Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(34)

Declan rolled his green eyes. “Would I be walking toward the Wild Hunt if I had? I assure you, I would be running the other way. I have heard the stories and, though I know it would be futile, I would still try. I have no wish to be taken apart by flying beasts.”

The flying beasts were a part of the small but deadly army that according to legend made up the Wild Hunt, and Herne the Hunter was the Fae who led it. They sought out oath breakers and made them pay for their lies. It was not something to be wished for.

Dev appeared mollified by Declan’s answer. “Good, then he’s here because we’re friends. He’ll want to meet my goddess, and perhaps I can mend the fences you tore down.”

“Are those true black dogs?” Daniel pointed out the huge creatures walking beside the man with enormous antlers. Black dogs are a myth on the Earth plane. On the British Isles, there were stories of huge black canines who usually foretold a death. On the Faery plane, however, they were just pets.

“Yes, they are,” Dev said, picking up the pace. “It’s another good sign. He left the C?n Annwn at home.”

“Those are hell hounds,” Declan provided. “The black dogs are sweet little pets compared to the hell hounds. I won’t even go into the Cù-Sìth. They’re huge and green with flames for eyes. The dark court is a place of monsters.”

The black dogs were roughly the size of a calf. There were two of them, and they lumbered along on either side of the Hunter. Their long tongues moved in and out of their mouths as they panted in the midday heat. They were so black that in the light of the sun, they appeared to be blue. Behind the Hunter and the black dogs were several goblins who were well armed and appeared to be the Hunter’s bodyguards.

“I hope he did not bring the sluagh,” Declan griped. “We will be forced to feed them and they make the worst mess. The palace will stink for days.”

“This is why we are in this quandary,” Dev shot back. “You have no tolerance.”

I was kind of with Dec on this one. I didn’t want to meet the faery host. They were reputed to be even worse than the Wild Hunt.

I heard Lee start to growl behind me. Dev stopped at the edge of the palace grounds to greet the Hunter. I turned to my chief bodyguard and his eyes were dark and predatory.

“Don’t you start something with those dogs,” I warned. He could be a little territorial.

He merely gave me a stubborn look and continued to growl. Neil and Zack were getting antsy, too, as the black dogs approached. It was instinctive. They didn’t like non-pack canines in their territory, and certainly not around their mistress. It wasn’t like I was the alpha bitch or anything, but they took my protection seriously.

The black dogs caught the wolf scent in the air and suddenly they were growling, too, and the hair on the back of their necks was standing at full attention. I started to worry that we would have a fight on our hands.

“Shuck, Barghest, down,” the Hunter commanded, his voice deep and filled with his will.

The black dogs sat back on their haunches but kept their eyes on the wolves.

“You keep interesting company, Prince Dev,” Herne said with a friendly smile. He was a large man, broader than most of the sidhe I’d met, and even taller than Dev. He was six seven at the least. His sable-colored hair only reached his shoulders, but it was mostly obscured by the antlers he wore. Now that I was closer, I could see it was a headdress, but he moved with complete ease as though they were an actual part of his body. I reminded myself that this man was like my husband. He’d taken the non-corporeal hunter god into his Fae body and coexisted with the deity. Unlike Dev, he had given up his own name and chose to be known only as his god. “It’s been many years since I was in the presence of a werewolf, yet you travel with three.”

“I find they make fine bodyguards on the Earth plane.” Dev held his hand out and the ambassador came forward to shake it.

“It’s good to have you back, friend,” Herne stated, tipping his antlers gracefully. “I began to worry the Earth plane would keep you forever and we would be the poorer for it. Things haven’t gone well since you left. Now that you’ve returned, perhaps we can avoid bloodshed.”

“Why shed blood when we could get gloriously drunk?” Dev asked and Herne laughed.

“You always were a lover not a fighter,” Herne said, proving the Unseelie nobles were so much less formal than the Seelies. I just liked the fact that he used contractions.

Herne politely acknowledged Declan, but his distaste was easily read. He turned to me and a look of surprise crossed his tanned face. “You finally found your fertility goddess. You’ll have to forgive me, Your Grace, but your husband was forever bemoaning the lack of curves in our women. Many times he dragged me to the Earth plane to visit brothels because he needed to bury his face in a soft bosom. When he described his preferred choice of mate, he could have been talking about you specifically.”

“Herne,” Dev said, blushing just a bit, “I would like to introduce you to my goddess, Zoey, and my partner, Daniel Donovan.”

“Very interesting.” Herne’s dark eyes took in the two of us. He scented the air deeply. “The rumors are true. Your partner is a vampire. Odd. He’s walking in the sun.”

“It is one of his powers,” Dev acknowledged. “Have you ever met a vampire king?”