“Did he kill himself?” Neil asked, getting out of the tub and drying himself off. He was perfectly professional now and ready to be serious.

“No,” Padric replied. “The healers believe someone poisoned the archer’s breakfast. We’re questioning the staff, but no one seems to know anything. The boy who delivered the food this morning is missing.”

“Lee can track a man for miles.” Daniel’s color was back to his normal pale and he seemed much stronger from his morning feeding. “Do you have anything that belonged to the boy?”

“I will check but it will have to wait.” Padric’s face went dark, his eyes trailing to the large window on the opposite wall. “We have bigger problems. The Unseelie are here.”

“With an army?” Daniel asked.

Padric shook his head. “No, they sent an envoy. The messenger said they merely wanted to visit in an attempt to restore our previously good relations. They wish to celebrate the marriage of the prince. Prince Dev was well liked by the Unseelie. If we refuse them, it will be a grave insult.”

“But you don’t think that is the real reason they are here?” I asked as Daniel held my robe up. He made certain I was covered as I walked up the steps of the bath. He wrapped it around me.

“I think the timing is interesting,” Padric admitted. “They come just as someone is attempting to kill Her Grace. There is nothing we can do but welcome the envoy and watch him like a hawk. Please get Her Grace properly dressed as well as yourself, Daniel. The queen wants all of you at her side when we greet the envoy. Zoey, please wear the dress Declan left for you. We retrieved it from Mara’s room a few minutes ago. She will not be working at the palace any longer.”

“I will make sure Her Grace is prepared for the meeting,” Bibi said with enthusiastic confidence. “And I will make sure Master Daniel is in proper costume as well.”

Padric stared down at the troll with surprise. “See that you do.” He turned back to me. “Your husband is already in conference with the queen and his brother. They will defer to him when dealing with the Unseelie. It is important that you and Daniel support him.”

I nodded. We had just been told to behave. I would object but I had come to the same conclusion myself just a few minutes before. This was Dev’s world. He understood it better than we did.

“We’ll be what Devinshea needs us to be,” Daniel promised. He owed Dev. Dev had played whatever role Daniel needed while he was trying to secure his own crown, so backing up Dev was no big deal.

Padric was almost out the door when he turned back. “And Your Grace, keep your wolves close. The Unseelie are not to be trusted. You should never be alone with them.”

With those ominous words, the head of the royal guard left us to prepare. As Sarah and Bibi went to get our clothes ready, Daniel and I moved to the window. In the distance we could see a small party making their way from the mountains. I looked out, trying to get a glimpse of the man at the head of the group.

Daniel hugged me from behind, his hand going protectively over my belly. He was quiet as we watched the Unseelie move ever closer. “It’s going to be okay, Z. You stay close to me. Dev has to do his thing, so it’s my turn to protect you.”